BY THE ENGLISH MAIL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1224, 5 September 1911, Page 8

BY THE ENGLISH MAIL.

LONDON SUMMARY. GREAT AVIATION PERFORMANCE. London, July 28. Beaumont", the French naval lieutenant, who was the winner of the great aerial race across Europe, organised by "The Standard," lias proved victorious also in the contest for the prize of ,£IO,OOO offered by the "Daily .Mail." His performance is without parallel in the history of aviation. On Saturday, July 22, the famous airman left Brooklands on the. first part of the circuit of Britain—the route being from Brooklands to Edinburgh, via Jlarrogato and Newcastle, and thence back by Glasgow, Manchester, Brjstol, and Brighton. Ho covered the journey with the regularity and punctuality of an express train, although with greater speed. lie arrived at Brooldands at 2.8 on Wednesday afternoon, July 20. Throughout the race resolved itself into a trial of skill between Beaumont and his old rival. Vcclrines, the hero of the Paris-Madrid flight. Tho defeat of Hie latter is attributable largely to the fact that on Tuesday (July 25) ho failed immediately to locate tho aerodrome at Bristol. Ho arrived at Brooklands one hour and nine minutes after Beaumont. The. competitors were weeded out very quickly from the beginning of the race, only seventeen of tho thirty entrants completed the first stage of the 1010 miles journey. Valentine, the Englishman, arrived third at Edinburgh, but had trouble at Glasgow with his propeller on his way back, and. afterwards smashed his machine near Dumfries. TCamel (Great Britain) also made a very notable flight, and achieved the distinction of making the fastest flight—covering the 35 miles between Ediuburgh and Stirling i» S2min. 9scc. WAR RISKS. In commercial and shipping circles widespread interest has been created by tho decision of the Underwriters' Association of Lloyd's that, on and after August 9 next underwriters will not be liable :'or the risks of war. This sudden departure from a policy which has obtained at Lloyd's for many years is attributed to recent developments between France and Germany 'n connection with tho situation in Morocco. Underwriters recall that the first indication of tho outbreak of the Spanish-American war was the capture of a number of British steamers, while they also retain unpleasant memories of tho heavy losses which befel i them during the Russo-Japanese war as a result of the wholesale capture and sinking of British ships. THE UNCONQUERED CHANNEL. After another plucky attempt, during which ho was over fifteen hours in tho water, Jabez Wolfl'c was again beaten in his attempt to emulate the feat of the lato Captain Webb in swimming tho English Channel. This time ho started from tho French shore, and abandoned his effort when only a mile away from Dover. Altogether he swam 33 miles, and had to contend with r.n ever-freshening breeze, which took him considerably out of his course, and extended his task into four tides. The water was warm, and Wollfo showed scarcely auy signs of fatigue when ho left the sea. EXPLOSION ON A DESTROYER. A terrible disaster occurred on board tho destroyer Kangaroo while she was running a steam trial between Dover and Portsmouth. The Kangaroo was steaming at high, speed, when ono of the main 6team-pipes. in the stokehold 1)11X51, nnd tho compartment instantly flooded with blinding, scalding steam.. Every man in the stokehold was fearfully burnt. Chiefstoker Hutfield and First-class Stoker Fryer'received the worst injuries, and succumbed from shock soon after two of the men sivcceded in seramblins through the stokehold hatch, though they, too, were extensively scalded, and gallant efforts were tnado to rescue the injured as soon as possible. The steam was turned off, and the injured and dying were tenderly brought on deck by their comrades. Tho CMsel was brought to anchor, and wjl'h nil hasto the dead and tho,injured, who numbered five, were taken aboard tho' L'opazo, which quickly hurried to Portsmouth, giving what succour was possible in. the sick bay on the journey. MOTOR WARSHIPS. A new typo of torpedo-boat destroyer is to bo constructed for tho Admiralty by Messrs. John I. Thorneycroft, of Southampton. The appearance of this destroyer will not differ from that of other modern destroyers, but it will be driven by two engines constructed upon different principles and used for different purposes. It will cruiso at its normal 15 knots or so on a Diesel oil-engine; that is to say, it ivill ordinarily act as a motor-boat. When high speeds aro necessary, it will employ turbines. It is improbable that the internal combustion engine will become, tho sole method of marine propulsion yet, imd tho proposed combination which Messrs. Thoroycroft aro to carry out is particularly adaptable to the work of a destroyer. • Tho thirty-five knots or so to which such a vessel must be able to attain makes the use of turbines at its normal speed uneconomical. Again, it would certainly improve thoi efficacy of a destroyes. if thero w.ero no normal necessity of getting up s.team, and if it could shut ilown as soon as it got into harbour. HORSELESS FIRE ENGINES. Horsed firo engines in London will soon be nothing but a memory. Tho London County Council Fire Brigade- Committee aro proposing to spent! JS'M in providing fivo petrol-driven motor fire engines, thrco petrol-driven motor escape vans, and an electrically-driven motor turntable lone ladder. Those will replace four-horsed firo engines, 'two-Jiorsed vans, and ono long-ladder van. Tho Finance Committee of the council quotes tho Fire Brigade Committee, ns estimating the total cost of replacing horses by machinery at .£203,020. .It is also proposed to build a new fire-float for (ho London service at a cost of 4:6000. The loss from fires in London during the last three years is estimated at ,£116,853 in 1008, .£699,329 in 1909, and 1'G02,100 in 1910. FATAL EAST-END FIRE. Two children were burnt to death in a tire which broke out at No. 9 Hutchison Street, Aldgate. The house was occupied by Samuel Rosinsky, known as Samuels, a capmaker. Rosinsky and his wife were both out, and in their absence it is probable that a spark from the fire fell. Tho house, which was of three storeys, very old, and almost entirely made of wood inside, burned rapidly, and an idea of the fury with which it burned may be gained from the fact- that though" the iiro was extinguished within a quarter of an hour, the interior was almost burnt out. Four of (he six children in tho family jumped from a first-floor window, and were caught by the police. The two youngest children. Nathan (10) and Gertrude (0) were found dead, clasped in each other's arms, in bed, on tho uppermost floor. The bodies were terribly burnt, but death must have come to them very rapidly, and was probably due to sufi'ocation. HORSES FOR THE ARMY. Mr. George Pinckard, of Combe Court, Witley, one of the most beautiful country estates in Surrey, has made a gift lo (he War Ollice of ISO acres of land, together with kennels, stables, and cottages situated in that country, for the purposes of breeding Army "remounts. Sinco tho advent of the motor-car there has been a great diminution in (he number of horses in tho British Isles, especially thoso available for military purposes, and tho War Office authorities have unhesitatingly accepted Mr. Pinckard's generous nnd patriotic offer, a present equal in value to nearly .£20,000. Mr. 'lkartl has always held strong- views on tho nerds of dlieionl Army remounts, nnd by acting up to his sympathies in a practical manner he is sotting a woi-T'iy example to thoso interested in (heir country's defence. Ever sinco ho rclinf|iiishi'd the mastership of the Cliiddingfold Hunt Mr. Pincltnrd has lent tho csl.ilo in question to flic hunt, and us (he neighbourhood has now ceased to l:e a hunting country ho has seized Iho opportunity of making tho present gift to the nation. CLAIMANTS TO TITLES. A number of claims to titles which became extinct or fell into abeyance many years ago will conio up for hearing before a committee of tho Lords in duo course.

Tho titles claimed aro the Earldom of Oxford, tho liaroiiy of Latymcr, the Barony of Fitzwaryn, aiul the Baronies of Burgh, Strabolgi, and Cobhain. The claimant to the Barony of Fitzwaryn is Sir Robert Wroy, who is the eleventh baronet, with a creation dating back to lliiT. Br. ]{.. G. .Alexander, of Halifax, is the claimant to the Baronies of Burgh, Strobolgi, and Cobhani. . REVENUE OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. A White Paper gives (ho contributions to the national revenue made by the tinea divisions of tho United Kingdom, amltlic manner in which the money is spent, rho total revenue for tho year 1910-11 was .e01,827,000, and it was contributed as follows :-England and Wales, £170,2!,:),- ««; .Scotland, ; Ireland, -£11,Gb'5,500.( These figures represent the total contributions to tho National Exchequer. The issues out of the Exchequer show that a total sum of ,£71,858.500 was spent on purposes local to each country, while ,£12'.i,93!),000 was spent on general purpose* in tho benefits of which tho three countries shared, such as the Army, Navy, etc. Tho division between tho three countries was as follows:—Spent locally: England and Wales, .£52,1)17,000; Scotland, •£7,927,000; Ireland, ,344,500. Spent generally. England and Wales, X117.G3G,000; Scotland, £11,982,000; Ireland, ,£321,000. EXPLOSION AT A FACTORY. A disastrous explosion occurred at tho explosives factory of Messrs. Curtis nud Harvey, at Cliffo-at-Jlop, r.ear Eochestor. Three'workmen were killed outright, and eleven others seriously injured. Tho explosion occurred in the Department devoted to the manufacture of nitijj-glycerino, and is believed to be. attributable to tho hot weather. The building was completely wrecked. Three or four hundred men aro employed at the works, tho buildings of the different departments all being widely separated and surrounded by mounds. Notwithstanding the force, of tho explosion, none of the other buildings fortunately were affected. Only a few men aro employed in each department at a time, otherwise tho loss of life wonl<l have been much greater. Tho noise of the explosion was heard for miles around; »nd created much alarm.—"Standard of Empire."