THE BIGGEST MAN IN THE WAR

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 21, 25 January 1936, Page 26

THE BIGGEST MAN IN THE WAR

WHETHER the Ethiopians are to be successful in defending their country against the Italian forces depends to a great extent upon the activities of one man—and this one man is in a quiet little town in England, says the "New York Times." Herbert Edwards, who carries on the ancient industry of flintknapping (breaking) in the village of Brandon, Suffolk, is working at full pressure to supply Ethiopian warriors with flints for the old-fashioned guns with which so many are equipped. The demand has increased great ly since the war began. Between 35,000 and 40,000 flints are being exported every week to West African ports, with many thousands finding their way into EthioNormally, large quantities are exported through British merchants to West Africa and Singapore, where they are sold to natives for use in flint-lock carbines, horse-pistols, and tinderboxes. "At present we get about 2.37 dollars a thousand," says Mr. Edwards, "and a good knapper can turn out about 300 an hour. My two assistants and myself have been 'working, overtime for weeks to supply the demand. "How the flints get into Ethiopia I cannot say, but I am told that large quantities are transported overland and find a ready market." "Flint-knapping" has been carried on by Mr. Edwards's family for generations. It is claimed his firm is the only one surviving today from what was once an important and widely-patron-ised industry.