LONDON TOPICS

Lake Wakatip Mail, Volume 4185, Issue 4185, 20 November 1934, Page 2

LONDON TOPICS

September 27. SOLD OUT. International tension in the Far East will be relaxed by the amicable agreement reached between Russia and Japan over the Chinese Eastern Railway. The sale of that line to Japan will, however, cause considerable hardship to a very large number of European residents in Manchuria. The railway gave employment to many thousand Russians, all of whom are now to be dismissed. Most of these employees weathered the revolution and the" Bolshevik regime without undergoing anv uncomfortable changes. In fact, the Chinese Eastern Railway was a kind of State to itself, and carried on much the same under the Soviet as it did under the old Tsarist Administration. Almost the whole Russian ♦population of Harbin, about 30,000 people, were in the service of the railway, and the fine schools, hospitals, and other public institutions were all founded and supported by grants from the line.

PREMIER’S APOTHEOSIS. At the moment Lord Londonderry’s name is much fancied as that of the next Indian Viceroy. But 1 met a usually very well-informed politician the other night, who inclined to quite another view. His confident belief is that when the present Viceroy retires about six months hence his successor may be Mr Ramsay Mac Donald. He pointed out that the Prime Minister’s chief interest in politics has been international disarmament. He pinned his energies to that. Through no fault of his the pacifist dream has faded nearly out. In such circumstances it might suit Mr Mac Donald very well to make Simla the setting of his Olympian twilight. He is thoroughly seized of all the reform problems, keenly interested in their successful solution, has a most commanding presence, and is not uncongenial to the pomp and ceremony of State pageant. In fact, my friend believes Mr Mac Donald would love the job. MAKING SEA HISTORY. The launch of the new Gummier on the Clyde this week makes sea history. Not merely because it was done by a Queen of England in the presence of King George V. and an illustrious company, but because 534 marks an epoch in ocean travel. Not quite a hundred years ago the Britannia, flying the house flag of the famous line founded by Mr Samuel Cunard, a shipping pioneer of Canadian descent, was the first steamer to cross the Atlantic. She was about as big as a modern tug, and took over fourteen days on the passage, but she marked the end of the romantic epoch of sea sails. The 534 is the biggest thing afloat, a mountain of a ship, whose propellers each weigh 35 tons. She will make the voyage m under five days, and almost for a certainty recapture from Germany for the Union Jack and the Cunard Company the coveted Atlantic record. But she may mark the end of the stately dynasty of ocean liners.

CHALLENGE OF THE AIR. Before the 534 is ripe for the shipbreakers’ yard—with her sister ship built perhaps on the Tyne—aerial leviathans that fly the Atlantic within 24 hours may be no fantastic vision. But at the moment 534 reigns supreme on the blue waters, and her debut, so long held up by the world-wide economic slump, portends recovery at last. When Queen Mary christened her 534 on the instant ceased to be numbered like a convict, and bore a name famed beyond the globe’s far horizons. Cunard boats weave themselves into the Saga ol English history. Last time the Cunard set out to recapture the blue ribbon of the Atlantic the Tyne-built Mauretania held that record for over twenty years, and improved on it as a sea grandmother. Her sister ship, the Clydebuilt Lusitania, did more. The Hun torpedo that sunk her fathoms deep brought America into the war and sealed the doom of Germany.

LLOYD GEORGE’S ATTACK. The third volume of Mr Lloyd George’s war memoirs is no less scath mg than the earlier ones in criticism of mends and foes. He handles the ad mirafs as roughly as the generals, ami there is, perhaps, some force in his con demuatioii of the deeply-rutted service mentality. Admiral Lord Fisher once said that but for him the British Navy would be still using three-deckers and muzzle-loading guns, and “ L.G.” in fers much the same all round. It is rather staggering to hear from him now, however, that he never backed General Nivelle’s ambitious big attack which nearly wrecked the Allied cause by causing a mutiny in the French army; but his picture of our brass hats standing stiffly on their dignity, and jealously sulking over their military precedence, rings true enough. The amazing thing is that “ L.G.,” who lias been described as too lazy to answei a letter, has turned out 7L)O,UUU words of memoirs in about eighteen months Volume 4 is already in the press Volume 5 brings strange events to the armistice, and concludes this eventful history.

A COUNTRY GENTLEMAN. It is testimony to Lord Derby’s per sonality that all political parties, Socialist, Liberal, and Conservative, want to join in making the premier Earl of England a special gift next April on his seventieth birthday. Lord Derby is one of the great landed gentry of England, and, like Lord Quex in Pinero’s play, might truthfully say “ there are very few of us left.” Most of the others, with historic estates, have been taxed either out of existence or into a strange limited liability metamorphosis Before the war Liverpool, which is next door to Knowsley, estimated Lord Derby’s income at £4UO,UUO a year, but even "that handsome rent-roll is no more than adequate to keeping up such establishments and status as he in herited. He owns, however, the freehold of the whole of Bootle, the big borough that Liverpool finally absorbed. NOBLESSE OBLIGE.

There is nothing theatrical or glittering about the premier Earl, With none of the intellectual brilliance of the late Lord Rosebery, and no suggestion at all of those romantic qualities with which Disraeli’s titled heroes were dow cred Lord Derby has impressed Ins jovial level-headed personality on two fenerations of his countrymen. He shares the same plain country-squire John Bull appeal that makes King George such a thoroughly likable mon-

arch with all classes of the community. Avoiding the ferocities of party politics as well as the obsessions of sport, Lord Derby has managed to be popular both with politicians and with sportsmen. In really big emergencies he lias several time's, as when he put on green glasses and crossed to Ireland, played behind the scenes a most important role. Tact, geniality, and jonnack are his sheet anchors. Even as military censor he managed to escape anathema.

GAS ALERT. ft seems a mort of years now' since we were all jumping to it in honest soup-stained khaki, and those stieiui ous lance-jacks who specialised in gasmask drill' were assuring us there were only two kinds of people in the front line, “ the quick and the dead.” Two distinguished Army officers attached to the Red Cross, one of them a majorgeneral. have issued a comprehensive brochure on first aid in defence against chemical warfare, it is a most valuable little book, full of useful and vital information against any emergency of a eras attack, and according to the military prophets any such emergency is pretty sure to be sudden and sharp bo it is well people generally should study tills little book, and know something about gas and how to meet and treat its effects. It was Nordic chivalry that introduced chemical warfare in to modern battles in 1915, but the use of <ms in warfare is really of very ancient origin. Pitch and sulphur fumes were employed between the Spartans and Athenians four centuries before Christ, The “ fire ” used by the Byzantine Greeks was of the same nature. They tried it on the Saracens, who in turn used it against the Crusaders. Ihe world has not progressed much .

FAMOUS FLAGS. Poplar, which is very proud of its unique collection of old ships flags, is lending this unusual civic museum ■to Melbourne for the forthcoming Centenary celebrations. Many of these old ensigns have associations with the Australian Commonwealth, These flags flew in the brave old days of the stately windjammer from the masts ot classic vessels, whose names still are household, or at any rate forecastle, words amongst those that go down to the sea in ships. Included in the Poplar gallery are the flags of those two famous rival clippers, the Cutty Sark and the Thermopylae, whose record daily sailings still can look those of most modern steamboats in the face without a blush. The faded and frayed condition of these old sea emblems testifies to the rigour of their adventures on the oceans in the days when they were flown by a race of seamen now past and almost forgotten.

HULL DOWN AND UNDER. An old sea captain, who lent me his ship’s glasses to survey the traffic in the Solent a few days ago* bemoaned the passing of those former sea dogs of England. Where and how, he asked me fiercely, are the sailors of the future to be trained, on what ships will they graduate for a sea career? What windjammers still plough the waters are now mostly under foreign flags. Together we watched a rare sight a four-masted barque being towed out of Portsmouth Harbour, just off the Warner lightship, with the Nab on the starboard bow, the tug cast loose, and we watched the barque’s sails unfurl to the wind. When finally all her tiering canvas was set, and the graceful old vessel began to lade away bull down on the horizon, my seafaring friend asked did I note her (lag ° 1 had seen it, but could not identify it. There was a world of envious bitterness in the old man’s voice as he snapped out the word “ Finnish.”

WHERE WE GROW THEM. A great deal has been heard just lately about yachtsmen and the respective capabilities of amateur and professional crews. It is interesting to note where our best professional yachtsmen come from. Hardly a seacoast town but produces some yacht hands, but most of these find employment only on local yachts. There are certain coastal areas which may be regarded as nurseries of yachtsmen who sail far awave. Amongst such are the West Country, where all the coast towns along South Devon and Cornwall rear real yachtsmen, the Solent and Southampton Water, and the Clyde. The most famous yachting nursery of all, though the fact may not be widely recognised, is Essex. To the yachtsman the names of Essex seaports, especially Brightlingsea, Tollesbury, and Burnham-on-Crouch, speak of nothing but ships and those who sail them. The first-class yacht hand is a line type of seaman, who frequently sails in fishing boats, except for the summer months he spends aboard a vacht.

FAMOUS CORINTHIAN. The insatiable Juggernaut of the roads has claimed as victim Mr W. J. Oakley, a famous Oxford blue and Corinthian footballer. He and Charles Fry were the finest pair of backs the Corinthians ever played. They were together for three years in the Oxford Soccer team, and played for the Corinthians for ten years, during which the great amateur team touched its apogee. In the 1897-98 season they did not lose one out of seventeen matches against English League sides. Mr Oakley, who was sixty-one, has carried on a preparatory school near Barnet for many years, and most of his pupils afterwards went on to Eton. It was recognised as an adraii'able school of its kind, with perhaps more attention to character building and sport thaij to mere book work. Since the war its distinguished athletes include Lord Burghley, the champion hurdler, and the Hill-Wood brothers. Associated with Mr Oakley as head master at one time was that wonderful centre forward, the immortal G. O. Smith, whose name is still mentioned with awe in the best Soccer circles.

GIFTS OF VENISON. Among the perquisites attaching to the office of Recorder of London, held by the late Sir Ernest Wild, is an annual gift of venison from the Royal park at Windsor. Many people who see the herds of deer at Windsor Park, Richmond Park, and Bushcy Park must wonder where the venison goes when they read that the herds are periodically thinned out. By custom going back through the Gentries much of the venison has always been distributed to notabilities holding high public positions, such as the Lord Mayor of London, the Recorder of London, and various other dignitaries. The distribution of the venison is under the control of the First Commissioner of

Works, who is, of course, in charge of the Royal parks. But it need not be imagined that these gifts of venison are actually free. Government departments rarely give away something for nothing, and I am told that in practically every case the recipients have to pay for the venison in accordance with a determined scale. THE WILY HOP PICKER.

During the last three weeks the inhabitants of the Kentish hop district have learned to their cost that when the East End Cockney comes to dwell in their midst it is necessary to keep their eyes skinned. Yesterday 1 heard an amusing instance of the wiliness of the hop picker. A local publican was at his wits’ end over the disappearance of glasses from his establishment. Ultimately he decided to charge a deposit of 3d per glass taken outside his establishment. To his surprise this did not mend matters. The depredations continued, and he was soon out of stock of glasses. Inquiry revealed the cause. A brother bouiface in the neighbourhood pursued the same practice. But he charged a deposit of fid per glass, and he could not understand how it was that he was becoming overstocked with glasses. The enterprising Cockneys had returned the 3d glasses to the establishment where they could obtain a refund of fid, thus reducing their living expenses at the rate of 3d per potation. The first publican was told be bad no remedy, as lie had sold his glasses at 3d a-piece and they had become the property of the purchasers !

HOW STONEHENGE WAS SAVED. The late Sir Cecil Chubb, who has died at the early age of fifty-eight, will no doubt be remembered in association with safes and locks. His real claim to fame should be the chance that enabled him to save Stonehenge, the oldest antiquity in the Kingdom and one of the most awe-inspiring landscape views in England, from the vandal ignominy of jerry building and petrol pumps. He was motoring from Salisbury one summer day fifteen years ago, and noticed a crowd round Stonehenge. The incomparable relic was actually being auctioned, which might be paralleled if Rome’s Coliseum were put under the hammer. Sir Cecil bought in the “ lot ” for less than £7,000 for the nation, for which good deed he was made a baronet. Brit, such is our huckstering national instinct, it needed another £35,'000 to protect Stonehenge’s magnificent moorland setting from commercial “ development.”

VIEW THAT IS UNFORGETTABLE. I have seen Stonehenge only once, but the majesty of that vision is of unfading memory. It was a year or two before the war, and my party of three men was on a holiday tramp from London to Start Point, on the South Devon coast, through the cathedral cities of Winchester, Salisbury, Wells, and Exeter, across Dartmoor to the sea. T recommend that itinerary to anyone who - revels in the open air and English scenery. It was at noon we suddenly debouched on the moorland from a rough country road and saw, silhouetted gaunt and antique against the skvline, the gigantic monoliths of the ancient Druid temple. We were brown as berries and merry as grigs but the spectacle instantly overawed our high spirits. For two hours we lingered to ga/.e on those grim towers of stone, rhythmic against the grassgrey setting on the vacant lonely plain. Even an aeroplane circling overhead could not break the spell of ancient mystery.