The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-07-24
Tossed Up By the Sea, It Is Sold te Havre Merchants
 by Government.

D1eppe, July s4-Flotsom and jot- sam cast up by equinoxial tides and sold here by auction under maritime regulations that date from the time of Colbert, reflect each year the de- structive force of nature in fury at sea. In ordinary years 1t Is small wreckage that predeminates- minute salvage from sailing and fishing \ves- sels such as pieces of rigging, fishing netss broken rudders, barrels of tar and 30 forth, but the wreckage wash ed ashore on the coast of Normandy has lately gone beyond all previous recordsA
 Jagged wounds in pieces of ships hulls showing the traces of torpedoes, barrels, casks, cases, more or less clipped, dented, or crushed by con- tact with the sharp reefs, with cord age and smashed cabin furniture, Hfe- saving belts, bales of rubber and cot ton. barrels of oil and molasses. casks of tallow, with conglomeration of apparatus and paraphernalia such as none but a mariner could identify or connect with any rational use, were collected in one lot along with a babys cradle and a beheaded doll. The cradle was almost intact. the body of the beheaded doll was black ened as if by powder.
 There are regular buyers of the fiotsam and jetsAm of this coast, who come here every year to speculate upon the season's disasters. The miscellaneous debris of an average year has acquired a certain value that none but these experts would ever venture to get out of it. This, year, in harmony with the general move ment. nearly everything brought war prices. There were some rare com nodities in the salvage and there was sentiment.
 The industrial alcohol, rubber. tall low and oil went to unprecedented prices, other miscellany that would have been comparatively neglected in ordinary years was readily turned into money. The buyers come mostly from Ha- vre. but this year many came from as far as Paris. The industrial al- oohol went to a merchant from Ar naentieres who Is still trading with sol diera there under continual bonn bard ments, Alcohol is rare along the front. With the cask bought by the man from Armentieres the setdters in that section will be able to heat their radons.
 Life bel&s and buoys as 8 rule go begging with buyers from the interior. This year -there was a taker for every one offered. A belt that resembled one of these white wreaths sold In Paris for the decoration of graves. with the inscription "s.ss Lomas. Lon don." upon it..a belt to which some life had chung to the last moment of physaoal, resistance. no doubt, brought the unheard of pStce of 10 francs.
 Gang blanks, ships boats. and lad ders, along with cabin furniture and bunk clothing. brought only the aver age, auction prioe but tho smaller de- bris-things no landlubber can expect ever to find useful. wore snapped up by the buyers from the interior If they showed the slightest evidence of having gone through ono of the sea dramas of the great war.
 All this wreckage gathered along the coast. by customs officials ,inven- toried and classified. Is sold after the legM lapse of time, if unclaimed be- fore. The proceeds, less the i'm port duty'-are held for 30 years in the treasury of the Marine Invalids and definitely acquired by that char ity only If no one establishes 2 claim upon 1t in the meantime.