South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-12-16

be seen the Atlantic ocean Is miles
away. forts and batteries OF the
most modern type. equipped with
the heaviest ordnance, stand sen
, tinel at the entra ce 10 the har-
Dor. From the s, sngth Of these
Notifications. Halifax has been call
ed THE Cronstadt Of America"
Most English of Canadian Cities.
Halifax is probably the most Eng
lish OF Canadian cities. This is
largely due 20 the fact that until a
few years agO the city was gar
risoned by British troops and the
social life was considerably influ-
enced by the British officers and
their families. Since the garrison
ing Of all forts in Canada has been
taken over by Canadian troops IN
der native officers. Halifax is very
much more American" than il was
twenty, or even ten years ago. Then
the colonel in scarle; coat and gold
lace, young subalterns and other Of
fcers in the SNOWY uniforms OF the
times, and Tommy with his red
tunic, little monkey cap and swag-
ger stick gave to the streets of Hal
flax a European touch that had a
certain charm for the American
visitor Now the khaki clad officers
from Ontario, saskatchewan. New
Brunswick, Manitoba or British Co
lumbia, or wherever they hail from,
could hardly be distinguished from
the same number of Uncle Sans
men from Indiana, New York, Ne
braska and California.
Many distinctly English customs
prevail in Halifax. The most no.
ticeable is keeping to the left of the
road or street instead Of TO the
right. Street cars, automobiles and
all vehicles follow this rule and it
is quite confusing at first to visitors
from the states or from other parts
Of Canada where American rules of
the road prevail.
People Chiefly Celtic.
The people of Halifax are prin-
cipally of English, Scotch and Irish
extraction. There are also among
them descendants of many other
races. but not a great many of
foreign birth. over a hundred
years ago a colony of Germans from
Hanover settled in Nova Scotia and
were given a grant of land by Eng
lands German king. They founded
the town of Lunenburg, near fIal-
flax. Some of their descendants are
prominent in the professional and
commercial life of the city today
and can be distinguished by their
TeutOnic names. They are highly
regarded as good, native born Cana
dian citizens, loyal TO the British
flag, but here too as in our own
country, after more than a hundred
years the faint of the Prussian poi
son has persisted through three or
four generations and has manifest
ed itself in individual cases of dis
loyalty.
When I was in Halifax last Au-
gust, 1 witnessed a most inspiring
scene in the harbor. For two days
the city had been wrapped in a fog
so thick that the water front could
not be seen from the hotel two
blocks away. Suddenly at noon the
rain ceased, the fog lifted and the
sun shone down upon a harbor
scene of unparalleled beauty. Lying
directly in front of the hotel and
only a short distance from the
shore were two large dark gray
ocean liners, their docks crowded
with khaki clad men. A band was
playing, the men were singing and
the tune was strangely familiar.
hurried down to the dock, and
across the sparkling water came
clearly, now like a message from
home, the strains of Hail. Hail
the Gangs All Here" followed by
My Old Kentucky Home" The
Banks Of the Wabash" and other
old-time favorites Down the har-
Dor to the left lay the British cruis-
| er Berwick" and the right, towards
the entrance of the harbor, lay an
other warship, both long, lean, gray
and grim. A cutter from the Der
wick had just put some officers
ashore and the jackies were wait
ing on the dock, so I asked one of
! them what troops they were out
there. He smiled and SHOOK his
head. but a civilian answered they
are American troops; they came in
last night and there a e a lot more
down in the basin" A thrill went
through me like an electric shock
and a keen desire to join them in
the great adventure took possess
sion Of me. The ferry TO Dart
mouth passed close TO both ships so
1 went aboard and from the decks
the boys hailed us with shouts and
songs which were answered by
rousing cheers from the crew and
passengers of the ferry.
Watches Ships Go Out.
When 1 got back TO the hotel, the
clerk told me that from the roof
garden on the hotel. 1 could see
the ships go out in the evening and
between six and seven o'clock in
broad daylight with no pretence Of
secrecy seven troop ships slowly
steamed past the city in single file
out TO sea, conveyed by three cruis-
ers. AS the last ship in the line
passed beyond the little island in
hte harbor. the strains of AUD
Lang Syne" came over the water
and in that group Of 40 of so men
and women watching with barred
heads, not a word was spoken, but
there were tight lines around the