| Description | Letter from Amelia Nyasa Laws, 7 Via Venti Settembre, Rome, to her relatives, regarding the city's proposed plans to cut off the whole gas supply to save coals, which will affect both light and cooking; the charcoal is expensive and is being watered overnight to increase its weight for sale; there is cheating everywhere; Cordano escorted the church's lignite from the depot to the door - it is very poor, in any case; Fulvio regards the church stove as a trial; the War Office is a very smoky building; there has been no butter in the city though it left Milan all right; bread is not allowed to be sold while fresh; a rule to keep baker's shops shut most of the day had to be relaxed when some women smashed the windows; rice has now gone up to the same price as macaroni; further conscription is ordered for men up to 45 in any situation; Cordano comes under this but may not be well enough as he has a poor heart condition and varicose veins; as usual her patients say that many will still manage to avoid being called up; it is shaming to see how many older men avoid duty but push the younger men towards it; Uncle's upset over Blake's arrangements to address him in front of his congregation; his visit to Gibson, who said that it was rumoured that Blake wanted Rome; Uncle told Gibson about Mürren, and Gibson arranged to consult with Hale Benton, Dr. Rossi, Mr. Brown, Dr. Brock and others about it; they wrote to Blake to object to his arrangement; Uncle wrote to Blake, Irving and Miller regarding his feelings in the matter; Miller tactfully said that part of it was his fault, and Blake blamed Miller; the matter has raised sympathy for Uncle in Rome, to Gibson's surprise; Smith, Gibson and Benton are very insulting of Blake's letter; Gibson now thinks Geddes would make a good successor but he rushes into things; Geddes is besides a military chaplain at present; the involvement of Dr. Rossi is unfortunate as Mary Rossi is a friend of Mrs. Blake; Blake is to be received privately and have no contact with the congregation at all; he is to lecture on Mürren and Aunt would like Amelia to go as she does not rely on Uncle for a true picture of the event; the Continental Committee have written Uncle a very warm letter to congratulate him on his jubilee and thank him for all his work in Italy over the years; Blake needs a thrashing after all he has done to upset Uncle; Dora is now working regularly at the hospital, which is a terrible place; 6 people accompany the doctor on his round while no one is left to clean the place; precautions against infection from bedsores because of Italian morals; they are washing the ill men and making the convalescents wash themselves, for 78 is too many to manage; they go for mass showers with no soap; stealing is the natural thing; the priest is not contributing to good morale; one patient has been praying for a cure for his bad knee, thus, on his knees, making the knee worse so that he does not have to go back to the front; thanks to Aunt Amy for letter; she thinks that Blake is Anglified Scottish; his wife is ambitious and adores him, and has a bad temper; departure of Lloyd George; no doubt more help has been promised to the Italians. |