HOLIDAY POSTCARD FROM OW
Gad, sir, Boothby is right.
Why should we dicker with America over raw materials? We should force The Commonwealth To supply us and Send a gunboat if it refuses.
World Copyright. By arrangement with Dafly Herald.
"I Was Churchill's Shadow,” Part Nine
THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, JUNE 16, 1951.
Dangerous Work For This Volcano Man
By KATHLEEN VELLACOTT-JONES
*
L' George Anthony Taylor killed nearly 4,000 people.
difference
IKE thousands of other Ho has been stationed there Its fundamental
since January 22, the day after from the ordinary type of young
Australians,the catastrophic eruption which volcano in that its cruptions tako the form of a horizontal blast instead of vertical ono, travels to his work every *.
colcssai Few people know the story destructive
This means that the morning. But instead of
force of the erup“ of the Mount Lamington tion, instead of being directed boarding a tram or bus ho eruption in moro dotall than
upwards, spreads out over the gots into a plane and is Taylor, for his investigations surrounding countryside at constantly in ground level, destroying every. flown over an active volcano, have kept him
touch with the dreadful, death- thing in its path. Back from his routine. stricken area around the town
of Higsturu. flight he does a ground patrol over grim, devastated
He has gathered pumice and country where thousands of
nsh samples, studied blast human skeletons still llo. effects, and traced the path of the holocaust through setlic- bleaching in the sun.
ments and villages where not.a
+
For "Tony" Taylor is the single living thing survived the
January eruption,
Government volcanologist for the Territory of Papun and New Guinea, and his present assignment is observing and re- cording the activities of Mount Lamington.
The Conferences At
Cairo And Teheran
14′′MS Renown left Ply-
H
mouth on November
By EX-INSPECTOR
pudding, tripped and flung the
Drenched lot over him.
In pudding from the crown of his man solemnly finished his translation before he allowed
the walter to mop him down.
12, 1948, carrying WALTER HENRY THOMPSON head, the little
the Prime Minister
and his staff on their way to the conferences at Cairo and Teheran. The original plan was to sail to Glbral tar and then fly to Cairo, but the weather at Gib. was bad so we steamed on to
Malta.
Here there was a delay be- cause the American Secret Ser-
vice men who had been sent ahead to Teheran were not satis- fed with security arrangements there,
I was not surprised when Mr
Churchill sent for me. He aak ed me to lighten up the arrange
ments,
ed
We
have information that German agents have been drop- by parachute," he said, "They will try to assassinate one or all of us."
Mr Churchill was due to visit It was suggested that the con- the President at the American ference be held at Malta, but I Embassy, which was about understand Stalin would not mile away. At the last minute agree. So we sailed on to Egypt, he decided not to go, but sent where the military had taken me alone.
over the Mena Hotel and a number of villas for the con- When I got back I reported on ference. Sentries with fixed this "dummy run," and also bayonots were posled every suggested new positions for the where.
guards. I was relleved to hear that Mr Roosevelt had accepted
Stalin's invitation to slay at the Soviet Embassy, which was next door to us. The approach road between them was then closed to the public and the whole area scaled off with troops.
When the guests were seated
Mr Churchill announced that
Stark Evidence
There is a chance of escapa from a vertical cruption, but there is no chance of anything in the path of a horizontal blast,
Taylor, with the ink sourcely
dry on his university graduation papers, is likely to become the loading scientiae authority Pelean eruptions..
on
He was gathering evidenco of the pattern and characteris ties of the eruption within 24 hours of the Arst gigantic plesion, and has recorded every
Cx-
Every day his work takes him among stark evidence of what his fate would be, and that cf his seismic staff, should he or they be caught in a similar detail of its subsequent be- cruption. Most DA the deadhaviour. still lie unburied, because the area is still too dangerous to permit the entry of worlding parties,
He has worked out on 45+ cape plan for his staff should the seismograph movements forecast a major eruption. He intends to go down a well at the Sangara seismic station with the object of being on the spot
immediately it is safe to emerge which is typical of his cool courage.
River Of Ash
Every morning be walks to the base of the crater dome, peers into the volcano, watches a river of searing hot volesnic uh flow by means of its own nternal gases, and records the rhythm Leturning
of
the
volcano's intermittent periods of aclivity and inactivity..
Lond
He lives a scant six miles This young scientist, 33 years from the grey smoking meance, old, graduated as a Bachelor of end often watches the red glare Science at Sydney University of the dome through the night in 1980, after war servico in hours. Taylor spends a minimum day writing New Guinea. He is about five of two hours a The party ended at midnight foc ten, with a physique that notes on his observations all the toasts would be drunk to the reliet of Stalin's body-makes crater climbing mera interpreting the seismale charts,
reports Russian fashion, which meant guard of Army officers, who casual exercise, and he has the and when all his that the man proposing the toast hed been in the Legation en-mental make-up of the born re- compiled, volcanologists
know a great deal more about would leave his seat, touch trance for four hours, standing search, worker.
Pelean eruptions than they did glasses with the mon whose rigidly to attention most of the
prior to the tragedy of Mount health was being drunk, then time.
Lamington. return to his place.
When he toasted Stalin Mc Churchill said:
On the following day there "I sometimes call you Joe, were more birthday gifts. All and you can call me Winston if the troops that could be spared you like, and I like to think of from duty assembled in
the you as my very good friend." front garden of the Legation,
on to say that the
Mr Churchill op- He went British people were turning and when
peared in the uniform of the politically "pink" and finished: 4th Hussars, a lance-corporal, a "Marshal Stalln-Stalin the Sikh soldier and a CSM of the Great."
Buffs slepped forward in turn to give.bima. presents..
In his reply Stalin said: "We want to be friends with Great Britain and America, and if to be friends they they wish can show it by their actions." Then he touched Mr Churchill's glass and cried:
"To my fighting friend!"
Next the Prime Minister toasted President Roosevelt:
Generalissimo and Madlame Chiang Kai-shek arrived, and Mr Churchill visited their villa. President Roosevelt was due, in the next morning, and when the Prime Minister heard that he had not arrived on time, he be- when a session was in progress many years, but since the out-
came agitated.
He told me to ask for news,
the Soviet Embassy, and once
The conference was held in
"We have been friends for
I was asked to take some docu- break of war our friendship ments. In to Mr Churchill,
bas been such gained inwardly, friendship and
Winston handed the gifts to me and signalled the troops to come closer while he spoke his thanks, There was such a rush that they
aver.
nearly knocked him
When, in the afternoon, the Press gave him a Persian style he was wear- astrakhan hat, ing the uniform of an Air Com- mmodore.
"Would it be
improper to wear this with RAF uniform?" he asked.
"Put it on, sir," urged the that I have photographers. So he did.
I trust that
Winston seemed extremely
By the time I returned I heard
mutual under- The delegates were round an that Mr Roosevelt, who had oval table, and Mr Churchill standing between our two coun- pleased with the results of the been delayed, had just landed and Stalin, both smoking, were' tries will continue through the conference. One morning 28 safely at the aerodrome. I told side by side and obviously in an agos. The President and we walked in the garden Winston and he said: Thank amiable mood. It was a plea- Roosevelt, the man."
sant contrast to the atmosphere
In the talks that followed Mr Minister Churchill
the
at
the Legation he enld sudden- take ly: "How much will you 协 walk across the pond,
God for that, Thompson. I am of the first days in the Kremlin. very relieved."
"Winston," replied the Pre- Thompson?" The next day the Prime sident, "has been my personal Marshal friend for many years. He has "prime Stalln
He was in a happy, mlschlev- the Stalingrad been a great man for 60 years ous mood and he laughed when mover," going continually from Sword. As he handed the sword any way, 60 of them." At the one villa to the other. On the
answered; "Well, sir, it is) over to Marshal Voroshilov,
to worth a lot to get wet for no Stalin let the blade fall from the end of the laugh he turned
"
Wos
day before the Generalissimo
presented
with
was due to go, they all come scabbard, but he managed to Stalin and said: "Winston said good reason."
out
for a photograph in the retrieve it quickly.
garden of Mr Roosevelt's villa.
The President wanted Chiang
Kai-shek to sit in the centre,
but after some friendly bicker-
ing Chiang had his way, and November 30 was Mr Chur-
the people of England are be coming pink in their political outlook. I should compare the whole position to that of a rainbow."
At Glass
When the time eame, to leave Teheran, I was still worried
acrodrome.
to let
Churchill
put Mr Roosevelt in the middle 'chill's birthday, and the day's.
on the way to Mr Eden then gol up to toust about security with himself on the right and work was followed by a dinner M. Molotov. He raised an empty the
Finally, I Mr Churchill on the left.
at the British Legation.
and began: "If I had decided
the escorted cocktail time Stalin, moving something to drink, I would procession go ahead. I put Mr. battered old Meanwhile the Ales
were round with his Interpreter, give a toast.!!
Army car, together with an annoying the President, who Pavlor, chatted animatedly with
Army officer put some
through. Teheran
Nobody gave us a second glance.
old
mado come whispered remarks many of the guests, and had Frank Sawyers, Mr Chur- trunks on the top and we drove as he flicked them away, much several long conversations with chill's butler, to Mr Churchili's amusement.
*
who had been quietly Major Randolph Churchill keeping the 34. Masses filled,
hurriedly remedied that defect, our own Then Mr. Churchill. led his 34 He worked so hard and well
that Stalin in** guests into the dining room, that evening
the butler whore a large, birliday calce sisted on toasting with 60 candies was the centre amidst great applause.
Bound
After Chlang had gone there, place of a bag, tablo. was a day to spare before we the cake, were presents from left for Teheran, and the Fre- President Roosevelt, Mr. Avořili ellant and Mr. Churchill madë ́n Harriman and Miss Sarah Chur- car trip to sea, the', Sphinx and chill. the Pyramids,
.00
Back in Cairo there was 231- other mooting with Presidenti Inonu, then General Smuts call- ed in. The Prime Minister was delighted to see him, and Smuta
Over really fussed Winston. They had a genuine affection for each other, and
The funniest incident occurred, the Central told me solemnly: The President's gift was a whion Bialin was proposing a Take great care of Mr. Chur On our driva from the air blue and white porcelain bowl. 1988, with Pavlov, his dining chil. He is one of the greatest port at Teheran, to the British The card inside read: For Live interpreter, standing beside men the world has ever known. Legution I was 'lifuo worried Winston, Spencer Churchill, on him to translate. about some of the security mea- his 49th birthday at Teherun, R
NEXT SATURDAY: sures: There were too many Iran, November 30, 1915, with a Turk people strolling bout within my section, and mid we be; English, Apotting" distance,
as Pavlov began
vorakon
The Difference
+
Are
will
To gauge the value of Taylor's This knowledge may
well, work at Mount Lamington, It save thousands of lives should must be realised that this another apparently harmless volcano is of the Pelean or mountain send up the first faint Glowing Clout type, of which wisps of steam, with the sub- only two others are known to sequent tell-tale characteristics. have occurred in the world. of a Pelcan eruption.
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