The

world's

thinnest watch*

Thin as a coin, and no larger, the

Vacheron & Constantin "Extra Flat" contains the 120 parts of an intricate precision mechanism.

To technical mastery is here added the quiet beauty

of a designer's dream come true.

With this model, Vacheron

& Constantin pay tribute

to the 200-year tradition

that has allowed them to become

the world's oldest watchmaking

establishment and yet to remain a pioneer in contemporary design and styling.

This designation applies only so a tranch

whose muevement incasares

kut 1,64 mm. in bright

IN

VACHERON

ET

CONSTANTIN

GENEVA SINCE 1 7 5 5

Obtainable from oil leading Watch dealers

Solo Agents:

SWISS IMPORT EXPORT TRADING CO., LTD.

Last month

Jardines Airways Dopartment

Air France

Air India

International

Air Vietnam

looked after only one passenger who wanted to go

to the MOON

B-D·A·C

Canadian

(he was waitlisted-chances fair) but many hundreds booked to less romantic though more usual.

places served by airlines

Pacific Airlines

not yet equipped for interplanetary

travel, but for whom we are proud

to be agents.

Cathay Pacific Airways

*

Hong Kong Airways

THE CHINA MAIL SATURDAY, DECEMBER · 21, ̈· 1957.

EVEN THOUGH IT MEANT A BREACH

"We are not a family, we are a firm,” said- King George VI. He organised the firm with business offi- ciency. And the most important thing of all was that overy member of the firm must obey the rules

EN days after the of Ger-

Tdefeat

many, the King and Parliament of Great Britain celebrated the victory of a free people.

The two Houses of Parliament assembled in the Royal Gallery. The King, attired in naval uniform, came accom- panied by the Queen and the two Princesses.

The Lord Chancellor read nn address of congratula- tion from the House of Lords, and the Speaker one from the House of Com- monx. The King answerext in a prépared speech of thanks.

This ceremony was with- out precedent. The two Houser had nddressed monarchs for centuries. And Kings had replied. But always Jay

messengers. Never in this Intimato fashion, met together in one place.

As the King rose to leave

there came something still

George VI

kill

THE IMPROBABLE KING: PART 2

and

scuttle

by A. J. P. TAYLOR

than to lunch alone with the Queen, helping himself from a side-table. The King drank draught beer, the Queen somɑ- times a glass of claret,

more surprising. Winston words which Dawson used Ho ruled that the Duchess Churchil, the Prime Minis- years before when restored was not a Royal Highness, duty which his father had in his set worked. ter waved his top-hat in to

his editorial

family

enter

WAS

Large

In the evenings the would listen to the redio or, liter, watch television. George had a technical interest in these things from the earliest days Ho continued the tradition of and always wished to know how

His favourite radio chair: It was

a ruling he main- herited from Queen Victoria.

The new King abandoned his ciner during the war

Later he period tained throughout his reign. the air and cried: "Three "I must provide a cherry for his Majesty." of

own name and took his father's Tommy Handley. staidness, BECN of.

Bertie was almost as forgotten became enthusiastle for Danny

and made Lords 313111

VI Kaye RESENTMENT? Commons stodginess, after the upsets

David, And George. responded with full-throated we have been through,"

celebrated his father's birthday, collection of his records. acclaim. Solemn formality

harsh not his own, at the Trooping The preceding 10 months/HAT Inspired this

the Colour. By the end of his turned into a family party. must be rubbed out of exis- decision which created-an reign ho had

So schoolboys at the end tence.

irreparable bronch between the George V's handwriting. Duke of Windsor and his

King had A private of term cheer 4 popular

cinema where he watched.. Edward's coins had for family? headmaster. No other King tunately never been issued.

A portrait of George VI must Was it resentment at the role be drawn two

on

levels. most of the commercial suc

He know the Marx of Britain has received this Stampa could be speedily which the Duchess had un On one side, the quiet family man se simple,

by heart, but heartfelt tribute.

and towillingly withdrawn. The new Civil wittingly

who lived as thousands of pros- Brothers films

also a strong taste for George VI had indeed be- List contained no provision played? como "The People's King." for the ex-King.

it prompted by other perous members of the middle hud

clasa did in their suburban documentaries which members of the Royal Family? homes. On the other, the King his practical mind.

Ho Uked to run

the pro- SOME SENIOR PRIVY

was still Or did it spring from the who expressed the majesty and King's feeling that rules power of what

joeting machine himself, COUNCILLORS WERE were meant to be obeyed-by Great Empire.

he never wearled of

THE KING-MAKERS

THIS was a far cry from

Wao

the dark December day RESTIVE. THEY WERE himself and his family as much in 1036 when George TAKEN ASIDE ascended the Throne, Then

AND

he was inexperienced and TOLD THAT THE KING almost unknown. The British monarchy had sunk

HAD MADE A PRIVATE

us by othersT

Certainly this was his own rule. And George VI made it the centre of royal life.

He brought back the elderly Court officials whom his brother He moved had pensioned off.

all its emotional capital in ARRANGEMENT TO PAY the furniture back into its old Edward VII. His abdico-

tion was a blow from which, HIS BROTHER £25,000 À in the opinion of many YEAR TAX FREE. judges, it might never re-

cover.

VI

place.

YET

"

acquired

+

There was in George VI, one might say, nothing of the arla- toerat, though much of the monarch.

HIS CHOICE

satisfied

and stopping

a film in full course, holding comic an actor suspended in

one of his On pose or arresting daughters in mid-dive. parilcularly Kay nights ho would run a flin backwards. FEW FRIENDS George and Elizabeth ever developed an interest Ju

Thoy bridge.

were koen players during its He had no desire for private canasta

pomp. The new King and brief craze. But usually they Queen brought to Buckingham preferred round games with

his created

MODEST HUMAN BEING WHO relatively

BEHIND THIS BIGID DISPLAY. ARTIFICIALLY Palace the simple habits which the children.

had satisfied them in their home

As Duke of York, George Hence Parliament Could PROLONGED FROM HALF A in Piccadilly. And they never

had been skilled in tapestry changed.

and made admirable choir Three men put George on ignore the former Monarch. CENTURY REFORE, WAS A

Elizabeth

had covers. Later he found It George and the Throne; Stanley And not only Parliament,

few friends, and difficult to settle down to Baldwin, Prime Minister; George

theso for the most port anything Cosmo Gordon Lang, Arch- brother Duke of Windsor CARED LITTLE FOR CERE- little-known country gentle-

His only enduring hobby Canterbury; immediately

ta - whom bishop

they could on ascending MONY AND WHO SAID

was to collect campaign modals Geoffrey Dawson, editor of the Throne.

escape for a quiet week-end.

of the British Army, He him- OF HIMSELF: I AM JUST

In London George Kyed self designed the George Cross. With this his affection

rimost exclusively with his When younger, The new King might well

the Duke been family. He liked nothing better had have applied to himself was, it seems, exhausted. NOT PALACE-MINDED."

of

The Times,

men

A

fine tennis

Japan Air Lines.

When you travel book through

JARDINE'S AIRWAYS-

NWA

they are jolly good travel agents'

PAA

(general agents

PAL

B.O.A.C. & QANTAS).

QANTAS

SAS

Swissair

Union of Burma Airways

63301

"Jeff Nanko, first oitizen of the Ssaso Ar”.

Share This Page