SCOUT NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 17484, 15 October 1920, Page 7

SCOUT NOTES

[By Kiwi.]

All comviunications to be addressed to "Kiwi," ' Star' Office, before A.30 p.m. Mondays.

The following, taken from the ' Overseas Daily Mail' of August 14, gives the closing scenes of ttie great "jamboree".Chief Scout of the World. Half an hour's cheering at the jamboree..—" Not by spoken word,.but by a storm of cheers and yells of thousands of people, Sir Robert Baden-Powell became Chief Scout of the World. This occurred at the closing performance of the Boy Scouts' j a . mboTee at Olympia, London. Sir Robert went into the arena, and the assembled Scouts repeated the Scouts' Oath and Lav.-. Then the Chief gave his farewell message, in the course- of which he saicTr'lf it be vour -will, let us go forth from here determined to develop among ourselves such comradeship, through the world-wide Scout spirit of brotherhood, that mav help peace, happiness, and good-will henceforth foreign among men. Will you join in this high endeavor?' 'W T e will.' shouted the Scouts. The Chief Scout faltered a little when he said good-bye. 'Clod speod you in your work,' ho added, 'and fare you well.' The cheers that followed lasted for nearly half an hour. . The neat platoons in the arena broke up. and surged round Sir Robert, and he disappeared from view. carried away on th? shoulders of bis Scents. In this -way 'B.P.' came into his Own."

Rush Despatches.—-One of the closing scones at the jamboree was l the appearance at the Olympia of two little, drenched figures, who arrived on bicycles, tired but smiling. They were a couple of the winning competitors in the relay despatchcarrying .race, and brought a despatch from Grimsby, sent along the 'Tishway '" Some fish was caught at Grimsby by Scouts, and given to two boys waiting to carry the despatch. Every 10 miles or si? along the route were two more Scouts waiting- to carry it on. All through the night it was carried along,' through violent wind and rain, and was in London in time to be sent .to the Chief Scout (Sir Robert Baden-Powell) for his breakfast. It exchanged hands more than 25 times, and each relay carried it on bicycles from 5 to 15 miles. The. distance was 166 miles, and the relays covered it in 15 hours, making an average speed of 11 miles an hour. A despatch from York arrived next. Tho weather along the "Dick Turpin Way," as it is called, had also been very bad. and the despatch case was soaked throxigh. Tho relays covered the 196 miles at an average speed of 10 miles an hour. Misfortune attended a despatch carried along the "American Way " from the Lord Mayor of Liverpool. All went smoothly until the despatch was nearing Lichfield, and then the system appears to have broken down. A telegram from Lichfield was received stating that the despatch was being forwarded by post. Plane for Boy Scouts : Qualifying for Flights.—For several months the Third Hampton (Middlesex) Troop of Boy Scouts have had an air section learning the mysteries of model-flying, the intricacy oi aeroplane engines, and all about airpockets and currents, from a late member of the Royal Air Force. They made good progress—so good that they found they were handicapped by the lack of a machine to practise on. Their difficulties came to the ears of the Aircraft Disposal Company, Ltd., who have presented the troop with a D.H.C. aeroplane complete with propeller and 90 h.p. engine. The boys have been promised flights at one of the big aerodromes as soon as they attain 'a sufficiently efficient knowledge of the aeroplane, and every one of the 100 boys in the troop is eagerly preparing to qualify. , _ The King and Oversea Scouts : Inspection at tho Palace.—The King inspected foreign ami colonial Boy Scouts, who had 'been attending the jamboree at Buckingham Palace. A large number of the oversea Scouts had already left for their respective homes, but between 200 and 500 remained for the inspection. The con-, tingents included Scouts from Canada, India, South Africa, Malta, Jamaica, Gibraltar, and several Belgian officers. The inspection lasted some time, and their Majesties were evidently much impressed by the appearance of the boys. The King remarked, on reaching the South African contingent, that he had already seen them at one of his investitures, and noticed then how very smart they appeared. Their Majesties, after watching the departure of the Scouts, bade farewell to the various colonial and foreign officers, ami to the Chief Scout and his officers.

A "Kiltie' 1 Story.—A Highland soldier, on entering an underground train at Paddington, London, found himself in the centre of a group of- small boys returning from the jamboree at Olympia. There was no vacant seat, but a tiny " wolf-i cub" gob up and said : "Take my seat, miss." The_ Highlander blushed, smiled, and replied in kindly tones : "Thank ye, mo lad: but A'm no a Girl Guide yet!'"' The First and Second Mornington Troops had a very good muster on paTadc last Friday evening, when four new recruits were enrolled. General Scout work was carried out, special attention being given to ambulance, signalling, and lashings. Before the troop were dismissed the O.C. gave a lecturette on 'Loyalty.' The First Roslyn Troop had a good muster List Friday. The leaders took charge for half an hour in general scoutcraft. At 8 o'clock an adjournment was made to the Belt, where the ever-popular game of flag-Taiding was indulged m. On Pa-tnrday the troop turned out in force, and an enjoyable afternoon was apent in Scout games and cooking.

ANSWER, " Mag."—Held over till next week.