NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15950, 22 June 1915, Page 6

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

APPROACH TO CONSTANTINOPLE. Lecturing before the Royal Geographical Society on "The Geography of the War Theatre in tho Near East," Mr.. D. G. Hogarth, in referring to the Dardanelles, said that its best-known geographical peculiarities were the current, always set-' ting from'the north-east, and the plague of the year-round north-east winds. "These it was that rendered so effective the defence of the Dardanelles by mines while the boisterous climatic conditions had, hampered seriously our naval operations. All the western end of . the;- Gallipoli Peninsula was of broken, hilly character, and was an unfavourable area for military 'operations.- On the 1 Asiatic side landing was easy, but there was the main hinterland of Asia Minor to be reckoned with. It rose into mountainous groups, and from it, if left in hostile hands, a force landed on the Dardanelles coast would run- risks not to be feared on the Gallipoli Peninsula. The command of this hinterland was supposed to be. ..the ulterior object of the operations in the Gulf of Smyrna; but as to whether" such was indeed their object Mr. Hogarth confessed his ignorance. In conclusion Mr. Hogarth said a good word for the way in which' the Turks were conducting the war— manner which in regard to humanity, compared,, he said, very well indeed with that of at least one of her allies.

.. ■ WAXWORK FOR WOMEN. The number of women who have registered in , connection with the war service for women scheme is now upwards of 50,000, writes our London correspondent. So far, the trade unions have not offered any. serious opposition to the employment of women in trades where the shortage of labour is manifest. . But the leaders of women trade unionists have expressed concern as to what is to become of women who have replaced men- when tho war is over- The view is held' that where women have made themselves economically' independent they should .hot be disturbed. . It is pointed out, how. ever, ' that ' the . scheme is only intended to operate during the war, and that thousands of tho women who have registered have done so from patriotic motives. "They realise that when the war is over the men they have replaced will return to their old positions. But a shortage of male labour in some industries is expected after tho war, and it is thought that a proportion of the women who have registered for war service, and who desire to remain at work; will bo able to continue for somo time.

WAR AND OCEAN TRAVEL.* The effect of, the war upon ocean travel has been what everybody expected— rtamcly, the passenger business,, usually the mainstay of the great navigation companies, has shrunk to very small dimensions, says''the' Daily Mail. It is limited, with the exception 'of a mere handful of particularly daring tourists who are eager to bo the first to take back battlefield souvenirs, to United States, to the few whom circumstances compel to cross the Atlantic. These few include business men who have to seo to the carrying out of Government contracts, and whoso visits to Paris aro generally long ones, and the charitable people—doctors and' nurses--who come from America to take part in. hospital work. So long as hostilities continue, as Mr. Alfred A. Booth v the managing director of tho Cunard Steamship Company, 'Ltd., said at the recent, thirty-eighth annual meeting of his company at Liverpool, steamship companies must bo prepared to conduct their business on entirely abnormal lines. The passenger business being out of tho question on the old lines, attention must bo paid to the great demand for freight tonnage. As regards the Cunard Line, this demand between North America and England has been met to the full Atent of its terminal facilities in London and Liverpool'. At'. the present time it has fifteen cargo steamers running imdei charter in the Atlantic service,. and engagements have been entered into to take up further tonnage. ''Wo are also carrying on .an../important, business with chartered steamers between Liverpool and •Havre,", contjnued Mr. Booth, "while ! arrangements have just been'' completed \ for extending this service to Manchester,

and wo have had to charter steamers to supplement ;„ our own tonnage, in the Mediterranean cargo 'trade." Nofewer than sixteen Cunarders - aro at present engaged on work for His Majesty's Government, or for. the agents of the allied Powers. No navigation expert would dare to prophesy what will happen after the war is over. . But this at any rate is certain, and Mr. Booth emphasised the fact: " Business will not drop back into just the same grooves as before." There will bo a reconstruction period with contraction in one direction and expansion in another; this will necessarily lead to strain, and it is those with the soundest resources, such as the Cunard Company, that will bo able to stand it tho best. CANADA'S HARVEST. Great preparations are being made in all the provinces of Canada for harvesting a record crop this year, says the Empire Review. A considerable amount of new land is ' being broken in oTder that the acreage under cultivation may be large enough to ensure a good response to the appeal made by the Home and Canadian Governments for a big. farm produce yield. . Farming conditions, are promising, and agriculturists are looking forward to the future with confidence. Because of the heavy precipitation which had previously fallen, there has been an immense amount of ploughing' done in most sections, and there is sufficient moisture in the ground to ensure a good crop for next year, other climatic conditions being favourable. Manitoba has the largest acreage in her history prepared for the spring crop, and the preparation was never so thoroughly well done as it is now. Ninety-two per cent, of the cultivated land was ploughed before the winter set in. With an average crop this season, Manitoba will substantially increase her products. Part of Canada's duty in the wara duty she owes to herself as well as to the Empire—is to carry on with all her energy the policy of active production from the soil and the factory.

SHRAPNEL FOR ' THE ALLIES. | An iron and shipbuilding company in, Toronto has installed a special plant for' the manufacture of shrapnel shells. The machinery wilj be the most complete in j Canada, and the factory should be ablo i to turn out a large supply of shells daily. The general manager of the company states j that his firm has been given a portion of a large contract, recently subdivided among a number of Canadian' manufacturers. "Already," he said, "we work day and night shifts in order tp fulfil shipbuilding contracts." A feature of the i situation brought about in Canada by the ; war Las been the marked adaptability of. Canadian manufacturing.firms of which the above is but the latest example. Every-" thing goes to prove that there is probably no' article, of German or other manufacture, which the Canadians have'- so far touched in the way of manufacture, in which they cannot compete satisfactorily.