GIRL SEA CAPTAIN.

Taihape Daily Times, 4 March 1918, Page 6

GIRL SEA CAPTAIN.

Elise Belluomini, a pretty Italian gin, whose home is at Viareggio, enjoys the honour of being the first regularly appointed captain in her country's merchant marine. Signorina Belluomini relates her success in a letter to a writer in the Paris newspaper Petit Journal. She is to be appointed to command a ship, and seems to have no doubt of her ability to injpire confidence in her crew. She vvrites: "Where shall I be bent. I do aot know, but I am ready for anything. I join the marine in troubled dmes, and I know seamen risk their -ives every day. Jb'ut I will show my crew that a woman can be as brave as j. man. If my fate is to be torpedoes.. { shall observe the traditions of the sea, and be the last to leave the ship entrusted to me. My life I sacrifice in advance. It is at the service of my country and of my dear noble sisters, France and England. I only hope my example will be followed. The need of officers in the merchant service is so great that a woman's ac-

tion in enlisting in her country's navy may not be in vain. Long live Italy, down with Germany!"