Great Interest In Viking Invasion Ship

Chronicle (Levin), 2 August 1949, Page 5

Great Interest In Viking Invasion Ship

(N.Z.P.A.

— Reuter.

Copyright)

Received Mondav, 7 p.m. LONDON. July 31. Despite the faet 1hat the well-known enthusiasm of British erowds for a spectacle broke up some of the carefulj stage-management ;.»f the arrival of the | Danisli longsliip Hugin at Broadstairs, the British and Danish Travel Associa- ( tions, who together were chiefl.v responsible for providing the spectacle, had no reason to complain about the publicity it received. • Photographs of bearded Danes in Wagnerian costumes borrowed from the Copenhagen Ro_val Opera House as they juniped upon Broadstairs beach j and contended- with crowds of overentluisiastic British holidav-maker - | had pride of place in all of Frida}r's, popular newspapers. I One or two interesting facts have already emerged as a result of reneweci j interest in the Vikings, ereated by this reminder of the landing of ITengist amT Horsa on the Isle of Thanet 1500 years ago. The first is that the word Viking should not be pronounced to rhyme with hiking but with flicking. The second is that the men who sailed with Hengist and Horsa did not confront the predieament of their latter day imitators who wore out the seats of their trousers in rowing the Hugin from Jutland to Englanil. The ancient Jutes who sailed the first Hugin, according to experts on Danish history, did verv little rowing because they timed their raids to take advantage of winds, both comins' and eoing.

British cartoonists are having their full share of fun with the Danes of the Hugin. The Danes have already been shown queueing up in a dentist's waiting room to receive the free benefits of the British national health service.