248 TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION F. 



WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10. 

 The following Papers were read : — 

 1. Industrial Councils and their Possibilities. By T. B. JohnstoIn, J. P. 



2. Transport Policy. By W. M. Acwokth.' 



3. The Value of Full and Accurate Statistics as shown under Emergency 

 Conditions in the Transportation Service in France. By 

 Lieut. -Col. Sir J. George Behaerell, D.S.O. 



Statistics have played a most important part in all our war activities. The 

 intensive production, coupled with the highest efficiency, necessitated by war 

 conditions, enforced the preparation of full and exact information. 



Output of material, capacity of works, rate of manufacture, and progress 

 of the various processes had tc be carefully studied, _ so that all_ material 

 came forward in balf.nced and adequate quantities. This was especially true 

 of transportation operations in France. The requirements of the various com- 

 ponents of track, rolling stock, workshop equipment, and personnel for all 

 sections of the work had to be forecast and provided a considerable time 

 ahead. 



War conditions precluded the application of the ordinary financial test of 

 the success of operations, but the shortage of men and material compelled 

 economy and efficiency. 



Transportation in France covered a variety of services : — 

 The equipment and operation of ports. 

 The provision and operation of craft for inland water transportation, and 



the construction and maintenance of necessary work on canals. 

 The construction and operation of standard gauge, metre gauge, and 



60-centimetre railways. 

 The construction and maintenance of roads and nmrs. 

 The -working of quarries. 



With operations so diver.se. and scattered over such a wide and varying 

 field, complete supervision by the Director-General of Transportation was only 

 possible by making the fullest use of the science of statistics. 



The exceptional circumstances which prevailed rendered it imperative that 

 statistics should be prepared quickly and given a wide and judicious circulation. 

 In spite of the difficulties of communication over the wide area involved, it 

 was possible to produce, not later than Tuesday evening, preliminary figures 

 for the week ended midnight on the previous Friday, giving the result of th^ 

 working of all services, i.e. four days for collection and compilation in respect 

 to services extending from the ports at the base to light railways along the 

 front. The circulation of statistics is most important; a considerable pro- 

 portion of the success cau be attributed to the interest and spirit of emulation 

 which they created. 



Under the new Transportation organisntion the Director-General determined 

 the kind of transportation to be provided. The General Rta.ff communicated 

 the plan of campaign, and the Director-General of Transportation decided — 

 having regard to the available resources of men and material, and the traffic 

 to be moved — whether new broad-gauge lines and railheads should be con- 

 structed, what use should be made of canals and whether distribution by 

 60-centimetre lines or lorries should be adopted. There was no hard-and-fast 

 rule. 



Statistics for each branch of the Service will be considered in some detail. 

 The following indicates the units of efficiency employed. Figures illustrating 

 the improvements effected will be quoted. 



1 See National Beview, October, 1919. 



