1938-11-28 — Page 13

THE CHINA MAIL, NOVEMBER 28, 1938

News Snack Bar

All units of the British Army have been asked to subscribe to a testimonial to T. (Dusty) Miller, the "king-pin" of Army boxing, as he is described in an official no- tice, on his appointment as physi cal training and boxing instructor to the Duke of York's Military School at Dover. He has intro- duced footballs as a novel method of boxing training.

GOLF ROMANCE OFF—

WE'RE SMART- OR ARE WE?

When we, the Moderns, think how elever we are, let us remember this: The Ancients (who lived several thousand years ago) knew a great deal more about science than we give them credit for.

Their knowledge was discussed recently by Mr. W. J. E. Binnie before the Institution of Civil En- gineers in Westminster.

The use of the drill, he said, was known in Egypt at least 5,000 years ago.

Eratosthenes, Librarian

of Alexandria, who died 250 B.C., was aware the world was a sphere. Over 1,000 years later men were burned for saying that.

Then he mentioned Archimedes. Hero, who lived at Alexandria about 2,000 years ago, described in a book on conjuring how to cause wine and water to be poured at will from the same bottle, still a well- known conjuring trick.

Hero also described an air com- pressor for operating an organ, either manually or by means of a windmill.

Frontinus left an excellent trea- tise on the aqueducts which furnish- ed Rome with water. They were 263 miles long and delivered fifty-four milion gallons of water a day to the city.

Then came the Dark Ages, which only ended with 'Leonardo da Vinci.

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CHANCE BRINGS

NEW INDUSTRY

A chance experiment has brought a new industry to Corn- wali, and has extended its cut- flower season from three to six months.

Travelling in France in 1924, Canon Boscowan was so impress- ed with the beauty of the giant anemone, which grew in abun dance oven in winter, that he brought back some of the seed for his garden. They flowered just as profusely in the mild. Cornish climate as on the Continent.

Growers noted this fact. Soon bunches were on their way to Co- vent Garden. The demand increas- ed.*

So began the new Cornish in- dustry of anemone growing, as romantically as that of the daf- fodils from the Scillies, which were first sent to Covent Garden' in a hat-box. Now there are more than 1,000 growers.

The world, he had said, passed through cycles of culture and bar- barism (when culture was lost). To-day we have culture. And to- morrow? That depends on how HER HOME WAS “FREYDAN”

It is announced that engagement between Miss Phyllis Wade, of Bournemouth, English woman golf champion in 1934 and runner up, 1936, and Lieutenant M. R. Gardner, well we guard to-day. winner of the Army golf champion- ship in 1925 and 1926, is broken off.

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DEMAND FOR REALITY UP

The borough librarian at Dept- ford (London) reports that the de- mand for works of fiction last year decreased by 7 per cent. But, non- fiction issues increased by 311⁄2 per cont.

Sign of the times? Youth wants reality and the grimmer the better.

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18. BECOMES THREE IN

65 YEARS

Sixty-five years ago as a boy of fourteen years, Charles Andrews (now of Kepler-road, Clapham) put 18. in the local Post Office Savings Bank. Then he lost his book.

A few days ago he wrote to the Savings Bank department about the

· matter. Investigation showed that his 1s, had now become 36.—and an 'order for that amount has just been received:

1,600,000 IN KEEP-FIT BID

· camp=

A national "keep fit” paign, affecting 1,000,000 adults. and 600,000 children will be laun- ched in Australia" soon.”“

Urtofficial surveya have shown that standards of physical fitness throughout Australla are surpris- ingly low, despite 'the sunshine and beaches.

··· Fedorál -health authorities -1. de

called a conference of. State-of- Acials at Canberra to discuss national caufdik

Police Constab's Leonard Dowse, of Buckland, Berkshire, has grown the largest marrow every known・ in England; it weighs 44% pounds.

BEER PIPELINE OVERHEAD

A woman who thought Sir Dan Godfrey the greatest conductor în the world, who never missed one of his symphony concerts, who even named her house after him, has left him $500 in her will.

Mrs. Agnes Esther Burrell, who called her house in Poole-road, Bournemouth. Freydan, and who died in September, leaving £27,000 (gross), was a personal friend of Sir Dan for forty years.

£3,340 ROAD-CRASH DAMAGES ́

£3,340 damages in all were award-

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