Evening star., 1930-12-11
BERMUDAS TO MISS
AUTO TRAFFIC ERA
Islands of Bicycle Riders May
Be First Sea Stop for
Mail Planes.

The Bermuda Islands will be the first
sea stop Of the Europe-bound aerial
"fast mall If present plans for such
q oceanic service e consummated.
''When airplanes glide in and out of
the Bermudas the islands will have
plunged point-blank from the bicycle
era into the airplane age of transpor-
tation without the intermediate stage
of automobiles, since all motor vehicles
are tabu," says bulletin from the
National Geographic Society.
Were there an airport on each
asland-which, of course, there could
not be-airplanes might and on
different island every day in the year.
for there are 365 islands in the group.
Discovered by shipwreck.
Formerly the tiny land dots were
known as the isles of the Devil They
were summed by seafarers; not sought
as q refuge. In fact, they were dis
covered unWittingly by Juan de Ber-
mLdez when he was shipwrecked upon
thsIh. The Summer Isles the natives
now call them, and the quiet. quaint
tourists haven owes is existence to
one Of natures most violent forces
the volcano
The islands are projecting peaks of
q mighty submerged, extinct volcano,
based on the ocean floor. $4,000 feet
were drained of the mountain would be
o prototype of the land-anchored Mont
Blanc, in Europe. Instead of snow.
this mountain is crowned with layer
OF coral, which through the ages, with
the help of sea and wind, has gradu-
ally built up low, white limestone hills.
Since the titanic disturbance which
created it, the volcano has settled slowly
so that in places the coral is just be-
low the water, forming ring Of treach-
erous reefs and the famous marine
gardens.
''The islands are arranged like q
giant fishl1ook, $50 miles from Cape
Hatteras. On approaching land a
steamer picks up q pilot, then turns
completely around and doubles back on
its track. Actually the vessel is pro-
ceeding through a narrow opening in
the outer ring of reefs, and Is picking
shore line. Whitish patches on the
turquoise waters indicate coral shoals
Where the ship channel is narrow one
may look over the size and see jagged
chunks Of highly colored coral.
Harbor Snug Fit FOR Ship.
"Once inside the harbor of Hamilton,
C6PSt61 Va 1SkUluucs, Tic VESSEL ID bUEEcQ
around and moored to the cock. So
narrow and tiny is this harbor that It
seems as IL the bow and stern would
touch the banks as the ship is warped
around. From the decks passengers
look down on the little village as If
from @ tower. Lines If carriages, once
the pride Of Fifth avenue, are drawn
up. natives with bicycles stare at the
ship, and the life Of the town in gen.
eral SEEMS to stop and gather to see
the eNDnt of the week-the arrival Of
the mail packet!
Clean little two-story houses, as white
IS the icing on q cake, according to
Mark Twain, dot the rolling hillside
around the harbor amid dark "reen
native cedars. palms and gardens. Tall
A-.erican-looking hotels and the Ham
Aton Cathedral break the skyline.
Bicycle TrafRc RiEidIy Regulated.
The absence Of automobiles does not
prevent strict enforcement Of trafic
rules. Reckless bicycle riding. cutting
in front Of traf1c o1f1cers at intersec-
tions or riding on the wrong side of
the street are serious trafilc offenses.
aBermudians either farm or cater to
tourists, who consist principally Of
Americans Easter lilies are the best
known export. Early vegetables are
shipped IN large quantities. especially
onions. There are no income or prop
erty taxes. Practically all government