A BACKGROUND TO THE NEWS

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 6, 2 October 1937, Page 9

A BACKGROUND TO THE NEWS

Java Two persons were killed anti houses collapsed'when earth tremors shook Central and Eastern Java. Java is an island of the Dutch East Indies, the seat of the colonial Government, separated from Borneo by the Sea of Java and from Sumatra by the Straits of Sunda. It extends almost due east and west. Its lengtlv is 6o J miles, its breadth from 40 to 125 miles, and its area 49,000 square miles. From end to end of the island there is a mountain-chain, with 43 volcanoes, some of them active. The climate is rather hot and unhealthy on the coast, but pleasant in the hills. The population of Java is almost entirely agricultural, and is distributed over the island in villages, each governed by a native chief of its own choosing. Rice forms the staple food of the natives, and is raised in large quantities; coffee and sugar also form staples of the island. Cotton, indigo, nutmegs, pepper, tobacco, tea, coconuts and cochineal are likewise cultivated with varying success. The population exceeds 42,000,000, of whom only about 200,000 are Europeans. It is one of the most densely peopled countries in the world. There is a weekly mail service'by luxurious Dutch boats to and from Holland ; and regular steamship connection with Singapore and other neighbouring ports, as well as with Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan and British .India. The railway system of Java is highly developed, and covers practically the whole of the island. There are regular air services between Batavia, Sumarang and Surabaya, and also between Batavia and Medan.

Ex-King Ferdinand A photograph in “The Dominion” on Tuesday showed ex-King Ferdinand of Bulgaria with ex-Queen Amelie of Portugal. Ferdinand was born at Vienna on February 26, 1861, the. youngest son of Augustus, Prince of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha- He was well educated, and with his brother Augustus published a book cn his botanical observations in Brazil. He entered the Russian army, but soon his ambition led him in another direction. In 1887, Alexander, Prince of Bulgaria, abdicated, and after much intrigue Ferdinand was chosen as his successor. Russia was opposed to him, but he won through, and by 1896 most of the objections to him had. ceased. In 1908 he proclaimed the independence of Bulgaria, and called, himself kin” or tsar, winning recognition from the Powers shortly afterward. He was an advocate of the Balkan League, and was one of the instigators of the Balkan War of 1912-13. On the outbreak of the Great War, Ferdinand was cautious enough to await developments before committing himself to any definite policy. His strong German tendencies gradually became apparent, however, and finally, having exhausted all the prevarications of diplomacy, he declared war against the Allies on October 13 1915. He played no conspicuous part in the war itself, but, on the final breakdown of the Bulgarian effort, he abdicated on October 4, 1918, in favour of his son Boris, and retired to Germany, and later to Switzerland. Ferdinand twice married. Poison Gas

In an address ou international law this week, Mr. Justice Johnston spoke of the use of poison gas. The conference of 1899 adopted a declaration against the use of projectiles which have for their sole object the diffusing of asphyxiating or deleterious gases. Great Britain withheld assent (only because the conference was not unanimous),-but acceded to the declaration in 1907; while the United States continued to be dissentient on the ground that not enough was known as to the effect of such projectiles for it to be possible to decide whether they were more or-less humane than other methods of warfare. During the wars of the latter half of the nineteenth century —the Crimean War, the American Civil War, and the Franco-German War—suggestions were made in regard to the employment of poisonous gases, but they ysrere in no case adopted. No direct provision relating to this method of destruction was incorporated in the convention of 1907; but Article 23 prohibits, inter alia, the use of poison, poisoned weapons ; and all arms, projectiles, or substances likely to cause unnecessary suffering. During the Great War Germany was the first to use poison gases, generally a mixture of phosgene and chlorine, which brought upon those inhaling it either a painful death or, more generally, intense pain and suffering. The Allied Powers retaliated in kind, and before the war scientists on both sides had a free hand in the development of gas warfare. This led to the devising of more frightful mixtures.

In 1922, at the Washington Conference, Great Britain, France, Italy. Japan, and the United States signed a treaty by which they agreed as between themselves to prohibit the use in- war of every kind of gas, asphxyiating, poisonous or otherwise, and all analagous liquids. All other civilised nations were invited to adhere to it. It has not yet been ratified. Toledo

Toledo, which the Spanish loyalists have shelled, stands on the north bank of the Tagus River, 40 miles southwest of Madrid by railway. It is situated on a number of hills, 2400 feet above sea-level. The climate is excessively hot in summer and bitterly cold in winter. The Tagus, flowing between high and rocky banks, leaves only one'approach on the north, which is defended by an inner and outer wall, the former built in the seventh century, and the latter in 1109, and both remarkable for their towers and gates. Seen fromlafar the city is most imposing ; “within it is gloomy, silent, inert.” In its midst rises the lofty, massive, five-aisled cathedral, built in 12271493, on the site of a former mosque. The interior, which is more impressive than the exterior, was plundered in 1621 and ISOS, but retains some admirable stained glass, and the choir is a perfect museum of sculpture. The cathedral is 404 feet long, 204 feet wide, with a tower 329 feet high. The great square of Zocodover, thoroughly Moorish in character, is a fashionable promenade. There are manufacturers of church ornaments and vestments, and Toledan sword-blades, famous since old Roman times, are still made, but outside the city.

The bulwark and centre of Christianity in Spain, Toledo is full of churches of great age, interest, aud beauty. The streets are narrow, tortuous, and flanked by tall houses of dull exterior with huge doorways.

The population is about 94,000. In the days of its greatest prosperity the population was about 200,000.