HELPING THE AMERICANS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 71, 23 March 1918, Page 15

HELPING THE AMERICANS.

a BELGIUM GIVES HER LAST LOCOMOTIVES. As a mark of its appreciation of what the United States has done for Belgium, the Belgian Government has turned over ito the American expeditionary force 000 I locomotives, all that remains of the Bel gian rail motive power. General I'ershing has been authorised to make such dlsposlItion of them as he deems advisable. ] To a Belgian representative General i Pershing expressed the appreciation which, |he said, he knew would be felt by the people of the United States, especially as [the Belgian Government's act would result iin a large saving of cargo space on Airier: I can ships. | liarly in the war Belgium had In France jabout 1,700 locomotives. 'Since then the government has turned over for the use lof tbe Allies about 1.100 of these. The 'remaining 000 the Belgian Government had I retained up to this time as a nucleus for | the rehabilitation after the war of the commerce of the prostrated nation. When lit was found that the American expeditionary force could use a considerable (supply of motive power on the lines from jthe base ports to the army zone the Belgian Government made haste to offer tbe 'use of the locomotives, realising that to ishlp as many from the United States as i were needed would require a large amount 'of cargo space, which might be used for I other supplies. I Many of the locomotives will be speedily I put into use and will be operated under ithe direction of the transportation departiment. It Is considered certain that possession of the locomotives turned over by the Belgians will enable the American expeditionary force to speed up American trausportajtlon considerably. -lust how many of them will be used for other purposes or be turned over to other Allies has not been {determined.