The Hawaiian gazette., 1917-10-09
WAYS PROVING
ARTERIES OF WAR
Developments ofPresent Conflict
Show Constantly InCreas-
ing Importance


LONDON, October S. Associated
Press railway has been one of
the primary instruments of war from
the day war was declared, and its use
fitness has constantly increased with
the increasing complexity of wars ac-
tivities. Even in the past four months,
the tonnage landed at French ports
for the use of the British forces in
France has increased by more than
two thirds, and this all has to be trans.
ferred by rail from French docks to
the front. :
Railways are the arteries of war. II
was railway construction by the South
African forces that made possible the
conquest of German Southwest Africa.
and again II was railway construction
that rendered possible the recent opera
tions in Egypt, in Mesopotamia and in
East Africa. Several hundred miles of
railways have been laid in the Sinai
desert with the help of native Egyp-
tian labor, while for Mesopotamia and
East Africa the necessary material and
personnel have been mainly derived
from India. In Sinai, the line from FL
Kantara eastward has been extended
in the course of six months, and tbs
freight traffic passing over it has in.
creased threefold.
French Development
In France railway development has
been most extensive. Enormous pro-
vision of railway stores and plant for
use in France has been made by Eng
land during the three years of war.
Rails, ties, plant and tools have been
delivered in enormous quantities for
use on the new strategic lines in the
advanced areas as well as on the
French railways forming the main lines
of communication. For three years,
rails by the mile, locomotives by the
hundred, and cars by the thousand
have been pouring in a steady stream
into France.
About half of these locomotives and
cars have been obtained from British
railways as a result of the restrictions
placed on traffic here. Assistance has
also been rendered by Canada and the
other DomiuiOns, and great quantities
of new rolling stock has been specially
constructed here and abroad for use
on the Continent. Hospital and armor-
ed trains have been designed and built,
and special railway mountings of uni.
que design have been imprOvised for
heavy siege artillery.
Haig Describes Work
In a recent despatch, placed at the
disposal Of The Associated Press, Field
Marshal Sir Douglas Haig, Commander
in-chief of the British forces in France,
described the work done upon the rail
ways in France during the past year,
the success of which he says has been
one of the e0ntributory causes of BTi-
fish military success. - .....
by the close of the campaign of
1916, he says, "the steady growth of
our armies, and the rapid expansions
OF our material resources had taxed
roads and railways to their utmost ca,
pacity. The existing broad gauge and
narrow gauge railways being INSULT.
cient to deal with the increasing vol
ume of traffic, an undue amount of
transportation had to be done by road
As winter conditions set in the roads
deteriorated rapidly, and the Difficult.
ties of maintaining and repairing them
became almost Overwhelming, In order
TO relieve the roads, an Increase of
railway and light railway facilities be.
came imperatiVely and urgently neces.
sary, and at later date the needs of
the army were considerably augmented
by the adoption of large program
of new construction in the area from
which the German armies had with
drawn.
Canada Lends Help
THE task Of providing additional
rails, material and rolling stock was
one of great difficulty. The successful
solution Of the problem Of railway
transport would have been impossible
had 1t not been for the patriotism Of
the railway companies of Canada. They
did not hesitate TO give up the loco,
motives and rolling stock required to
meet our needs and even 10 tear up
track in order to provide us with the
necessary rails. The work of railway
construction had TO be carried out with
the greatest rapidly, in order 10 adj
NIT of a resumption Of the offensive
in the spring, and at the same time
the labor and material had to be found
for the necessary repair Of roads,