1940-12-31 — Page 23

THE CHINA MAIL, DECEMBER 31, 1940.

CHINA MAIL

WINDSOR HOUSE

OUTGUESSING THE RAIDERS

Page

More Bliss From

A hundred authorities have assured us, in verse and prose, in epigram and simple, straight pronouncement, that the shallow | murmur while the deep are dumb or that it is the function of know- ledge to speak and of wisdom to The activities of armed keep silence. The authorities may

Ignorance

say,

is

tain things, just as it is a com→ batant's duty to achieve certain forms of awareness. If we are appointed roof-spotters. to "our office, then we must have sharp

The trouble is that the fellow parting shot, when, where,

eyes, good ears, shrewd judgment," and and a knowledge of aeroplane raiders provide a grim go on insisting, but mankindobe not only knows but insists on how the war will end.

viously prefers the loquacious

types. But if we are not roof- my knowing that he knows. He This, you guessing game for every-shallows,

may The pleasures of

short- knows where the bomb fell last knowledge, but opinion. But it is sightedness, are never likely to

not spotters and, owing to body. But it is not so one- taciturn ignorance it will notnight, and whether it was

have, especially in war-time, yet aerial torpedo, a

an passed to me as knowledge. At be, then why should we desire to sided as recent attacks in to me it appears that there never

land mine, or least the fellow has no doubts, have our own smattering of this the Atlantic and Pacific was an hour when nescience was Hitler told Goering yesterday and why he enjoys all this knowledge,

a mere midget. He knows what What is so puzzling is the reason specialised knowledge? more attractive and neither might seem to suggest.

10 what they will both be doing to own nor to profess knowledge morrow.

He knows, by looking On November 1, 1939,

at a scarcely visible speck in the I recently read in the "New sky, what type of aeroplane that the German pocket bat-Statesman and Nation" that the

war has made tleship Graf Spee sank a

us sociable; con- versation, which once trickled merchantman in the In-shyly in British railway carriages, dian Ocean. A month later now flows in spate, Air-raid

今

was more meritorious.

shelters

the star- to address each

vilation, The advent of a bomb,

·By- Ivor Brown

in

'come clean.'" This struck

me

off.

sapience, information, call it what The country is full of men who, you will, and why he expects they -assure you, can tell one others to share his bliss. If there kind of bomber from another by was a big bang last night it the noise which it makes. Is their affords me no consolation what state the more gracious? Wher ever to know the exact label of we ignoramus (which I suggest the article which caused it. Re- may be the correct plural of this. cently I heard a man remark that word) are settling down to sleep he did not object to Germans in the country and a faint, far she sank another in the chicst people

prompt even

bombing us "so long as they drone is heard, becoming distinct- ly less faint and far, what does South Atlantic. Panicky other without introduction or in-

as possibly British and certainly it profit us to know that it is a people said, "See, she has

odd. For my part I dislike bombs, Dornier out in earnest and not a it seems, promotes that state is whither bound, and on what clean or dirty, and am to

In our Briton out for practice? whit Britain guessing.' Thir- which Mr. Yellowplush described business. He knows, by listening relieved to learn of the spotless ignorance we can always assume teen days later the Graf as "lacy ally and easy pleas'ntry." to buzz or a droning sound intention behind them or of their that it is the Briton and go

Some may welcome this sudden the night, whether that is a Ger- exact nature and dimensions,

to sleep with calm assurance, thus Spee stalked a French lowering of stiff upper lips and man bumber hither come for mis-

That raises the whole question awakening next day fresh and merchantman outside the loosening of the sluggish Island chief or a British bomber 01 n of ignorance in war-time, a qual-vigorous instead of torpid after a

tongue. But for me the talkative practice flight, Plate.

(His ability

worrying. toity or condition which I crave and night of fidgeting and Suddenly three

and knowing neighbour holds a distinguish them is the more re- covet as the happiest <if

Thus we are ready (lel the British cruisers pounced prominent place among the minor markable since an airman of ex-sions, while others shun disdain, moralising patriot note) for al

horrors of war. He is 60 free perience has told me that it can-

It is and the game was up.

and disown it by every possible good day's work. with what I do not in the least not certainly be done.) He knows, means. Admittedly it is a citizen's the chief merits of ignorance that of course, as mere matter for a duty to keep informed about cer-It promotes an even sounder slum- ber than poppy, mandragora, Or any syrup contrived by the quacks and sages of all time. If any fuss-pot, full of pseudo-scientific notions about sleep, should ask which sleep group you happen to be in, you can curtly reply "The Happy Blockheads."

The British guessed: 1. That a raider will not re- main in an area where she has been recognised. 2. That she will strike again in some distant place to confuse searchers. 3. That she will eventually show up where merchant ships are plentiful-off Halifax where fat convoys of munitions and 'planes

head for Britain, or off the Plate where ships loaded with South American

grain and meat fan out toward England. The Graf Spee's end showed that the Navy is composed of good guessers.

The raider which sank the Jervis Bay bound from Canada may have sneak- ed home through the pro- tective veil of sub-arctic storm and darkness in a furtive sweep past Ice- land. She may have been counting on supplies from the German ships that at-

slip

want

his information.

posses-

GILES

"We say to her: 'Friend or Foe?' and all she keeps saying is: 'Foe!'"

tempted to all but So This Is Hong Kong?

of

on

Tampico. She may have: been the vessel that tried the same stunt Christmas Day and found herself faced with H.M.S. Berwick and a contest she did not relish.

Commerce raiders are a serious threat to the lines of

ties have

The evacuation of British wo-

|

more

one of

This is not counsel against tak- ing shelter when the alarm is given. My war-time advice for those aspiring to a quiet life is to do as one is told when the teller has authority, to believe nothing when the teller has nol, and never to strive after or profess unneces sary knowledge. The Ministry of Intorination's "Silent Column" was heavily bombarded because silence is deemed--a virtue by. few and is a virtue achieved by still lewer. The Ministry's idea was 1 good one: many of us would get on with our business better and have a happier time if we could only reconcile our- scives to a state of inarticulate ignorance concerning the strategy and technique of war. There is far less danger of the chatterbox telling Hitler what Hitler already knows than of his boring and fussing us all into a state of un- endurable war-weariness.

The model citizen is one who applies his reason where it can be profitably used. and does not pretend to knowledge of that which is essentially unknowable, But it is as a pleasure rather than as a duty that I mainly commend ignorance in wartime. To be able honestly and bluntly to refuse all discussion as to Hitler's next step or how long the war will last is total felicity in a world where any form of felicity is scarce. To

Sent By An Unnamed Correspondent to The Christian Science Monitor

if capital ships would be brought deny all knowledge of how many Military preparations are being their fortunes in this outpost of

Hong aeroplanes Goering has left and made in Hong Kong to a degree empire look down. They are like within firing range until never before witnessed. Hong rustles in the clouds, clinging pre- Kong's air force had been wiped how many arriving and to leave Kong will be defended if trouble cariously to the sheer green pre-

out. The air force is small but those who know to settle the mat- comes with Japan, although until cinices.

efficient. It has underground hanter, if they can, is such recently there was talk of retir-

a pre- The main streets of Victoria run

gars and considerable gasoline clous saving of labour when so ing to Singapore. The Army here for several blocks from the water- supplies.

many other things, like travel to has been greatly inspired by the front to the base of the Peak, Here Military authorities are working and from work, may be so slow defence of Malta, Gibraltar and big tunnels are being hollowed

on the assumption that Hong and exhausting. other empire outposts. It is ap-out, a quarter of a mile or more Kong would be cut off from avail- parent that the military authori- into the heart of this great moun- able assistance from Singapore in Let me confess to immense curi- To be pas- been taking stock of tain. These tunnels will serve as the event of a Japanese attack,osity in general. sea communications.

the local situation all over again, air-raid shelters, and to some ex-except reinforcements for the sionate for facts and explanations But there has been noth- and a new brand of determination tent for the storage of munitions. Royal Air Force. The Ja-where these are obtainable is to occupation of Hai-get most fun out of life. But ing in their occasional is being evidenced. As regards The haste with which this work is panese

the Navy, Hong Kong has been being carried out intimates an im-nan and

recently nothing is more tedious or de- sorties thus far to indicate reduced to a bare minimum he-pending emergency.

of French Indo-China gives them pressing than to be flooded with that they will be a decisive cause Britain's major fleet con-

present control of the waters be- Jassured knowledge about events centration in the Far East is at Military Governor tween Singapore and Hong Kong. which are both uncertain and, un-- factor in the war at sea Singapore.

British troops would ultimately pleasant that is, the course of a Hong Kong is under the control whether in the Atlantic or

of a military Governor, It has evacuate the New Territories on war. Now is the time not to look the Pacific. It cost the men and children from the colony also been brought more completely the mainland and retire to Hong forward; let us leave strategy to bas cleared the air. All male Bri-into the orbit of military defence Kong island, from which they the strategists and aeroplanes to Germans some $18,000,000 fish civilians are undergoing mill-by being placed under the Singa- could control all approaches. Hong the Air Force. What of the to build the Graf Spee, all hours of the day and night in Force, for Hong Kong is in fact Gibraltar, a granite mountain from

tary training and are on call at pure command of the Royal Air Kong is in this sense a sort of millions and'divilians? more than the total value the event of an emergency. In within the radius of the air arm which a relatively small garrison •The little victims play↑ of the ships and cargoes short, Hong Kong is an armed that pivols around the great fort of well-equipped troops might Why alas? Would they be hap

camp in which normal civilian life she sank before she her has ceased to exist. In a whole cuss far to the south. Hong Kong stand off the Japanese for months. pler if knowing what's to come?. But even the most optimistic Gray, corrected the error in his self was destroyed. Sea day here one sees no more than anti-aircraft defence systems in military appraisal would not go so last line and made Ignorance the

half a dozen European women in

far as to suggest that Hong Kong blissful state. It is also, if a true, raiders inflict an intan- the streets or hotels,

could hold out indefinitely, espe- profound, all-enveloping and com- gible loss by compelling The great modern city of Vior the Peak itself, and surrounding cially be the food problem grew fortable. Igriorante molest, see-

toria clings along the fringes of mountains are now festooned with more serious with protracted has–": the use of many ships and a protected harbour, and across barbed wire entanglements. The tilities But in any event Hot Ellot sald that three things could fret" and a` silent treasure. George much time in search, and frum it is Howloon Huge green great camouflaged shore batteries, Kong would have great Nuisance by

mountains rise 1,500 feet out of some of them 1,000 feet above the value, for the Japanese would not be hidden love, a cough, and causing confusion, water and look down Upon harbour, now go into operation either have to attack, of leave it ignorance. Nonsense. It is know among civilian popula-ships riding at anchor, brave little frequently. Large guns rear their alone as a submarine base lying ledge and the pretente to it, so China Cobsters and merchantmen heads from concrete emplacements between them and their major of common in these days, that will tions. But it is a question from parts the world over Mary on the steep cliffs and pick off jective further south: On, the other not hold their pance. How chor- whether all this will count Chibere junks man always udying targets many miles at sea. Hong hand, an attack on Hong Kong ming by comparison is a grand,

to and fro in the harbour, and Kong's biggest guns, partly be would divert a not fuconsiderable unashamed, Inarticula ambac as more than nuisance they lend to Hong Kong an atmos- cause of the advantage of great part of the Japanese forces, and how Joyous as well as prud value in the final outcome phere all its own. From the height, outrange those on anything it would delay the southward may be a blank refusal to answer famous Peak above Victoria the except Japan's biggest, super- campaign by weeks and perhaps silly questions and to discuss im- of the war.

villas of Britons who have made' dreadnaughts, and it is doubtful maniha,

ponderable matters!.

in said to have one of the best

the world.

Alas! `regardless of their, doom