BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 12 January 1927, Page 3

BRITISH & FOREIGN NEWS

[Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.]

C. CHAPLIN IN DIVORCE COURT. VANCOUVER. Jan. 1(1. Charlie Chaplin's estranged wife, nee Miss Lita Grey, has tiled proceedings againsL him for divorce. She makes many charges against Chaplin. WIRELESS PI-lON E. 'LONDON, Jan. 11. The Marconi wireless station at Bridgewater has established telephonie communication with Montreal. using the short-wave beam system. There were practically no atmospherics or fading alter sunset, such ns were experienced in the New V ork service. Tho “Daily Express” says that' experts arc recommending the beam system to ensure secrecy ot trans-Atlantic telephony, though they »:dmit that the fan-shaped beam would create a fairly wide hand of audibility at some points.

THE PACIFIC CABLE. LONDON, Jan. II

The Pacific' Cable Board at its meeting to-day did not discuss the reduction in rates cabled on December 13.

[“Sydney Sun” Cables.]

(Received this day at 9.30 a.m.) LONDON. January 12. The Eastern Telegraph C'oy alter two years’ experiments with a now scheme of regenerator working, will inaugurate mi the lDt.li instantaneous communication between London and Capetown, having abolished relaying from St. Vincent, cabling reception to coincide ,\ith the despatch from London which s as fast as a person is able to talk, herefore it is called cablotelophony.

NOVEL AIR SPORT. fßeceived this day at 9.30 a.m.) LONDON. January 11. A novel aerial sport, balloon jumping, is expected shortly to he introduced in Britain. It is already popular in America, says the “ Evening News.” Gas-filled balloons titteen feet in diameter are attached to the shoulders of a mail, v.-liose weight is regulated by ballast until the balloon supports the whole weight, except lour pounds. Thus a man has only to lilt four pounds, resulting in the energy normally used in jumping two feet high or over six leet, enabling a mail to jump forty feet high and over one hundred yards, A jumper assisted by a high wind progressed across country in gigantic quarter-mile leaps. Rnynhani fair pioneer and Squadron-Leader) and AY right are hopeful of organising balloon jumping across country races.

GERMAN ESTIMATES. LONDON, January 11. A Berlin correspondent states military* and naval estimates have rau.v'A much misgiving, showing a consider.!ole increase over last year. ’I he military estimates are increased by seven milliim marks and naval eslimat ?s by thirty millions. The army consists ot 3,708 officers, 20,071 non-commissioned officers and 75.329 others. Ten million marks are allowed to artillery lor practice, three millions for autumn manoeuvres and thirty-two million for munitions. The increases are attributed to the rise in wages and prices. Critics point out they have steadily increased from year to year. For example in 1920 the expenditure was 01 million more than in 1925. The naval increase is attributed to the proposed new construction, but the bulk of tho money is required for replacement of obsolete vessels. It is asked whether apart from coastguard and scientific services, Germany’s expensive navy serves a useful purposes.

CONSPIRACY CHARGE. (Received this day at 11.0 a.m.) LONDON. January 11. Frances Brcnrley and James Mason were remanded on a charge of stealing and receiving from £IO,OOO to £15,000 from it AA’ellington (New Zealand) architect. James Hector Mnekay, and also on a charge of conspiracy, with a man • not yet arrested, to defraud Mnekay of £1.5,000. It is alleged that the defendants unfolded a scheme under which Mnekay banded over money ostensibly to secure a share of £33,000 profits from a gamble in francs by a. gang. Brenrley bolted. but Mason remained in London till arrested.

TRIALS IN ANGORA. (Received this day at 10.15 a.in.) LONDON. Jan. 11. A Constantinople correspondent states during the last twenty-one months the Western Tribunal of Independence sitting at Angora dealt with 340 cases involving ‘2351 persons. ,of whom 948 were convicted. 204 hanged and 035 imprisoned for terms varying from one to thirty years. I lie principal charges were brigandage, p'otting, revolution, treason land spying. Figures of the Eastern Tribunal have not been published hut it is believed to he heavier than the l western. long railway jofrney. LONDON, Jan. 11. A Riga correspondent states the direct Riga-Vladivostock railway of six tv-eight hundred miles, the world s longest which ceased ten years ago. when the Germans captured Riga, is being resumed on the ITtlu under the Russo-Latvian agreement. There will he one journey weekly each way. occupying thirteen days.

THE AIR AGE. [“Sydney Sun” Cables.] (Received thi° dav at .1.5 p.m-' LONDON. Jan. 11. “lu the age of super things. the trend of aerial research indicates we are approaching a new world of most surprising developments, ill which huge planes, aerial post offices, grand bathe planes and bombers will crowd the skies, each flying at its own level. I<> avoid collisions they will also caii> searchlights of one hundred million candle power, sweeping the niont.” says the “Standard.’ the French realising the immense height at which planes may fly in tin) future raises the important question of light have developed the most powerful searchlight in the world, and installed it at Mon Afrigue Dipou fit an altitude of nineteen hundred feet. It is of a thousand million candle power and has eight optical lenses and prisms. It projects two rays successively sweeping the horizon every ten seconds, visible for four hundred miles. Both ravs can he merged into one when they penetrate ninety miles. The searchlight is primarily intended to light aerial routes, hut such a development is certain to drive hostile aeroplanes to an immense altitude, where for the purpose of resisting low temperature and rarified atmosphere, pilots 'wll wear electrically heated suits. Hup are enclosed in machines as completely ■is a crew in a submarine. ' Night bombers will have a speed ot two hundred miles hourly and will ho able to swoop on their prey at three hundred miles hourly and climb a thousand feet per second. Moreover, there will he ghostlike fleets owing almost to silent engines and invisible oaint, hut America is carrying out sound ranging experiments and I apparatus so highly tuned as to detect the approach of aircraft living at a height of over thirty thousand feet. Great developments are expected in wirelessly controlled planes in which television will enable a view ot machines to bo brought out even when bombs art dropped five hundred miles from the base." Already aerial torpedoes travel three miles for every three thousand feet altitude, therefore at a, height of twenty thousand feet they can be launched twenty-one miles from tlie target.

The objection to protection is that it confers a special benefit on a small number and confers it at the expense of the community. If farmers are to work for special advantages for thenclass they will do as much harm as the protected interests. They already enjoy immunity from income tax. which does nothing whatever to help the small settler., who forms the majority, although it is' very nice for a few large proprietors. lilt l immunity makes a very effective argument against any demands which farmers may put forward. Most formers would be found to denounce the land tax. though fanning would he a more profitable occupation if the land tax were higher. Ol one thing farmers may he assured. The whole country is following their campaign with interest, for it recognises that there are real troubles. It is for fanners to show that they have feasible remedies to propose.—“ Waikato Times.”