oup of
men in Douglas Camp would welcome the spectroscope, which was at
once sent them, and the corresponding message written to Berlin.
It was not long before a reply was received telling us, as we
expected, that every effort would be made, as usual, to carry
out such a proposal for reciprocal service to prisoners.

A little later another player came into the game in the shape of
the German War Office. (There seems to be a War Office player in
every game that takes place in these days.) The German War
Office was reluctant to permit valuable lenses to enter the
internment camp without being quite sure first of all that the
corresponding privilege had been allowed in England. Would we,
therefore, obtain and forward a written certificate from the
Commandant of the camp to say that the instrument had been
allowed. This was soon done, and we next hear that the Berlin
Committee, being unable to find a spectroscope themselves, had
collected the sum of 900 marks for the purchase of one, and has
asked permission for two of the leaders of the "University" of
Ruhleben to be allowed out of camp to inspect instruments before
purchase. This permission seems to have been readily granted,
and Dr. Higgins and Mr. Chadwick met Dr. Rotten, the secretary
of the Berlin Committee, in order to choose the most suitable
apparatus. They finally decided upon one offered by Herr H., the
head of an optical instrument firm.

At this point the game became specially interesting. Dr. Rotten
was aware that Herr H.'s brother and his family had been closely
in touch with the Emergency Committee, and had received
considerable help in difficult and distressing circumstances. In
recognition of the assistance given to his brother, he at once
offered to lend to the camp, for the period of the war, a
spectrometer and prisms valued together at 1,650 marks. The 900
marks collected were thus released to be used for other
enterprises. Herr H. also sent a warm message offering to
receive his brother's children, who had lost their mother during
the war, and to welcome his brother as soon as he was free to
cross to Germany. He also offered to provide him with anything
he might desire to help him pass away the weary hours in camp.
We learnt that the brother had been studying French, and now
wish to take up Spanish,