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The Sphere and Tatler, Ltd. (publishers) : The Sphere. An Illustrated Newspaper for the Home. Volume LXVIII. No. 891. February 17, 1917

(London: The Sphere and Tatler, Ltd., 1917)

410 x 292 mm; saddle-stitched magazine, without wrappers; pp. [133-154] + x; several monochrome illustrations and photographs. Front and back pages very slightly rubbed; staples a bit rusty; occasional fox spots. Truly a landmark issue, on several counts: The front page illustration shows 'The sinking of the Anchor Liner, "California", an event described in the magazine as "One of the most spectacular of the sinkings since the announcement of the German super-ruthlessness campaign." The first page of news touches on the toll of ships through German submarine activity, and includes an excerpt from Lloyd George's tribute to Abraham Lincoln, comparing the American War for human freedom with the struggle going on in Europe against "a militarist slavery". Lloyd George expresses the belief that "the war must be fought to a finish, for on such an Issue there can be no such thing as a drawn war." Following the announcement of the Germans' new policy of unrestricted submarine warfare at the start of the month, the USA broke off diplomatic relations with Berlin, and in April it declared war on Germany. Borrowing from 'The Scientific American', and perhaps in anticipation of the United States entering the War, attention is given to America's Navy. There are scenes of snow in London, and, across the Channel, in the trenches on the Western Front. Three pages, including some photographs and a two-page spread giving a bird's eye view of the territory of German East Africa affected by the fighting, are devoted to the East African theatre of war. The photographs relate to "Driving the Germans from Lake Tanganyika", and accompanying text describes the astonishing story of the British Naval Expedition, which succeeded in transporting the gunboats Mimi and Tou-Tou overland to the Lake, where several strikes were made against German vessels. War news, at home and at the Front, dominates, but there is also a two-page bird's-eye view of McMurdo Sound and Ross Island, showing "The rescue of the survivors of the Shackleton Party from the Ross Sea" - surely one of the greatest events from the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration.

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