RANDOM NOTES

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 94, 14 January 1939, Page 8

RANDOM NOTES

Sidelights On Current

Events

(By

Kickshaws)

Only three per cent, of the inmates of prisons, it is revealed, play musical instruments. Justice appears not to know its duty.

According to one expert, war may come suddenly, or it may spread slowly. It is just this sort of rash unguarded statement that lets us sleep peacefully in our bed.

A health expert in America declares that people ought to have no difficulty in keeping young in business. , Over here business men are beginning to wonder if they are going to be allowed to grow old in business.

News that experts in Britain are experimenting with a motor torpedo boat capable of 50 knots is remarkable for the fact that water speeds appear to have lagged badly behind land speeds. Admittedly, water speeds of more than 100 miles an hour are now possible, but few craft, even these days, are capable of that speed. The matter is all the more remarkable in that tiny model craft a few feet long propelled by engines of 30 c.c. delivering a nominal one-quarter horsepower and an actual five, have been propelled at nearly 40 knots. Moreover, speeds above about 40 knots have” been accomplished by naval craft for some years how. The British destroyer Turquoise steamed 39.62 knots for four hours a good many years ago. Two other British destroyers, the Mounsey and the Tyrian, both had top speeds of about 40 knots. Five years ago the French destroyer Cassard on her trials made 43.4 knots.

We welcome the arrival in New Zealand of Mr. Ng, if only because he introduces what must be almost the shortest name. Indeed China seems to ■be a land of short names for, apart from Mr. Pu, not many years ago little Miss Ma was christened in St. Paul’s Cathedral, London. Two-letter names are by no means common. We world point out, however, that Ottawa was founded by By. Melbourne boasted a tradesman who was called Ny. The United States had a family with the name of Ek. Some years ago at Grey’s Inn Road, London, Mr. Be set up in business. Maybe Mr. Be is still there. Nevertheless, one must agree that a worthy dame who set up a wineshop in Paris had a name that could not be beaten for brevity. Mrs. O must take her place with other names which, if brief, smack of the artificial. Mr. A. A., of Chicago, for example, likes to be called Aaron A. It gets him at the head of the list in the directories.

If some folk modestly like a short name there are others who have blessed their children with a variety of names almost confusing. When Mr. Glafkos Pappathaodorokomoundoronicolucopoulos, of Michigan, discovered that the school teacher was calling his children Propapjpas for short he became exceedingly annoyed. We do not know what Rosa Cannav,;iciolo thought of the man she married, but it must have taken her a long time to get him word perfect. The bridegroom’s names were Ignacio Florencio Octavio Leopoldo Enrique Carlos Pedro Luis Joaquin Ramon Salvador Manuel Lorenzo Esteban Modesto Joes Boada y Marin. It is little things like that which make one hesitate to sign too frequently on the dotted line. But then what about poor Ann Bertha Cecilia Diana Emily Fanny Gertrude Hypatia Inez Ja.ie Kate' Louisa Maud Nora Ophelia Quince Rebecca Strakey Teresa Ulysses Venus Winifred Xenophon Yetta Zeiris Pepper? ~

Claims that yesterday was a day peculiarly unlucky because it was not only a Friday, but the thirteenth of the month do not treat the matter fully As regards the thirteenth, we would point out that New Zealand beat the Springboks on the thirteenth ot the month. This would appear to deal so fully with the thirteenth little else is required. Nevertheless, a Frenchman who has prepared figures on matrimony in England in 1816 has shown that 3175 were “passing happy”; 127 were “hardly happy” and 13 were “fairly happy.. Let us, therefore, consider the merits of Friday. Columbus certainly started his voyage on a Friday. There may be some who will point out that he discovered America, but it would have been a calamity if he had not done so. Indeed, he discovered America on a Friday, started for home on a Friday, and arrived home on a Friday. This seems to dispose of Fridays.

Mr. Lincoln Ellsworth should know enough by now about the claiming of territory to appreciate the fact that a mere preview from the cabin of an aeroplane is a vrry slender foundation on which to acquire new land. Experts have pointed out on more than one occasion that it is open to doubt whether the mere act of flying over new land creates a right to the land. Indeed, it would appear that there'is nothing to alter the accepted methods of acquiring new lauds. Naturally, they must not have a prior owner. But more than that is necessary. In 1937 officials in America agreed that actual occupation and colonization of the land seen is usually necessary before establishing a claim of sovereignty over the land. Admittedly, occupation and colonization are themselves, vague enough terms. They have, at least, less vagueness than a mere preview of the promised land. Moses was wise enough to appreciate the difficulties. Mr. Lincoln Ellsworth may have to come down to earth before he does the same.

Ownership of polar areas is a reminder that even in the matter of Alaska there are still many points of ownership that remain unsettled and vague. The United States of America bought this area from Russia for 7.000,000 dollars. Under the deed of sale America also became entitled to all land north of Alaska. It is very doubtful if there is any land. Harrisland, Keenenland, and Peary’s Crockerland are considered to be non-existent, which shows the pitfalls of acquiring land that has only been “seen.” For Arctic sovereignty, therefore. America would have to lay claim to part of the big archipelago north of Canada. In these areas Canadian explorers have hoisted the British flag on over 100 islands. and the Dominion of Canada asserts its ownership to the whole Arctic between longitudes 70 degrees and 141 degrees west. The last named is the boundary between Canada and Alaska. Russia, moreover, claims the Arctic to the north of her territory. Greenland is now considered as belonging to Denmark. Way down in the Antarctic no country sits at the threshold.

“R.A.L” asks: —“Would you please answer: (1) Whence and by whom is the quotation ‘The pen is mightier than the sword'? (2) Was IT M.S. Tiger a coal-burner at the time of the Battle of Jutland?”

[(1) Lvtton. Edward George, ’’Richelieu.” ii, 2. (2) H M.S. Tiger burned coal mostly, but some of the boilers burned oil.]