1940-04-05 — Page 13

THE CHINA MAIL, APRIL 5, 1940

News Snack

Snack Bar

THIS BLACK-OUT IS NO NEW THING

THE “BLACK-OUT" has been a godsend to the con- firmed grumbler, and probably never in this generation has his grumbling struck responsive chords in so many sym-

· pathetic hearts. But if there is anything new under the sun it is certainly not the “black-out.”

At least in London we have only reverted compul- sorily, it is true to a state which, until a century ago, in peace or war, was the nightly experience of the town dwel- ler, as it was of the dweller in rural parts.

So black were the streets of London that as early as 1416 “lanthorns and lights" were ordered to be hung out- side houses on winter evenings between All Hallows and Candlemas and the order remained in force for 300 years, until the reign of Queen Anne. All this time the night- watchman, whose chief qualifications seemed to be extreme old age and a strident voice, went on his rounds with lan- tern and halberd.

ANK

*New Yorkës.”

Channel Captain Dead

Please

Can

༄ ན

Have

Our

Ball..

Buck ?

"Though thou art tempted by

linkman's-call

the 1914-18 Trophies

As Scrap

Yet trust him not along the lonely

wall.

*

*

In the midway, he'll quench the

flaming brand,

As a lead to the public in a local. And share the booty with the pil- save-your-waste campaign at Hamp- In 1694 a licence was granted by

fering band,

stead, the Borough Council's Emer- the City Fathers to a company for the

Still keep the public streets, where gency Committee is to consider dis- supply of glass lights, commonly call-

oily rays,

posing of the German guns, trophies ed "convex lights," in

Shot from the crystal lamp, o'er- of the last war, as scrap metal. They all public places, for 21 years; in 1708 a lamp,

spread thy ways."

are on Fortune Green. consisting of a glass globe containing ing, and in 1762 Parliament took

But the age of lamps was approach- an oil-lamp, was patented and came hand and the first Highway Act was into general use. The rule was still in passed. A parish tax for lighting was Charwomen Busy force that every frontager along the allowed, and then came the period of street who was rated at £10 or more a year must hang out one or more lan terns, with sufficient cotton-wick can- dles therein, from six tỏ 11 p.m. every night from Michaelmas to Lady Day.

When there was no moon whole streets were in darkness because their houses were rated at less than £10. and there was no light anywhere after 11 o'clock.

Capt. Stanley David Robinson, 49, master of one of the Southern Rail- NOCTURNAL LAWLESSNESS way's Channel steamers, was found Accounts of social life in the days dead recently in the 'Warren, the of Anne and the first two Georges bear Folkestone pleasure-ground. He had witness to a nocturnal lawlessness in a throat wound, and a blood-stained the streets that was worse than had penknife was nearby.

the lamplighters hurrying through the Again district in the morning carrying lad- der and oil, and scurrying round again at 'twilight to light the lamps.

The war is reviving the practice and charwomen who were discharged. of whitening doorsteps in London from City offices when firms evacuated are busy again. were

ually call twice a week at each house Charging twopence a step, they us cleaning and whitening the front step to guide people in the black-out.

*

What a twinkling there was then through all the streets! One old writer described the sight as a wonder of the world! And that was before he had seen London lighted by gas. For sever- al years Pall Mall was the only street lighted by gas. The experiment be- gan in 1807, and it was due to a Ger- man, F. A. Winsor, who, though not the inventor, succeeded in applying Man Said Service the new illuminant to the lighting of ever been known. So the 18th century the streets. Sir Walter Scott sneering- was the age of flambeaux and link boys. The aristocrat, in his gilded coach, returned from the theatre or ball gulded and guarded by the foot- man with his torch; linkboys could be Vice-Admiral Sir Gerard Wells, Di- hired by those who kept no footman, rector-General of the Ports and In contemporary · literature they are Lighthouses Administration of Egypt, generally depicted as half-witted crea- was seriously injured in Alexandria tures, though they probably did not Harbour when his launch came into all deserve the reputation as decoys collision with a Navy launch.

given them by Gay in his "Trivia":

*

***

*

Admiral Injured

He is 61 this year.

*

Air.Dash Was

In Vain

A woman to whom a Dutch doctor flew from Holland last November to attend, has died in Nottingham. She was Mrs. Caroline Rosenheim Wein- berg, who was prominently identified with Jewish social, charitable and educational life.

Petrol Lighter In

Powder Works

For possessing a petrol lighter while working in the Royal Gunpowder Fac- tory, Waltham Abbey, Leonard Arthur Danes, 27, of Oaklands-road, Enfield, a labourer employed by a contractor, was fined £2 at Waltham Abbey.

Danes said he gave up his cigaret- tes and matches on entering the fac tory, but forgot the lighter.

'Carry Matches,

Lose Job

Notices have been posted in-Wool- wich Arsenal and other Ordnance fár- tories, warning employees who carry matches in the danger areas that they will be dismissed and prosecuted. The carrying of petrol lighters is also for- bidden.

Illustrated'

ly referred to Winsor in these terms: Was A Mockery

"There le a madman who proposes to light London with, what do you think? Smoke!"

by. Christmas Day, 1814, London was But the new system succeeded, and

lighted generally by gas,

back to earlier times and landed us Hitler's war has merely taken us 19 into some of the difficulties that our forbears took as a matter of course.

fire-they're only gonse.”

During, prayers for peace at a ser- vice for Civil Defence units at St..

S.E., a man rose and muttered some- Giles's Church, Camberwell, London,

thing which sounded like "I protest against this mockery."

of Southwark (Dr. R. G. Parsons) The service attended by the Bishop

and Admiral Sir. Edward Evans, Lon don Regional A.R.P. Commissioner-n was delayed for a few minutes while. the man was led out by sidesmen..

* *

Is Tea On "Empress"

Liner Still Hot?

How long will tea keep hot in à vacuum flask? Mr. Frank Barford, of. 28, Addison-road. Walthamstow, E.17, is wondering.

Because on board the liner. Em- press of Asia is a flask which Mr.. Barford Alled with hot tea seventeen. Years ago. It has been out of reach ever since.

Mr. Barford was working as a car- penter on the liner in Vancouver Har- bour in 1923 and put the flask inside. a cavity wall in the hold. Later, when he went to get red with insulating it he found the wall

had been material and his flask, was behind it..

Eton Boys To Wear Second-Hand Shirts.

Eton boys are to wear house- colour football shirts of Old Etonians now that buying new shirts has been forbidden with the imposition of strict economy on all boys', expenses at Eton.. Appealing to Old Etonians to give the shirts permanently to the house, Mr. H. E. Mandsslay, captain of the “böäts, says, "The parting will be hard,

but those who are good enough

give their shirts to Eton will know how.

will be

greatly their

'clated.'