HOME-GROWN TOBACCO MULBERRIES mouth. The fine modern airport forms a link in the British Overseas Airways chain of sta tions and, of course, both land and seaplanes are served here. The port of Basrah is well- equipped to handle seaborne trade, and dredg ing operations have provided a navigable chan nel to this end. Mention was made earlier that Basrah was the ultimate destination, but events were such that a further move was necessary, and after only a week's stay the Q.C.W.'s headquarters were transferred (to coincide with that of the Royal Navy) to Bahrein, some three hundred miles to the south-cast down the Gulf. Bahrein Islands consist, of a number of small islands about twenty miles distant from the Arabian coast and the largest, Bahrein Two Seas itself is about twenty-seven miles long and ten miles wide, and almost entirely fiat. Bahrein also serves as an alighting station for the B.O.A.C. seaplanes en route from Basrah to Karachi. An R.A.F. station occupies a site on the adjacent island of Muharraq, which is separated by a causeway from Bahrein itself, Oil was discovered on the island in 1932, and the Bahrein Petroleum Company has, in these last sixteen years, transformed beyond all recog nition the status and terms of employment of a good proportion of the native population. Bah rein is the centre of the pearl fishing industry of the Persian Gulf. Boat-building (dhows) and the growing and export of a particularly fine variety of dates form other means of livelihood. There is virtually no rainfall, but this is com pensated for by numerous artesian wells. The climate is temperate for seven months of the year, but the remaining five have to be borne to be believed, and it is not inappropriate to recall the title of a visiting R..A.F. concert party which put the matter in a nutshell, and ran: "It's not the 'eat, it's the 'umid!" H. B. B. Continued from each end, so as to enable the tobacco to be pulled out without the trouble I experienced in the first instance. I stored under the 10 !b. pressure in a warm cupboard with an occasional look see for some four months before 1 de cided it was ripe to smoke. By this time it had lost its cigar-like smell and was drier. 1 cut the cake of tobacco with an old razor blade and tried my first pipeful, which, much to my surprise, was quite a pleasant smoke, though a little mild and rather hot for my own personal taste. I now mix about 50% of my home grown with 50%, of a stronger tobacco. One other grower of my acquaintance used a vice for pressing his tobacco, but the result was not very successful. He found it was too hard and dry, and next year he proposes to follow my example and use a lighter load when pressing. Some cut their leaf with a pair of scissors instead of a razor blade, and 1 intend trying that method myself in the future. A little time ago 1 was presented with a cigar which was made from homegrown leaf, home-cured and home-made. It was a delight ful smoke, and 1 intend to learn more about how this is done at the first opportunity. Kim. (iContinued In the early post-war years, it was a com mon suggestion by some critics that certain urgent peace-time problems should be tackled as Military operations. Housing was one in particular. It is a healthy sign of returning sanity that such suggestions are now seldom made. Imagine a new housing estate in which three roofs out of four leak so badly that the houses cannot be lived in. [The gist of the concluding remarks above were stated publicly at the Institution of Civil Engineers in 1946 at a Conference held there under the title of The Civil Engineer in War." in the subsequent written contribution to the conference, the point was conceded by engineers who were in a position to judge, but in some quarters it might still be looked upon as akin to blasphemy, and the editors arc advised to "disclaim any responsibility for the opinions expressed."D. H. L.] old hoys' corner" The Editors would be glad to receive news of any former members of the Department and. in particular, the names of those who may wish to become regular subscribers to the magazine (Cost, including postage. Is. 8d.}.

Krantenbank Zeeland

Watersnood documentatie 1953 - diversen | 1949 | | pagina 3