PERSONAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3278, 10 January 1917, Page 52

PERSONAL NOTES.

Tho Rev. D. A. Maxwell, proprietor of the Brcomhill estate, whoso death occurred recently, was a well-known personage in Dumfriesshire. He was distinguished as being a clergyman of the Church of England while serving as an elder in the parish kirk of Langholm, in which office he had succeeded his father, lie was remarkably "Broad" in his views, as he preached in Presbyterian parish kirks and occupied pulpits in United Free Churches, while at the same time he carefully kept up his communion with the Church of England. The late Sir Lauder Brunton, a famous Hurley**street med : co. was a groat believer in (he efficacy of drugs, a confidence which is not shared by some modern practitioners. He preached, for instance, the consoling doctrine that ill-temper is usually the re-

suit of disordered nerves, and may be controlled and modified in a great measure by drugs. Tn suitable cases lie used to prescribe what he called "temper powders." consisting of 20 grains of bi-carbonate of potash with 10 or" 20 grains of bromide of potassium, to be taken when some irritating occurrence happened. The result was ordinarily to sooth" the patient and induce a feeling as if he had slept over the worry, and thus afford relief not only to himself, but also to his household. Sir Henry Benbow. who died suddenly at the age of 78, was chief engineer of the gunboat Safieh. commanded by Lord Beresford. in the Nile Expedition for the relief of Sir 0. Wils :n in 1885. Tho vessel was d'sabled by a shot through her boilers, and, with every man of tho engine-room staff out of act'on through wounds cr SC5.!d&, it fell to Mr Benbow to fit a new plate and carry out other neccssarv rrnairs prac-

tically single-handed and under lire. He received high praise from Lord Wolseiey, and, in the Hou.-e of ( ominous, from the Admiralty, and wa,s sp'-cii:f■ promoted to inspector of Machinery. >:...,.-. !y , nough, it was not isnlil six icars lai-.r thai lie re-rei\-c,| (ho J).S.O. !f' t: • B:t;, i ~ ! Ie ,i- ,n At.: :n. , G,t there is m, rcaf-on .> think that he will ;;,,t pi'eve fuiiy ; i.uai to the position in ; v!u i "' tne raei and |;i<i■_• 111■ ■ ikt with which t;e lias handled an i xlraord narily difficult ;' ' l ' ■ " ; ' " '• '- ■ ■"i11.!.,- o; LilK W'-i'. :-:r priiriit!, who is of the family of w" f -» l>nd Minto is head, boasts many distinguished ancestors, including the third baronet, S:r tiilb.-rt Elliot, the famous statesman philosopher, and port Sir brand* himself, who lias now been at Athena over 13 years, was a famous rowing man in his younger days. Before poinn to Athens ho did diplomatic dulv at Co; -i mtmopJe, Vienna, and Sofia among .... ir places, so that he is no stranger to Near Eastern politics and problems. —'l he World tells a good story of Sir M Carson's energy in the Admiralty. SaEdward asked Admiral Jellicoo to ase rtain what decisions, either of a capital or departmental nature, were hung up. The report showed that 12 officials were concerned. Hir E. Carson called thorn to a conference, and said: "Gentlemen, in mv profession it is customary to summon 12 men conversant with the facts and require them to give an opinion on the merits of the case within a reasonable time. If wo do not obtain it from them. 12 others are selected. You are the 12 to deal with Admiralty matters which were delayed. If you are unable to arrive at a prompt decision, I must adopt the legal procedure. Good morning." All the hung-up decisions were settled within two days.

Professor Cleveland Abbe., the veteran American meteorologist, who died recently, was generally credited with being the of scientific weather forecasting. The possibility of predicting the weather was first considered at an International Conference at Brussels in 1C53; but the necessary impetus to the movement was given in 1854, during- the Crimean war, by a violent storm in the Black Sea, which caused havoc among the Allied British and French vessels. One French warship was wrecked, and in consequence of this clisaster the, astronomer Le Verrier -the codiseovorer of Neptune, appropriately enough) was commissioned by the French Government to investigate the meteorological conditions at the time of the storm. Lo Verrier succeeded in tracing .across Europe from the North Atlantic the track of the atmospheric disturbance which culminated in the Black Sea storm. The disturbance had originated four days previously, and : n his report Le Verrier pointed out that had there been organised weather bureaux in the European countries if would have been detected in plenty of time to send warning of its approach to the fleets in the Black Sea. He recommended the setting up of departments for this purpose; and in the same year (lie British Government add-d a weather department to the Board of Trade, which grow into the present Weather Office at South Kensington, now under the direct control of the Treasury. Sergeant Tugg. R.A.M.C., who saw Private Tom Jones, of Runcorn, win his Victoria Cross, described the amazing way in which the Cheshire soldier captured single-hand' d 102 German prisoners. "On September 25." said Sergeant Tugg, ''wo took a village and started to dig ourselves in. Soon bullets began to fly all round. Jones turned to bis officer and said, 'They nearly got me.' The shower of bullets continued, and the man next Jones was hit. Jones said, 'lf I'm to bo killed I'll be killed fighting, not digging.' Tie grabbed his rifle and 'walked over to the German trenches alone. Everyone expected him to

;, r o down instantly, and wo learned later that, one bullet had gone through his helmet and three through his tunic. Wo gave him up when ho entered the Gorman trench, but eight minutes later two of hia pals said. 'He's gone, and we're going too.' Others followed, and when they trot across they saw a sight they'll never forget. There was Todger .Tones standing by 109 of tho enemy in a big hollow. He was threatening them with bombs, and they all had (heir hands up. He told them to put on thoir coats, and his pals helped to round them up. They included an officer." Jones's comrades learned from the prisoners that he had bombarded the door of (heir dug-out, killing the first three who showed themselves. Then he ordered them to emerge one by one with hands up. threatening instant death for disobedience. One by one they came out. and were lined up until 10', stood before the dauntless bombthrower in an attitude of surrender. "The men in the trenches, went almost wild," said Sorsroant Tucrg, "when Jon"-" returned at the head of his capture, and 11 officers joined in." The story of Jones's feat created the greatest enthusiasm in Runcorn. The V.C.'s return on leave is eagerly awaited bv the whole town. His parents, who live in Princess street, have been overwhelmed with congratulations.