The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1912-08-24
FRENCH OCEAN LAW
Is NOT 0BEYED

PARIS. Aus. 23.-That the French
law OF i90s-calling for safety drills
on passenger steamships at seals
not obeyed in spirit. is the declaration
OF NJ. Delcasse, the French minister
OF marine. in a letter just addressed
10 ne maritime authorities throughout
France.
The attention OF the law is that
these drills shall be held without pre-
Vious warning to passengers or crew,
so that they may be a really effective
test in the efficiency OF the safety
regulations. Instead OF this. the min.
ister contends. the crews are informed
In advance when a drill is about TO be
ordered. and thus are enabled to make
preparations. for which there would
probably not be- time at the moment
OF actual disaster.
The minister condemns his prac-
ice. and declares that in future only
drills carried out in entire conformity
with the regulations will be recognized
by the authorities.
A dramatic encounter hetveen To-
bacco smugglers and French customs
officials occurred recently near Lille.
The officials stopped the automobile.
which contained over a ton Of tobacco.
but the emugglers got away.
About : O'Clock I'm the evening 4
huge car rushed by the customs post
at Touquet. on the Franco-Belgian
frontier. beyond Tourcoing. and made
on on the fourth speed towards Tour.
Going. in order to reach the Grand
Boulevard-a splendid motor road run
ming from TOurcoing to Lille. The
customs police Immediately discharged
their revolvers al the tires Of the car.
and then. ~springlng on their BICYCLES,
gave chase.
They We're being fast outdistanced
by the car. when a heavy dray. drawn
across the high road. made the fugi-
tiveS slow down. One OF the excise
men leapt from his bicycle and Jump
ed on the back OF the car. The CON
traband runners drew their revolvers
on him. but the plucky customs man
ducking beneath the hood, avoided the
shots.
h other eXciseman pedalled on
ahead OF the car. and. barring the
way. called on the smugglers 10 stop.
70 reply they drove the car straight
at the man, but he jumped into the
ditch and the car followed him. The
~smugglers then sprang out and fed,
abandoning their machine and its
cargo.
b result OF the annual investiga-
ton into the degree OF education nos
sessed by men serving in the French
army has been published. The class
OF 1910. at present with the coIors.
numbers 3Ol .467. OF these SAP can
neither read nor write. SIP can read
but not write. and 1853 can do no
more than read and write. Those
possessing a more extensive primary
education number 1919. and there
are 500 with a university degree.
The proportion OF iliterates remaIna
the same as in the previous year
namely 279 per cent. The depart-
ment OF the Nord sends the greatest
number OF nliterates-947. as com.
pared with ISL in the previous wear.
while Haute Savoie sent only ave
l~illiterate men into the army.
Graveiy concerned at the frequency
OF fatal accidents 70 army aviators.
the French ministry of war has ex-
tended its patronage 10 a competition
organized by the Union for The Safety
OF Aviators. by Offering & prize OF
$4,000 10 the inventor Of an apparatus
which shall afford satisfactory guar.
antees from the point OF view OF safe
y IN flying.
An announcements 20 this effect was
made Ia tho chamber Of deputies bv
Colonel Hirzschauer head Of the army
air corps. The vital question 81 the
safety Of aviators. said the colonel.
was n Of the principal %preoccupa
lions of the administration. As com
pared with tho first six months o. 1911
the FIRST half % This year showed
about the same number % accidents.
but Tho number Of army aviators had
doubled. AZ had the total distance OF
their flights -i04.300 miles IN ali.
Great progress had also been made
In the strength ~ machines Con.
str1ction and purchases we're most
strictly supervised. dynamic and fv.
ing tests were being carried out. and
The opening n n great open. air Iabora.
tory a. Pau whore high speed ma
chimes could he tested over a meas.
ured course. was under consideration.
strict Inquiries we're held into every
accident and the causes a%scertained
wherever possible.
Wifh regard N the recruiting Of the
Flving Corps the colonel said the
so"'h Application had Just been re-
ceivfd
HMnIMHInIn nnHn