Nelson's history of the war. Vol. XI., The struggle for the Dvina, and the great invasion of Serbia

62 HISTORY OF THE WAR.

your support to our brothers, who, for long months, have nobly upheld Britain's past traditions, and the glory of her Arms.”

But it was the death of one Englishwoman in Brussels which did more than any other incident of the war—more than the sinking of the Lusitania or the tragedy of Belgium—to key the temper of Britain to that point where resolution acquires the impetus of a passion. Miss Edith Cavell, a lady of forty-three, and the daughter of a Norfolk clergyman, had been since 1906 the head of a nursing institute in Brussels. When the war broke out she was in England, but she returned at once to Belgium, and transformed her institute into a hospital for wounded soldiers. There she nursed without discrimination British, French, Belgians, and Germans. During her year’s work she succeeded, with the help of friends in Brussels, in conveying many of the wounded Allied soldiers into Holland, whence they could return to their armies, and also in assisting the escape of Belgian civilians of military age. Her activities were discovered by the German

a authorities, and on 5th August she was 5: arrested and lodged in the military prison of St. Gilles.

Here she was kept in solitary confinement, and no word of her arrest reached her friends till three

4 weeks later. On 26th August Sir Ed-

Ug. 20 ward Grey asked the American Ambassador in London to request Mr. Brand Whitlock, the American Minister at Brussels, to inquire into

4 the case. Mr. Whitlock took up the

“8: 3 matter energetically, and on 31st August

addressed an inquiry to Baron von der Lancken,