1940-01-02 — Page 8

*Page 8

THE CHINA MAIL, JANUARY 2, 1940.

Potted-Best-Seller Serial: Third day

THE HOPKINS MANUSCRIPT

By R. C. SHERRIFF Author Of "Journey's End"

A story telling how the world faced calam- ity when the moon fell-written by one of the last Englishmen alive....

FOREWORD

(From the Imperial Research Press, Addis Ababa)

in the year 1952.

EDGAR HOPKINS, middle-aged poultry-breeder, wrote a diary He wrote it in the shattered ruins of London seven years after the moon had fallen into the Atlantic Ocean and wiped out A thousand years later the diary all but a fragment of humanity.

Thin the uninhabited desert island of England. was discovered on third section tells of the last days before the moon struck the world.

The Manuscript

THE newspapers on Tuesday morning

were not quite so pleasant. There was, for instance, the Govern- ment order against "malingering" that surprised and disturbed me. A special

Act of Paliament declared it to be an offence, punishable by imprisonment man to with hard labour, for any absent himself from his work without a medical certificate of illness.

It seemed that in certain districts

large numbers of factory workers had decided that it was a waste of time to work any more, and had gone home at

lunch-time.

I think that the newspapers exer- cised a great deal of voluntary censor- ship in those early days of excitement, I know for a fact that the rector of Chadley was thrown into the village duckpond.

It appears that the rector, in an ex- cess of righteousness, had blamed the -evil-ways_of_his_villagers

moon's threat to

for the

to make three separate entrances to. our dugout as precaution against one, or even two, of them becoming block-

ed. This provided plenty of healthy

work, and I had never felt fitter in my life.

Something happened one evening at about that time which must have been

for all that I had fate's recompense suffered. It was so trivial and casual in its beginning, and yet it was to to the tragic bring such happiness days ahead.

It was a boisterous evening of dark cloud that scurried in the rising wind, and as I stood in my garden I saw a girl and a boy, their coats fluttering to the fierce gusts that moaned across the downs.

his social duties.

at

The fire brigade directed. powerful

the cascade against steel dugout doors to test them against flood.

destroy the earth,- sister Pat"-and I felt the firm pres--against-the-same dread-enemy.

felt it was The villagers naturally absurd to suggest that God was des- troying the world in order to teach Chadley not to play darts on Sundays, and they showed their irritation in the manner above mentioned.

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xx

**

The newspapers also urged on with all speed the work of defence, and I could scarcely force my way through the crowd when I reported at nine o'clock that' morning for work upon our dugout in Burgin Park. The whole village was there to watch, partly be- cause the dugout was now so excit- ing and partly because, under normal conditions. Burgin Park was private.

A large hole gaped in the chalky hillside and broad steps led down into the bowels of the hill. I was told that Mr. Lanbury, the blacksmith, with his son Richard and old Peter (who broke

·

sure of the girl's cool hand.

"I remember you quite well," I said, "when you used to ride your ponies up here on the downs."

Pat aroused a good deal of comment been mobilised into one huge Defence once. The boy recognised me at

Corps; machine-guns, aircraft and among the village women when she "D'you remember me, sir? .

battleships had been lald aside, and first appeared at the dugout, for she Waterloo Station?

You know my

the implements of mining had taken was dressed exactly like her brother, uncle..

and shorts, cricket shirt my name's Parker."

in in grey their place. For the first time Suddenly he became conscious of

history the threat of war had ceased sweater. She collected wood and built to exist and the whole of Europe--the the fires and kept the working parties "I'm sorry," he said. "This is my whole of the world-was in alliance supplied with piping hot, strong tea: she insisted upon being at her post Every skilled mechanic, and thou- at dawn each morning to make hot sands of semi-skilled soldiers, sailors, soup for the tired men, and did little and airmen were rapidly passed first-aid jobs to cut fingers and splin-

the notice of the arrogant Dr. Hax. through a "school of dugout construc- ter-wounded hands that were beneath tion," " and as they qualified they were

We were too busy to talk very much drafted into

and the cities, towns villages of Great Britain. The large at our work, but when she passed me cities received a Defence Corps of she had always given me a cheerful twenty or thirty men under specially trained officers

the who mobilised

Well before the night of May 3- civilian volunteers, and even the the grim night on which scientists smallest village like Beadle received timed the vast collision between moon

was finished. one man who thoroughly understood and earth-the dugout in Burgin Park the task ahead.

"Adam and Eve!" the girl laughed, "They're pensioned off now, Adam's older than I am

nearly twenty-one."

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*

•

he's

I should say that Pat was about nineteen, and her brother a couple of years her junior.

I persuaded them to come into my library. It was the first time I had entertained such young and ever amusing visitors, and it was lucky that I could produce a bottle of ginger beer for Robin. Pat, the grown-up young lady, accepted a glass of sherry and sipped it as though she had taken it all her life!

tact

smile.

Four cylinders of oxygen arrived in an Army Service lorry on a Friday. Sapper Evans installed them without a "Dress Re- delay and announced hearsal" for three o'clock on the Satur- day afternoon.

We were lucky in getting Sapper he a dynamo of Evans. Not only was

but he had

as well. energy, Although he was a sapper in the Ro- yal Corps of Engineers, he came from South Wales and mining was in his blood. He so obviously enjoyed his

The Dugout Committee, accompanied I showed them my stamp collection work that all who came into contact

tered the dugout and closed the air- stones for the rural council) were and they were both very envious of with him were infected, and gave of by half a dozen selected villagers, en- of Good their best.

tight doors, in the presence of a large down below with miners' picks, and my three-cornered Cape

He arrived with a lorry containing crowd. The test was only to be for hauling Hopes. I was about to read them an two lusty farm boys were

three immensely impressive steel I had just prepared upon sandbags full of broken chalk up the article

ing too precious to waste upon a longer dugout steps.

Migrating Birds when Robin leaped doorways and sliding door panels for three hours, the supply of oxygen be-

to our dugout. They

experiment. to his feet like a jack-in-a-box and the entrances exclaimed: “Good heavens!-it's near- were airtight and watertight; their : dimensiona had been announced with ly seven!"

I was detailed to join the "wheel barrow gang." I was given a barrow and my job was to trundle the ex- cavated chalk down the hillside and dump it ́into a disused quarry. It was pleasant work, for the full barrow practically ran by itself downhill.

I watched them stride down my hill- the original orders three months ago, side path in the dusk: they waved to and the openings to our dugout had me from the gate, and were gone. My been made accordingly. With and library seemed very cheerless empty when I returned to it! I could almost have wished to have left that little sherry glass upon the fireside table, just as Pat had laid it down.

10

It was a lovely day with a hint of spring in the air and I enjoyed it all Immensely. We were all happy at having something novel and valuable to do. The men all called each other by their nicknames and I was almost

When Sapper Evans arrived he tempted to tell John Briggs, the car- quickly became the hero of the village. penter, that my Christian name was Sapper Evans was a dynamic little Edgar. I decided upon reflection not Welshman, detailed to assist the vil- to do so, for if nothing fatal happened- lage of Beadle in completing and fit on May 8 he might fail to appreciate ting out its dugout. } his duty to call me "sir" again.

The February moon grew

and

excit

ied without

from the Government that

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「

*

The Mulcaster Fire Brigade direct- the ed a powerful cascade of water upon help of the blacksmith and his son. each door in turn to test them against Sapper Evans began fitting these doors flood, and at six o'clock the committee on the night of his arrival. He worked emerged from the dugout to report all night by the light of car lamps complete success in every way. Sap- trained upon the entrances and by per Evans, with his usual resource- next morning the work of cementing fulness, had organised a whist drive them into position had begun.

:

*

It may seem strange to say how thoroughly I enjoyed those vigorous, purposeful days. "I was on the shift that worked from eight in the morn- the wonder ing until four in the afternoon, and

in all my life, isation that was working för - never-

and Robin almost abindsthai

valiant

Not until Sapper Evans appeared mong us did. I reall

and Air Force had

Beadle dugou

within the sealed-dugout to pass the time, and I was gratified to learn that Dr. Hax, whom I always disliked, had lost nine-pence.

At church next morning the vicar announced an important meeting tas be held at the village Hall directly after tea and before, evening service.

- Oldṣvillagers, declared that they had never seen such a crowd in the hall.

Page

THE CHINA MAIL, JANUARY 2, 1940.

NEW PEACE OFFENSIVE SEEN ON BASIS OF NEGOTIATIONS WITH GOERING GROUP

(SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL")

London, To-day.

SOME POLITICAL CIRCLES see definite indications of a new peace offensive, led by the Vatican and Italy with possible moral support from the Unit- ed States.

Conservative German elements, including Field-

U.S. LINERS

SOLD

has

(SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL")

Washington, To-day. The Maritime Commission approved the sals of several ships by the United States Lines to the Nor- wegian company, North Atlantic Transport Company.

Among the ships sold are the Pre- sident Harding, American Shipper,

porter.

Marshal Goering, are, it is thought, likely to sup-American Traveller and American Im- port such an offensive.

Field-Marshal Goering's recent self-effacement may be paving the way to a discreet campaign for peace.

Italy, is apparently encouraging German elements who favour peace, According to Goering's group, peace would be possible on the basis of certain German concessions such as the creation of a limited Polish State and the grant of greater in- dependence to Bohemia, Moravia and Slovakia,

ITALY'S ATTITUDE

While the Vatioan plays a disinter» estad role, desiring peace for the salco of peace and to save the lives of millions, italy fools she can gain no-

thing from an outright victory either

of the Relah or the Alliss.

Italy would prefer a peace in which

neither camp would be wiped out--- Havas.

HOLY SEE'S ACTIVITY

(SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL")

Copenhagen, To-day. The fact that Mons. Cesare Orsenigo, the Papal Nuncio in Berlin, has visited the Wilhelmstrasse no less than six times in the past week is widely commented on here as indication the Holy See's effort to prevent further spreading of the war and also an effort to halt Soviet ex- pansion.

Observers link these visits to those exchanged recently between the Pope and the Italian Royal Family.

Signor Mussolini has also kept very close contact with Berlin through his Ambassador in the Reich.

Hence the view is held here that the Pope and Il Duce are working hand in hand. Havas.

WAR WILL BE LONG

(SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL")

URUGUAY

INTERNS TACOMA

Montevideo, To-day.

It is officially announced that the German tanker Ta- coma, which supplied the Admiral Graf Spee, is not leaving Montevideo and will therefore be interned for the duration.

Fifty marines of the Uruguayan navy boarded the Tacoma from a naval ship at the Nazi ship's anchorage in the outer roads.

The Tacoma had earlier moved out of the inner harbour with the German naval battle. flag flying at her mast- head-Reuter.

!

AUXILIARY UNIT

Montevideo, To-day. Shortly before noon yesterday, re-

presentatives of the Uruguayan Gov- ernment boarded the Tacoma as she lay in the outer harbour and signed

the legal bonds under which she will be interned in Uruguayan waters for the duration of the war.

A guard of 20 sailors was placed on

board to prevent any attempt at eva- sion.

Uruguay's action is taken on the ground that the Tacoma Intervened in the Graf Spee affair as an auxiliary unit of the German Navy.

AMERICAN CARGO

It is thought that Hitler may have decided against scuttling, because this would have lent support to the Uru- guayan contention that the Tacoma was

a belligerent. This contention was vigorously contested by the Ger-

mans.

The scuttling would also have caused trade complications, because the Tacoma carries a considerable cargo of refrigerated fruit belonging to exporters on the Pacific Coast of the United States.

Reuter.

Another theory is that the captain hoped to make Buenos Aires, where he believed he might escape intern- ment, but on sighting a British ship PARIS, TO-DAY. decided that the plan was impractica- THE MORNING NEWSPAPERS | ыle..- UNANIMOUSLY FORECAST A HARD AND PERHAPS LONG STRUGGLE FOR FIGHT AND LI-

·BERTY IN 1940, AND EXPRESS THE UNSWERVING DETERMINATION OF THE FRENCH PEOPLE TO BRING THE WAR TO A VICTORI- OUS END.

The "Petit Paristen" "The war will probably be a long one and will de- îand ``maximum sacrifices. Now we are' determined" to dei everything to get`a`victory, which will bring last- fng" "peace,”

The Socialist":"Populaire" says: "With all our energy, we want the peace to create a new order within federatadi. and disarmed Europe.”

|

PARIS UNDER SNOW

Paris, To-day.

Over 277.000 tons of show fell over Paris on Thursday night, the au- thorities having the greatest dificulty in coping with the fall.

Although 2,000 tons of salt have already been scattered. In the stre the work of clearing has been, miderably slowed un of men andr

MEXICO CITY

Page

DEMONSTRATION

Mexico, City; To-day. There was a pro-Finnish de- monstration in Mexico City yes- terday.

A bull fight was stopped and a allvar collection taken for the Finnish relief fund-Reuter.

NAZIS AND FINLAND

(SPECIAL TO “CHINA MAIL")

STOCKHOLM, TO-DAY.

THE BERLIN CORRESPONDENT OF THE "DAGEN NYHETER" RL- York, PORTS THAT GERMANY WILL

These ships are to establish a re- gular service between New

London and Liverpool, with a stop NOT CONSIDER THE TRANSIT OF over at Boston when westward bound. WAR MATERIAL ΤΟ FINLAND

They will fly the Norwegian flag THROUGH SCANDINAVIA AS VIO- and will be subject to NorwegianLATION OF THE LATTER'S NEU- maritime rules.-Havas,

RAID REPULSED

Oslo, To-day.

TRALITY.

However the Reich will not tolerata any attempt by Britain and France to use this assistance for their own ends,' nor any Allied attempt to draw the Scandinavians into their orbit.

The same newspaper reports that The Norwegian Government has Russia has not yet asked for tech- ordered an investigation of Finnish | nical assistance from Germany for allegations that Russian planes drop- her operations against Finland, and ped bombs on Norwegian territory. no German specialists will be sent to ---Reuter.

Russia for this purpose. Havas.

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. Page 10

WATSUN IME JUICE CORD

THE CHINA MAIL, JANUARY

MIRROR OF WORLD OPINION

BUSINESS AND

DEMOCRACY

I have never been touched by the fear that this war will mean the end of our Western civilization. Never for one moment shall I believe that this war can permanently interrupt the progress of mankind.

of mercial lanes, it is not because

British warships the presence “of which protect commerce but because closed those German mines have lanes. The truth is that this war is largely commercial and the block- ding of merchant ships supplying England may be more important to Germany than destruction of war- In this sense commercial ships.

but ships are military objectives,

the The movement to assure peace was wouldn't it be better propaganda to never so strong as in the years which say so than to attempt to cite

Hague convention? "Christian Science | preceded the war,

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You need not fear that, struggle is over,

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*

lles so close to our hearts will lost-that cause which

be

is the

velopment

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beings

de- into

TRUCE

A TRUCE IN INDIA?

free, strong, and independent

in-

dividualities.

to

A truce should now be called domestic differences. The issues at

to That side will win which best ser- stake are far too vital to the well- ves this end. So it is in the struggle being of the Indian people and between states; so it is in the world humanity to waste our time and en- is society in ergies on internal disputes. We know of industry, which

that the vast bulk of Congress miniature.

are

It is no accident that modern in- heartily behind the British Govern- dustrial life, developed Arst and most ment in its attempt to end the menace strongly in those respect for the dignity of the dividual. as such, is most

countries

where of Hitlerism. We know that the vast in majority of Muslims strongly support deeply the cause for which Great Britain anchored in the conviction of its and France are fighting and in which they have the sympathy of indepen. people.

Turkey,

Three things are essential to the dent Muslim. States Uke Fuccessful working of Industry or Egypt and Iraq.-Times of I.dia. business, whether on the lower higher steps of the ladder; these are: character. knowledge, intellect and

or

.

A HOLY WAR

na-

But, of these three, character is far

We believe that the British cause and away the most important.

Democracy has me in thrall, not is a holy cause and that Britain is alone on account of its ethical value at war to maintain the principles of and its high ideal of the dignity of Christianity. We believe that only man. I am, first and foremost, per- upon those principles can the meated by a firm faith in its use- tions shake off the fears and de- fulness and its efficiency-Prof. Dr. gradation of the jungle and fulfil J. Goudriaan, General Director of their destinies according to their the Netherlands Railways.

respective merits. Let others · pass The very judgment on our faith.

we champion ::. proclaims principle their freedom to decide for them- selves.--Melbourne Argus.

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UNITED PARTY

The policy of the United Party is to be in the Commonwealth all the time, and to partake of its benefits, and to its freedom and security, Tight for theseTM

things

whenever

they are challeng- ed. It was on this basis that the Unit- ed Party was erect- ed; it was the very basis of fusion. We admit that Afri- kaans -· · speaking South Africans

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· RUSSIA AND INDIA Russia's action has brought

MINDS MADE UP

We have made up our minds that the principle of democracy as against that of -ruthless ag- gression shall establish a Just and humane state in the world. Mr. Fraser, New Zealand.

have also made great sacri-

€97-

the

menace of war nearer to Irudia's doors.. India not ignore its pos- gibilities or forget the perils Inherent in dissension and unpreparedness own within her borders." The Rus- sian invasion of Poland and its pos- make it more

fices of sentiment and even of their sible consequences

That be than ever necessary that the people the deepest national pride.

rally behind no of India should longs to the past and there is longer a conflict of loyalty. This is Government in whatever · measures South Africa's war and we must may be necessary for the integrity fight it as South Africans,-Rand of her territory and peace and, se- curity within her borders. Madras Daily Mail.

Mail.

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BERLIN ON MINES

Three Interesting points appear in the German statement on what must be called "unrestricted mine war- tare:"

1

J

MR. CHAMBERLAIN'S ANSWER

++

Mr. Chamberlain has left no mar- 1. Berlin tacitly admits that Ger- man mines ́have been sown off the gin for quibbling. Britain asks no- English coast where they have thing of the German people but that wrought havoc to neutral shipping. they should live in peace with other 2. Germany makes obeisance to-peoples of Europe.-Toronto :: Globe International law in saying that the and Mail. Hague convention of 1907 prohibits Mr. Chamberlain's answer to Hitler enemy is complete and convincing. Treaties the laying of mines outside harbours only when the objectives are with Hitler are worthless.--Melbourne commercial shipping and that noti Herald. -- fication is required" only "as soon as military considerations allow."

The British people throughout the world, and the English-speaking peo-

3. The Berlin, contention that ples of the United States, agree, on there are no longer "any, purely com- the impossibility of Britain accepting mercial Janes to England and an Hitler's basis without: forfeiting hon- „opponent must obviously, take his our Sydney Sun. measures from the standpoint direct combating of warshi to be weighed

Trist" facta.

are

the British Premier's: stern of In needs straight-forward: statenients: are:fem-

hey bodied the unanimous views of every .

Governments iny the British ←Domin- lons Cape Times { }

Mr. Chamberlain's determination fight on is all the more impressive since it comes from a man of

there are no