LONDON LETTER REGATTA IS HELD ON LONDON’S SERPENTINE

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26512, 29 August 1951, Page 6

LONDON LETTER REGATTA IS HELD ON LONDON’S SERPENTINE

(From NKVILE WEBBER, London Correspondent of “The Press.”)

London, August 10 -For. fienenitians Taindoners have thought of the in Hyde Park as no more toS a P?etty l?ttle lake, a pleasant anm to feed the ducks, have a leisurely row take a dip on a broiling day, or to skate on those rare occasions when the surface really freezes. But this week thev have been surprised to find that here in their very midst, is being staged a full scale regatta, five times as big as the annual one at Henley. M Entries from oarmen and canoeists total more than 1000 and it will take three days to decide the 21 eve Pj*-. “J® races range from champion eights to ladies’ sculls. For those who are looking for pure entertainment, there will be demonstrations of swan catching by the Vintners’ Company the old London guild whose duty it is to look after the swans on the Thames. It is the first regatta to be held here since the coronation of George IV in 1821, when four boats raced twice its length, although seven previously a strange mock battle was staged between model warships, each manned by a crew of three. This was on the double occasion of the centenary of the Hanoverian succession and the end of the French wars. To-day many people take ihe Serpentine to be, a natural feature; in reality it is hand made. It was the idea of Queen Caroline, the witty, energetic wife of George 11, who decided that her Kensington Palace needed an ornamental lake to set off its gardens. She insisted that it should be no square formal lake, but one of bays an work V started in 1730, when 200 workmen began digging out its 52 acres, and the job was not finished until 1734. George H. who had indulged her whim with favour, since he thought she was paying for it,was astonished after his Queen’s death to find that she had so influenced Sir Robert Walpole, then Prime Minister, i that he had granted £20.000 for the | work. In those days it was- fed from the trickle of the West Bourne stream. To-day, however, its 100.000,000 gallons come from a well in the middle of the lake in St. James’s Park. A Shivering Winter Ahead It is hard this lovely summer—although for the last few days it has been raining—to visualise dreary winter coming around again. But the prophets have not been loth recently to remind us of it and to emphasise that it is likely to be an unpleasant winter, with shortages of coal, coke and electricity. Coal production, despite the reintroduction of Saturday Shift work, is not running at a sufficient rate to provide for the increasing needs of industry to fulfil export commitments and to build up the necessary winter stockpile of 18,000.000 tons by October 31. To fry to make the supplies spin out, coke is to be rationed for domestic users to 30 cwt. each until next April. Domestic coal, nt present unrationed, is also likely to be controlled before long. From the power stations comes disappointing news. The experts are forecasting that power cuts will have to be even more severe than last winter, causing serious dislocation to industry and the home. The cuts are due to consumption outpacing generation, although many knowledgeable critics declare that the shortage could have been largely avoided had planning been more astute. They eav that although the country is short of boilers, 40 per cent of our production is being exported, that manufacturer# could supply one-third more plant than is at present ordered, that there is too much delay in ordering new power houses and that their building takes twice as long as in the United States. It is all very dispiriting.

We Want More Cows Like “Graceful’’ More bad news, while we are on the subject, is that milk rationing is almost certain to be reintroduced this winter, because many fanners have changed over to the more lucrative production of beef. We could do with a lot more cows like “Graceful,” the 13-year old Friesian, which is headline news this week. She has just wrested the world milk production record from an American cow, with a yield of 267,3151 b (over 113 tons), which beat the existing figure by 111 b.

Harvest Prospects Good Good news comes from the fields of Britain. After a shocking spring which threatened to make this the worst harvest for a generation, a perfect summer has wrought an unbelievable change. Wheat now changing to gold, is expected to come near the 10-year average figure, while oats and barleymay well be better—a matter of much

imponance, Dearing m mind shortage of coarse grains last The hay yield has been generally iS' and root crops are expected to vuij very well, especially sugar beet/* 14 Burlington Arcade Sold One of the sights of London (, Burlington Arcade, a 193-vard even/ of exclusive litt’e , shops selii/ expensive goods. It is situated by the Royal Academy on 'Piccadiii and is famous for its three beadles i colourful 18th century dress sternly preserve decorum by bannin all perambulators, open umbrSh? whistling, singing, rowdiness anli message boys carrying larg-> nareS. At 5.30 p.m. these beadles, all forme, n.c.o.’s of the 10th Hussars, ring? handbell and escort shoppers to al vulgar hurly-burly of nearby street This week the property was sold?/ part of a £3.000.000 West End deal but the new owners, the gi/; Prudential Assurance Company C, reassured upholders of tradition that the arcade will continue to b, conducted as discreetly, as in the ml. That Stone Again! The famous Stone of Scone has lon» since faded from the headlines of world—but not from the memory of Scotsmen! This was demonstrated Si dismal Bank Holiday, when thousand of visitors, including Scotaneti decided to pass the day sightseeing historic places like Westmiiwto Abbey. Scores asked to see the Stone The guides answered: "It is In ad keeping,” and looked aloof. Ctaly the most persistent inquiries elicited the fact that the Stone is very securely locked up and out,of view in tfe burial vault of Islip Chapel. So to there are no plans for displaying it again, though this may happen when a new and delicate burglar alarm fa insta led in the Abbey. Now Soetonen i are still further incensed to find that lan independent film company, which I was contemplating making a film of the theft, has been told by the censor that if it is made permission to screen it in Britain will not be granted. I thought we had recovered our sense of humour and sense of proportion over the Stone. Apparently not Total Immersion The world international assembly of the American sect of Jehovah's Witnessess in London was attended bv. thousands of delegates from 4g countries. Wembley Stadium, mecca of speedway, dog-racing, and football displayed enormous banners such at “Clean Worship Assembly," whkh entirely hid the great totalisator, and “Praise Jah, you people, because Jehovah, our God the Almighty, hw begun to rule as King.” Hymns ud chants were sung with loud enthusiasm. On the last day nearly 2,000 converts proceeded to th* RttHW Lido, and in costumes that ranged from Bikinis to neck-to-knee outfit!, they were entirely immersed by JF officials at the rate of one every it seconds. One lady converted was JJ years old; several were cripples. Mannequin Shows For Men At Alexandra Palace the ideas experts of television have derided to stage a series of men's fashion pandas with male mannequins. Special attention is to paid to showing us how to handle socks, ties, and handkerthlefo how to refurbish old clothes, bow to achieve that 60-guinea Savile ste# look for 18 guineas, how. in fact, to turn the tables and to induce one's wife to say "My dear, have you bought a new suit; I’ve never seen that one before ’’ Rugby an Ale and Hearty (Mm i So often in South Aftiefesjiev Zealand and Australia RughSU* » stern, serious game. Not so in fiqpsd. where, for a great many p'aytefa a is first and foremost a congenial rotna. a prelude to the more ’ttnaH matter of gathering round the cnOK in a convivial get-together freouentlv goes on lone after th*

irequenuy goes on long aner uma|| whistle. This outlook is demoMiiH: by an advertisement in "The TbM reading: “Small Rugby iliil|.iMjrt|K to accept thirsty player IkMHMM first qualification bonhomie.” Then! captain explained: "It is MBI important that the young should be ready to stay behind «fi« each match and thrash out the Mr points of play with the vlsitinfjßK over a pint of beer. Beside*, fIMH. takes a lot out of a man; a pint puts it back.” As the “Daily Mirror” says, it jßf case of ‘pints before points* 'Wr. perhaps the idea to build dp “eight-tun pack who will go for M points after the pints.’’ Ah yes, here in England Rugby H certainly an ale and hearty game.