RANDOM NOTES

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 159, 1 April 1930, Page 10

RANDOM NOTES

SIDELIGHTS ON CURRENT EVENTS LOCAL AND GENERAL

(By

Cosmos.)

“.Something must be done,” says a contemporary, "to put Europe on it» feet again.” A conference to end conferences seems to be the only way.

According to the astronomical expert of a contemporary the light of a receding star is distinguished by its redness. To this device is attributed rhe comparative rarity of collisions between heavenly bodies.

While addressing the Television Society recently, Sir Ambrose Fleming referred to the difficulties that beset the path of would-be inventors. A special type of lamp invented by him, only visible through certain glass, was refused by the Admiralty for no apparent reason. Only a few months later they asked him to report upon an invention submitted from Australia concerning which they were very interested. It was exactly the same invention. If only one could utilise the host of inventions that are lying dormant for lack of a little sympathy, life would be simply astounding. For instance, but for the lack of encouragement, we should be drinking sheet milk by now. This invention comes from Denmark. The natural water in the milk is extracted, and by a secret process the residue is discharged in a form resembling sheets of heavy tissue paper. It is stated by the inventor that milk in this state could be kept for years. All problems of pasteurisation would be removed from the correspondence columns of newspapers, and even the Municipal Milk Department could not be blamed for a little lightheartedness. There would be some startling changes in the dairy industry. We have already witnessed the passing of the old milk carts. To-day we buy a bottle of milk, to-morrow we may be ordering a quire. It would take some time to get used to the new’ idea, and eventually we should buy our milk from the Civic Stationery Department, possibly ordering a month’s supply at once.

A yard of milk seems fantastic, but then so does a metal coat. But to-day aluminium can he drawn into threads, finer than human hair. Even to-day evening cloaks and shoes, handbags and belts, are ornamented with this aluminium thread. Neckwear for ladies has been made of it, and it may not be long before aluminium collars for men came into general use. We may yet read of a kinema star driving away from her seventh honeymoon in au aluminium suit that matches exquisitely the shining bonnet of the car. Smaller ideas than these have made millions for their inventors. Mr. W. 11. Palmer, of Baltimore, who thought of the first cap for bottled beers, ended as a multimillionaire. So did the American who invented the first crinkly hairpin. Mr. Lipman, who first had the bright idea of putting a piece Of rubber on the end of a pencil, also joined the ranks of millionaires before his invention had been long on the market. Yet nobody knows the man who Invented such commonplace things as aspirin, glass, bone collar studs, false teeth, yeast, sugar, porcelain, preserved fruits, thimbles, or shot guns. It is all very complicated, this inventing business.

The spying exploits of Lord BadenPowell told yesterday, recall the fact that he was once caught while on an important mission. Great secrecy was being observed by a nation which was reported to have a new battlefield il« luminant. Rumours were rife. Also, they had a new type Of observation balloon. Investigations, of course, had to be made. Baden-Powell went with his brother. The guards who were on duty at the balloon left for their dinner, and the Englishmen were soon in the car, noting the instruments, and all the details which they desired to know. When it came to getting a sight of the lighting powder, it was a very different matter. On the field was a ring of notices forbidding anyone to come within them unless they could produce their authority. The pair decided that if anybody came into the circle, everybody who saw them would believe that they had a right to be there. So it proved. They arrived just before the tests commenced, ana before they left they had samples of the new powder and the illuminating rockets. These they gave to an agent, who immediately transferred them to England. A final show was held at which the Emperor was present, and the Chief Scout’s brother stayed outside to see the light from the ah tackers’ viewpoint while Robert Baden-Powell went inside, as usual. As he walked along he saw the lights of the monarch’s carriage coming toward him, and in order that he should uot be recognised, turned his head awaj. Immediately the carriage pulled up and some staff officers jumped out. The Englishman was seized, driven baci to the fort, and questioned. Under the escort of a police officer he vias allowed to go to his lodgings and pack up his belongings.. The officer, goodnaturedly, helped him. but kept, thrusting his brother’s possessions into the bag. He was then taken to the capital, put'into a hotel, and told that he was expected to stay there until he was called for. He was permitted to go about in the city, but not outside it, and be very soon found that be was being shadowed by a detective. Another spv was acting as waiter in. the hotel, and be told the prisoner—for lie was little else—who were the detectives on the staff. The brother also came under the suspicion of the authorities and the pair were in a dilemma.

A friend, however, came along and advised them that they had better escape while there was time, bo once more the trick which had been, tr on the railway was used. XVlth aid of the waiter the pair found that, there was a ship in port whose «ipt“m was willing to take them home. They ordered a cab to take them to a certain station in the hearing of the detectives, and when the cab and themselves were out of sight, of the hotel, they changed the station to which they had ordered the driver to take them. This course involved going to the wharves, where they paid the cabman and hired a small boat to take them out to the ship, which was waiting in midstream. At that vital moment when they were boarding the steamer, one of them stopped to argue with toe boatman as to the amount of the fare due to him. This served to allay any suspicions which he might have entertained, and after that everything moved according to their plans. Sir Robert Baden-Powell attributes his instinctive gift for scouting to the fact that be in directly descended from Pocahontas, the famous Red Indian princess? How much do we owe to the past?