TOURING THE BATTLEFIELDS.

Taihape Daily Times, 16 April 1919, Page 2

TOURING THE BATTLEFIELDS.

VISITORS NOT WANTED. George F. Harrison, general manager of Thomas Cook and Son. in. tho United Srates and Canada, recently returned to New York from e, trip to the batth fields in where he wont to see what the prospects were for American tourists to visit the war zone next summior. From his observations made in France, Air Harrison said he did not believe there would be much tourist travel permitted in that country or Belgium Wore the summer of 1920. Apart W from the difficulties of obtaining permits from the French or Belgian military authorities to enter any part of the war zone, there was the lack of rolling .stock on the railroads, and want of proper hotel accommodation in those districts. The people there had no food to spare for strangers, and no rooms for them to stay in. In addition, Air Harrison said ho did not believe that the people would welcome wealthy tourists riding about tho devastated country with its ruined towns and villages on every side. Wlien the railroad facilities became normal, such places as Lille, Eheims, Arras, Yprcs, Sedan. Strasbourg, Verdun, Belfort, Soissons, Chateau Thierry, Toul, and St Alihiel could be visited without much difficultv. . '

Military automobiles-arc used to* taka visitors to tlm battlefields, if they have have obtained special permits from the military authorities. No private cars arc allowed to go there because there is grave danger from the unesplodod mines, shells, and hand grenades which arc strewn about the battlefields and in the trenches and dugohts. and especially ever places called by the soldiers during the war “No Man’s Land.”

“Wo loft Paris in the American visitors’ ear at S a.m., ” said Mr Harrison,, ‘band returned at. 5.30 p.m. the same day. after travelling 140 miles, covering Chateau Thierry and part of tho Aisn e sector. To see all the battlefields fould take ten or twelve days, iand would prove somewhat tiresome, as they resemble each other closely in their trenches, -dug-outs, and shellblasted areas. The automobile trip from Paris to Toul and St Mihiel sectors occupies two days.”

MAGNETISM OF SHIPS. The iron of a ship acquires magnetism by the blows from tbe riveters’ hammer while being riveted, and the plates while being rolled. The induced magnetism acquired by the iron from the above causes soon diminishes but is never totally lost. The deviation in a ship’s compa'ss depends upon the direction in which jL the keel was laid down while being built If a ship is built with head to the east the deviation will be- toward the starboard; if west, toward the port side; if north it will be toward the stern; if she heads south it will be toward the bow; if she is laid down with the head toward any intermediate point, the deviation partakes <sf the nature of the two cardinal points between which she is laid down.L Thus, head to the north-east, it will be toward the stern and to starboard Tho amount of deviation depends on the quantity of iron used in her construction. A ship ,of 2000 tons would have more deviation than one of 1000 tons. The longer a ship is on the stocks the greater the magnestism. hut not so great in iships heading north and south while building as it inships building boardsido to the magnetic pole.