1950-12-23 — Page 12

12.

ALL OVER THE WORLD

IT'S A SAFE NAME!

DAYZ KEEPER KENES

THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY DECEMBER 29,1950-

CHRISTMAS

POST

DOWN THE AGES

T

ME. giant plane roars 14*+++++++++

down out of the darkness and comes

++

How science and invention have affected to rent on the bril- the romantic story of the Royal Mail liantly lit runway of

WINTER

BRINGS

the great air terminal. From HH

the offices and hangars

MORE

FIRES!

PROTECT YOUR VALUABLES AND BUSINESS RECORDS IN A HERRING-HALL-MARVIN SAFE

By A. V. ROXBURGH

spirit that has always charac- terised the men who handle the Christmas mail, decided to take the mall bag and try to get through

to the next post, on

foot.

Days later they were found, frozen in death and buried in a great snowdrift-but the malls were safe. They were hanging from hooks on a post standing clear of the snow!

come a swurm of officiale and a fleet of red vans, aud despite the chilly wind that of

old-time "postmen" Towards the end

of the and off sweeps across the vast ex- travelled,

The march of progress soon he went, eighteenth century, the Christmas one of the alx nain mail reached another important brought bigger changes than

the

at a

on the

PROGRESS

It

The time soon came when it

panse of the aerodrome, the taking

ronds, which were about as mileutono. We find that John ever to the Christmas mall and, great plane quickly disgor- roadworthy as a modern coun- Palmer, a Bath theatro owner, in 1830, we find a railway mail ges its load. Piles of sealed try cart track.

lost so many letters in transit service being opened between Travelling mnilbags are thrown out

speed of when carried by post-boys, that Manchester and Liverpool. and loaded into the familiar about five miles an hour, the he started a mall coach service meant the end of the mall coach,

post-boy jogged on his way between Bath and London. By and the dawn of

an entirely red'vans bearing the official from post to post, making fre- the way, the conch started each new era, algn of the G.P.O., and quent changes of mount. It day from "The Swan With Two whisked off to the mighty was no joy-zide, however, for Necks." (What a lovely name sorting offices.

the main roads of those days for an inni) were the haunt of robber Another load of Christmas gangs, who thought nothing of success and the postal authorities tant a day or so before Christ- The new service was a great was possible to post your greet- ings to friends many miles dis- mail has arrived from some waylaying the prat-boy, Te realised that the mail coach was distant corner of the Empire. loving him of whatever he was

mas with the assurance that and within a very few hours of carrying-and often his Christ post-boys. Within a short time, would prevent their delivery un

a definite Improvement

nothing short of an earthquake arriving, the letters, greeting mas packages contained money regular services were opened, or before the Festive Day. cards and parcels will be de- gifts--and icaving livered to

their destinations, roadside

him at the and forty-two post routes were to nurse a cracked instliuled.

The penny

arrived. Every day, one

Post many of them having travelled head and to think up a story the sights of London

Christmas cards became uni- thousands of miles in the mat- to tell his hirer.

was the

ter of two or three days, in-

convoy of sixteen mail coaches versally popular, and the weight that left the head office of the and magnitude of the Christ stead of weeks, as was the case

mas mail increased to enormous In the TEL. 26862 before the birth of the air age. It must be admitted that the G.P.O. at eight o'clock

for distant proportiona. That brief picture is, actual integrity of some of the past morning, en route

What phenomenal What a ly, one of the last pages in our boys was not exactly above re- parts of the country. cavalcade of the

Christmas proach, and many were in glorious sight it must have been had been made since the days mail, for the earlier chapters league

scene of the post-boys and the mail with the bandits who

to picture the Bo Try contain some very

different roamed the countryside look- especially at the festive season. coach, but although the railway pictures.

four chapter of the Christmas' mail We must realise, Ing for plunder.

Coaches, each drawn by That was A first of all, that the word "post" far more lucrative occupation horses, decomted with holly; the cavalende is still incomplete, man another chopter is now being originated with the Romans, than being

coachman a post-boy, facing blowing a noisy fanfare on his arst World War, regular air mail

red-nosed, silk-hatted com who ran a very effective courier ali manner of hardships and service, and the points where riding in all.

How romantic, and weathers for a post-hom these couriers changed horses few shillings a week!

how colourful was the postman of that day. He wore a scarlet were known as "posts".

coat, blue waistcoat and a silk hat with gold braid,

DAVIE, BOAG & Co., Ltd.

CHUNG TIN BUILDING

Smoke CONSULATE-they're cooler

row grand your first cigarette of the day! Consulate's perfected Hiter tip gives you first-of-the-day coolness from every putt sory cigarette the whole day through. As you draw in your bod-time smoke, flitered, cool, clean, and as full of flavour as the

Micro - ghatagraph shoes Compilatstip's fine rellen Abra resent feally channalal int Laminated for antes elverkans,

-Na seat, Vittar bati — the

„mod ziman to the mouth

as wail na uberbing sit

CONSULATE

Arst after breakfast, you'll realise how much pleasure you'd have gained by changing to Consulate sooner. Try a fin today,

-the cooler cigarette

MADE IN ANDLAND

BOLE DISTRIBUTORS: GILMAN & COMPANY LIMITED

Sleep away

the miles as

PRIMITIVE

The courier service came to Britain

hundred years a few aro, but it was a very primi tive

BANDITS

PLUNDER

of

progress

The first air mail was institut- ed as long ago as D11, when special letters in connection with

In 1635, Thomas Witherings

the Coronation of King was authorised to reorganise the

George V were flown between postal arrangements, and it must

Hendon and Windsor. A new be admitted that he did

good

age was developing. After the job, cheapening the rates

and

first world war, regular air mail speeding up delivery.

He set

services were set up. In 1020, organisation compared up regular posts on the six main

But there was always danger the first Christmas air mail was with modern postal efficiency, post-rends, and organised day

for the mail coach official, for

flown from Britain overseas-to although it must be remember- and night posts,

Dick Turpin and those too, which

other ed, also, that, in those days, meant that a letter could travei come romantic Agures of school. Tot long before the service was highwaymen who have now be Karachi, in India--and it was very few people only wished

In a day- boy Action, were ever on the extended, until the whole of the to 3vail themselves of the postal service, such as it was.

prowl for mail plunder. Losses In any event, no one had heard

were high-much of the Christ of Christmas cards, and letter- friend in Edinburgh, for in- until it was decided that every Christmas greetings sent to a mas mail never got through, writing was a little-known art stance, would have taken about. mail coach should carry

There were no letter-baxes three days and the post-boy armed guard. and no post offices, such as we could have brought you the re- know today. The postmen were ply six days after you had post- ture-a true one.

Let us look at another ple- known 1$ "post-boys," and and

at least 120 miles still by means of post-boy, of

course.

an

the

carne within

not far

Comunonwealth range of the air mail

HELICOPTERS Your own local Christmas mail is not, as yet, carried by air mail, but yet another era is dawning the age of the hell- they were certainly not the ed your own letter to him. Even

It was Christmas Eve,.around copter. The time is

distant when, instead of seeing bustest men in the land when 50, Christmas mail was slow in

the beginning of the 19th cen- great stacks of mail being load- Christmas dawned, as is the those days, and

you needed tury. The London mail coach. ed and unloaded at the great case with the modern postmen, plenty of money to send greet- loaded with greetings and pre- railway termini at Christmas In the days of Charles I, post-ings to all your friends.

sents, had left Duntries on boys were operative only once MILESTONE

serve the country. inst stage of its long journey ne, cots of helicopters will a week. Oliver Cromwell, who

to Edinburgh. The four horses Thomas

Can you visualise the helicop- Wilherings's charge bravely headed into the blinding ter mall, hovering about the introduced many innovations- although he did banish Christ- just one sheet, folded and seal- progress was slowed to

for a single letter-which meant now, but

os night fell their

red dragonflies, sky like huge little its festivities on e-was 2d, for under 80 miles; more than a crawl, for the and dropping down on to the occasion!-certainly im-

od fat-topped roots of the post proved the postal services, but 4d. for up to 140 miles; and Od. was

deep with treacherous in the light of

offices? A dream of the future Eventually, the coach but not too distant future, for for any distance above that, in drifts, modern perience, they still read like England. It did not pay to have was brought to a halt. fiction.

herein lies the subject for the too many friends in Scotland, The coachman unharnessed picture of those for a letter to any place North of the horses and rode off to seek next, as yet unwritten, chapter Meanwhile, in the cavalcade of the Christ- If you wanted to dis- the Bordor cost 8d. and eight- shelter for them. patch a greeting to a friend, pence in those days was quite the postman aboard and the mas muil-(Copyright), you took your letter to a "post-, a lot of money.

armed guard, prompted by the master," the man appointed by the State in each district to handle the mail. The letter was handed to a post-boy, who mounted his horse, or the small cart by means of which some

mos and all

One

Here is a days.

ELY

you

You will find your berth on the

S.A.S. D.C-6 roomy and comfortabla

-even for two persons. The soft,

springy mattress Induces sound

sleep and you will arrive

at your destination wall rested.

Book your S,AS. sleeping

accommodation to Europe or i

North and South America

through Thoresens or

your usual travòl agents,

SCANDINAVIAN AFREENES SYSTEM.

AFTEN,THORESENTA COMLID.

INSIDE INFORMATION

By "MERCURY"

THE present grouping of

Soviet and satellite forces in Europe does not indicate a threat of war in the near future.

Reports that China would withdraw from Korea, planted

to

Peking on MacArthur's intel- ligence service, helped achieve surprise in the Chinese offensive.

•

•

The King Russia has only half finished

and Greece will make the staffing oad Integration of satellite commands. But since visit to America. July she has increased Soviet forces in Europe.

Queen a goodwill

of

British trade with Spain is hampered for lack of a sterling

Laurenti, Sovlet Vice-Forelyn loan. Minister, has visited Albania- Russia's isolated foothold on the Adriatic.

Egypt, unable to get railway coal from Britain, has ordered 80,000 tons from india. «

Peace conditions transmitted to the US. repeat China's de- mand for membership of the UN. Security Council.

The Indian Ambassador has worked out terms in Peking with the Foreign Minister.

Premier Nehru has gent them through his sister, Mrs Pandit, Ambassador in Washington, Truman and Attice.

to

Turkey has asked Mr Attleb to propose a supreme war coun- cil in Washington to direct the Far Eastern war

Poking La now protected by two equndrons of jet fighter air- craft and a radar system.

China is speeding up evacua- tion plans for big cities.

The Indian Government has informed Britain that it will not proceed with Joint defence mea- sures the atom bomb is used.

The serious problem of Bri- tain's cost of living was dis- cussed by Mr Attice with Pre- sident Truman.

He raised the questions of dollar aid for the British defence effort and help in keeping down raw material prices.

.•

Mr Attlee took with him aj full memorandum on the economic plight of Britain.

A new Commonwealth air training scheme, to include the airmen of Atlantic pact

соид-

tries, will be discussed by Mr Attice with the Canadian Gov- crament.

A factory making heavy artil- lery has started production un- der Russians zupervision Diosgyor In Hungary:

03

Several British Cabinet Minis ters are curiousty, concerned at the deadlock in arming Western Germany,

Russia has warned Turkey against entering into any mill- tary alliance directed against the Soviet Union..

Turkoy in reply

Jan

The US, Congress, Impressed phasised her right to enter into by the heroism of the Turkish defensivo brigade in Korea, wht on dis-

cusi more giulitary aid for Tut- The United States will trans- kay.

Rot doveral Warships to lịc Turkish Naw in the "cdcdhE

rearinalient

•

Asi Anglo-Argentino trade of agreement i

es expected

noon.

The US Navy Gm

• Flixatan'officers of field rack station more ships in Mediter- uro atisched to every Chinelo enricant ports.

New Besid, may abolish joi-

TRIUMPH

MAYFLOWER

Brilaid's Now

Light Coo

FAR EAST MOTORS LIMITED. 26 Nathan Road, Kowloon. Telephone 52029

A Gift for a

GOLFER-

IXTY FIVE

Here's the gift he'd choos Elmselt - attractively presented in Christmas packs of

three, six or one dozen

balls. Avaliable from all sports dealers.

Dunlop 65"

GOLF BALLS

The champions choice!

GIFTS

so wonderful to give- and to get!

*

for HIM

clipone from our

selection of BAZON SETS,

TRAVELLING BETS, SHAVING BRUSHES, MILITARY HAIR BRUSHES --and a host of other useful gifts!

for HER

We have

Christmas hampers

WINES, SPIRITS, BEER & LIQUEURS

of all sixta, giving the best uk

GIFT SETS & PERFUMES Nom the loading makern-HELENA. RUBINSTEIN, YARDLEY, CHANEL, eto, and a novel line of CHOCOLATES. by SCHRAFFT of BOSTON

come to

WATSON'S

and for the CHILDREN ANIMAL BUBBER SPONGES -DONALD DUCK BOAP, etc.

for our special CHRISTMAS GIFT

BROCHURE

for all your Gifts

Cloucester