Source: The Central Queensland Herald
URL: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/76169325
Date: 13/02/1947
Event: Europe, Britain, U.S. and Canada: "Severe Winter"
Credit: The Central Queensland Herald, Trove (National Library of Australia)
THE CENTRAL QUEENSLAND HERALD - FEB 13, 1947
SEVERE WINTER
In Europe
NEW YORK., February 6.- Cold weather, which swept the country during the last two days, reached as far south as Florida, where frost caused winter crop losses in the Miami area amounting to millions of dollars. An official said that 40,000 acres of tomatoes, beans and squash had been destroyed. Fourteen persons died from cold throughout the country, including six in New York City. The temperatures in some areas were over 20 degrees below zero. The lowest in New York was 5.2 degrees above zero. Farther intense cold is forecast for the week-end.
IN BRITAIN
London's snowstorm this morning continued for three hours. Latest reports show blizzards are still raging in many parts of Northern England and snow is falling over a wide area in Southern England. Buckinghamshire has had snow continuously for 16 hours. Food supplies were parachuted to a number of RAF stations which are marooned. The murky weather caused the diversion of some flying services from airports near London to Hampshire airports. The Lancastrian for Sydney left at the scheduled time.
FUEL SHORTAGE
LONDON, February 6.- The Ministry for Fuel banned all shipments of coal for overseas ports and has forbidden the bunkering of ships leaving for foreign ports, says the "Daily Telegraph." The Government is watching the position from day to day and may introduce even more drastic measures to deal with the critical situation. The "Daily Express" says that the bunker coal tan means that 200 to 400 British [sic] foreign ships at present in British ports will be held up. Others are oil-fired. The "Daily Mail" says that scores of tramp steamers are likely to be kept in port until the ban has been lifted.
Associated Press correspondents report more snowfalls in many parts of Europe. Still lower temperatures are predicted for Berlin, when the death roll through cold, with two more fatalities, has reached 105 since January 12.
CHILDREN FOUND DEAD
The bodies of two children, dead from cold and hunger, were discovered outside the remote village of Stiring-Wendel, in the Moselle Department, near the Franco-Saar frontier. The bodies were identified as those of two of 100 Saar children who had been secretly crossing the Saar frontier to beg for food in France.
LONDON BY CANDLELIGHT
LONDON, February 10. - London went back to candlelight and the wheels of production in a broad strip of England's industrial heart from the south-east to the Midlands and as far north as Cumberland stopped when the power cuts were imposed this morning. The electricity undertakings, unable for technical reasons to regulate supplies between essential and non-essential consumers, put consumers on their honour to switch out the lights between the prohibited hours. Early reports from the Central Electricity Board suggest that the plan is working well. The Associated Press offices in the dark hours of this morning worked under conditions resembling those during the worst of the London blitzes. The work continued by the light of kerosene table lamps and hurricane lamps. The Associated Press bought these in 1940 for lighting when the German blitz cut off the power. They were used on many occasions during enemy air raids.
PRESS COMMENT
The "Manchester Guardian," in an editorial, states: "Legitimate indignation at Mr Shinwell's political methods should not blind the people to the gravity of the crisis and the duty of all to cooperate with the Government in meeting it. The Government has handled the fuel question stupidly. Mr Shinwell has ceased to be an asset to the Government. He has a record of fatuous prophecies and shiftiness and has lost public confidence." The " Daily Telegraph" states: "Mr Shinwell is uniquely responsible for evasions of home truths, optimistic boasts, and vague admissions of danger. No further statement by Mr Shinwell is likely to give his fellow countrymen confidence. He should be told in the words of Cromwell to the Long Parliament: 'Depart and let us have done with you.'"
COLD IN AMERICA
OTTAWA, February 9. - The trans-continental Canadian Pacific railway service has resumed after the longest snow blockage of the main line in the history of the Canadian railways. Gangs have been clearing snow for 80 hours. The extreme cold wave, which has been blanketing the North American continent, continues, with winds of gale force in the east. In some places telegraph poles were blown down.
CONDITIONS IN U.S.
NEW YORK, February 8.- Snow storms in parts of the United States have caused motorists to be stranded and have delayed trains into New York as much as two hours. Central Florida reports the first snow in 20 years and the citrus crop, normally worth many millions of dollars, is threatened. The temperature in New York has ranged from 5 degrees below zero to as low as 20 degrees below zero in the past few days.
MORE BLIZZARDS
LONDON, February 11.- Blizzards in the north, the Midlands and in the Black Forest, ushered in Britain's second day of the light and coal restrictions. The short-lived thaw of yesterday only served to melt the snow from the roofs. The temperatures in London early today were again several degrees below freezing point. Upwards of 12 in. of snow fell in the north. The frost in the south hardened, turning the roads into sheets of ice. Thousands of workers in London offices and stores lit candles and hurricane lamps and began work in unheated offices, with scarves wound around their necks. They gloomily studied weather forecasts promising more blizzards, snow and frost. Millions of idle workers elsewhere stayed at home.
WEATHER BLAMED
LONDON, February 10.- England started the winter with only 11,000,000 tons of coal in stock compared with 14,000,000 in 1946, said the Prime Minister (Mr Attlee) in the House of Commons. There had been a critical position each winter for the last five years. Despite the steady increase to coal production in the last few months the demand for coal and electricity had increased beyond all expectations. Available generating plant in the country was rapidly approaching the point where it would be overloaded. The country should have been able to get through the winter if the weather had been normal. The Government was well aware of the serious loss the electricity cuts inflicted and of the hardship many were forced to suffer, but action had to be taken. Frozen railway points, tunnels and lines blocked by snow and accumulation of laden wagons disorganised railway traffic and the arrival of further supplies of coal depended on the weather. If consumers cooperated stocks would be sufficient to tide over the emergency. The public seemed so far to be responding excellently but it still was too early to forecast how soon power could be restored to industry.
"SAMPLE OF SOCIALISM"
Mr Churchill said if the population's anger at the ordeal resulted in the expulsion from power of Britain's present rulers it would be a merciful deliverance. "There is little doubt that things are going to get worse," he added. "A week's loss in production would dislocate industry for at least a month - and that at a time when the Chancellor is telling the world that Britain is 'living on tick.'"