BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 February 1924, Page 3

BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

LATEST CABLE NEWS

- AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION AUSTRIAN OPERA. VIENNA, February 19. State opera propose sending a company of over two hundred under the vonductorship of Richard Strauss [ Franzchalk, to Convent garden in May and June. lilt; BATTLESHIPS. THEIR SUPREMACY SHAKEN. (Received Hus day at 9.0 a.m.) (“Sydney Sun" Cables). LONDON, l'Vb. 11. The "Daily Wu s” naval correspondent points out that the United State, and Fraiuv have conducted, through tile medium of ex-em my warship-, important experiments to determine tho effect- of aerial bomb attacks. American airmen destroyed four battleships during the to-i- and these tests have undoubtedly shaken the Ctittfidettce in the supremacy ol the big battleships a- one direct, hit with a Ibott-and pound bomb reduced the fifteen thousand ton ship Virginia to it Util - - of twisted Steel. The masts', tunnels and upper works were swept away, the fleck’s blown up and the intenor completely wrecked. The battleship New .ler-ev tuts struck by a 1109 pound bomb and a great hole was made in her side, causing I lie ship In turn over and sink in five minute.-. Bombs of two thousand, and even four thousand pounds, are being supplied to

American airmen. Jt is not contended that the experiments were made under conditions approximating to war a- when Ihe bombing aircraft. eoeoitiiLer a licet the latter has defending aeroplane- also to intcrpn.-e with a barrage, hut there will always he a few daredevil- willing to take am ri-k in order to gel It dcadlv blow home.

The eofre-potident adds that the British Admiralty'- attitude i- that it possesses all the data of tho American experiments and there is no Use in repeating them, lie points out the Admiralty holds dozens of captured capital -hips with which to make experiments and asks---“ Are they reluctant to do anything tending to di Credit the capital ship in tile eye- ol tlte taxpayers ? There seems a tacit agreement in higher naval circles to boycott till experiments likely lu cc phaxize the power of aircraft and the vulnerability of the great -hip-."

ENGINEER’S RATI! lOTTS.M. (Received this day at 9.0 a.m.) BAR IS. I-VI.. I! Ihe espionage arrests in connection with Ihe theft ol the aeroplane secret.were due to the patriotism of a young engineer at the Niettporl work-, who allowed hint-ell' to, apparently, heroine entangled with the young and lientitilul Russian whom ho met regularly in a tramenr while going In work, imagining hint completely fascinated site attempted to secure the plans of the Niettporl engines and he thereupon revealed I It*- eon-piraev to the police.

FATAL FIRE. (“Sydney Sun" Gables). (Received this day at 10.-15 a.m.) LONDON, Fob. I! Julia Dibheu and Stanley liuT-on were burned to death in a lire a.', a boarding bou.-o in 1-imgtoii. The woman wa,. j.it.tint; on a window -ill on tbe third floor and was overcome by the heat, and fell for I v I’eei She was taken to the ho-pital. Harold Chairman crawled along a narrow coping at it he ight ol .sixty !'.■■•[ and e.-caped. Tv. o -liter:., ot.e, ::: • the lire moil's; in--trn. non:-, covered their heads in Mj.’.kc-L- -tad ” 'liked Lit rough the i rz'.c:. iz s.afvVL The police rescued «* v’lifibi-r tbc r. AUSTRIAN ALT’S DISASTERS. VIENNA, Kelt. 11. An avalanche in the Austrian Alps Wits responsible for the loss of many lives. So ITir the bodies ol over fifty victims have been recovered. Some of the disasters are terrifying. A passenger train standing at Ileilhtu station wa- buried under the snow one hundred feet deep. The ciigineinen and all the passengers were killed. At Vonlernberg, an avalanche destroyed an electric power station, killing twelve persons. Three wood cutters and ifiree .school children at Stiechitttttl were buried. A wile and two children perished nt Si. 'Wolfgang. Thirty wood cutters are imprisoned in a collage under a grout muss nt sltow. THE LUXOR. FIND. LONDON. Feb. 10 A Luxor correspondent stales a ceremony in connection with lilting the lid of the sarcophagus has heen lixetl for ll’th February, and nil the leading archaeologists at present in Europe will attend. INFANT BURNT TO DEATH. I’ARIS. Feb. ID. Three hoys, the eldest aged nine years, watched their sister, aged I. burnt to death during their parents’ absence. They saw their mother earlier preparing cupping glasses lor then father. They determined to play at doctoring. Getting glasses, cot tonwool, and alcohol, they placed the lighted wool in a cut), but as they tried to put the cup on the had- of the supposed patient. the : leoeol tell on the little girl, who died in agony. SPANISH XFAVSDAI’KR TAXATION. .MADRID. Feb. 11. The Directorate has appointed a Commission to inquire into the position and taxation of newspapers, owing to then financial position. During the war the government granted them a moratorium, and r 1-n advanced them three millions sterling with which to buy paper.