Omaha daily bee., 1916-04-16
STRANGE SIGHTS IN HAVUE
Most Cosmopolitan French Port
Witnesses Many Unusual
Happenings.
TOWN NOW UNDER NAVAL RULE


Correspondence Of the Associated Press)
IfAyRE. March 1--IIavre has always
been the most cosmopolitan port IN
France, but never before the war would
you get three British half-pence and n
Belgian sou IN 5 cents worth OF small
change. That triyiaIlty Is symbolical II
the Hayre Of today~oniy half French
thrcc-eishts British and an eighth Bel
CLAN.
II IL the influx Of The british that has
doubled the traffic Of the port during
the last nineteen months and congested
this docks until scores ~ ships arc at
times seen lying for days together 10 the
offing waiting for spot 70 become
vacant at The quays. The auays thena-
selves are piled with bales Of cott,n,
giving 10 the port resemblance 70 New
Orleans.
Tho cotton sheds. covering twenty acres
Of ground and fitted with twenty electric
cranes, have become insufficient and the
bales are rolled upon tho quays eye.y'
where that ship from New oreiaas
happens 10 find berth,
Lack Dock Facilities.
The traffic Of the port Of Havro which
amounted TO 10000 tons in 1918. was less
than half that Of Rotterdam and only
i little more than third Of that on Ant
werp and Hamburg The reasons for IT
we're largely lack Of doeng facilities and
the limited railroad communications wkb
Paris and the center OF France. Even
before tho war. ships we're sometimes
held up IN the roads waiting their turn
10 dock. and n new basin called the Tidal
basin" was planned and partly finished
with tho view 10 relieving congestion.
The congestion Of traffic now Is not
only q hlndrance 10 commerce but a
danger TO navigation which greater vigil.
lance on the part OF the French navy
against German submarines may ohviate
but which Il considered sufficiently
serious II the present time 10 justify
confederation o. the temporary use Of
the uncompleted tidal haH az refuge for
vessels waiting their turn TO dock
The town itself Is far more animated
than IN time Of peace and Ia unavoid-
ably getting rich from tho vast eNpendi-
lures 81 the British eomnlaaary depart
ment and the individual trade Of officers
and soldiers. English shop signs are
seen everywhere alongside tho French.
for Tommy Atkins" IL slow In learning
the language.
nrttlah hr0RRery Sunspicu0nss
One ~ the most conspicuous things 0ne
seea In the Ilue dc Paris. the principal
street IA the town, IL British naf IN
big brave nriiish red On ihe window 81
4 saloon A little further 81 a slsn points
the Way 20 the british Soldiers Club.
another align post directs men % the
British Officers club" while there are
tea rooms everywhere and restaurants
that coneulenonrl, advertise Ham and
FiKgs, '1ha iliaht shop for nFitlah. .
'N'ame ~ and demand fut al me things
witch you want. HFeothali boots. arr
among seins u the appeals 20 The uol.
dlefs
hriiieh transports have The rishi of wa }
over al either shlpa n the hNfllof and
A ma Aeeks ana the ngislah pregAIl
sfeFYwhsFe On shers. aeinc people Il
lissFs have Inquired whether ias nFiiish
eeeufAllea e snlna "a lsal fofeYeF. al
Inquiry lpsplfsa W the fesmanaiy raY.
uNAn*nl character W wa Installations ~
sAs tiffstsas ssNlats a tha ngi,lsh afnty
sai ~ lts nFiiah lveeps Most laapla
st ilAste eill - siea 4 g aegs tsesass
thf4 hle HNtiina ith ~. sttspim4 fhs
fisherman ne heulaa faish has asasln.