1953-01-21 — Page 10

C. GJ. WEIR LTD. Feed Pumps. Condensing Plants. Evaporators, Feed Water Heaters, Marine Auxiliary Equipment.

ENGINEERING EQUIPMENTCOZZE;TD; I.K. & Shanghal Bank Bldg. Tel. 27780

CHINA MAIL

Established 1845

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1953.

TOWER BRIDGE TUG

The floating patrol keeps watch

by Act

of Parliament

SHEAFFERS

Skrip

The Muscson guard,

t

(left),

FIREMAN REGINALD GOULDEN aged 16, goes below to do some stoking. Engineer Bert'Iloper (above) is 67, and has

had 10 years' service with his Arm.

TEA TIME ON THE THAMES TEA-TIME in the Musca: "Máte" Cliff Suminer, Engineer Bert Roper, and Fire- man Reginald Goulden. To maintain the unbroken guard, the tug has three crews. The alarm signal is given on a whistle from the Tower Bridge Master's office.

Living Language

means to

Why we say Plod. To plod make one's way heavily and with difficulty. It comes from the Irish "plod" which means a pool, nnd "plodding Blong" gives the im- pression of walking through mud and mire,

Radio Hongkong

H.K.T.

Canadian Is "Scootering" Across Africa

London, Jan. 20.

"Spike" ear race;

beross his

Canadian Rhland is on his way Africa to the Cape Oft Scootamobile.

It is hig way of teating his ew design of luxury scooter-*-* which has self-starter, windscreen and a roof-before }

He putting it into production, hopes to

to

the 10,000- mile joumev In three weeks.

A less spectacular method of demonstrating the performance of a modern motor scooter was adopted by two Vespa owners. who competed in the recent

London-Exeter night trial.

Obviously. the scooter has ceased to be an amusing novelty,

0. Programme Summary: 6.02. Aand the time will soon be here

Robert Sted Concert: 0.30, .Come

Into the Partour-Music and cngs when, as is already the case in

trom Northern

Ireland (OCTs); | Italy, it is as *

7. Time Signal and World New

(Londen Relay):

10. Recital by Victor Roland Caritone) with Plano car. Accompaniment by Maya Rea (Con-

commonpince a

of transport us à bleyele or

When that happens, If the cert Hall); 7.30, Grchestre che Italian example is followed sili Werk-London Studio Convert, New Symphony Orchestra conducted further, special races for these by Donts Wright (BBCTS); 749 little machines may be run on Weather Report: 5, Inauguration c Dwight Eisenhower, as President of the airfield and road circuits of the United States. A Uroadcast from Britain.

Washington. Introduced by: Leonard 1. In which case, tuned standard Mall (London Belay!; 6.30, Lucky models will soon give way to Dip-Variety Requests presented by mode Morgherita (Studio): 0.ally real

In Italy there are racers,

capable of more than 60 the Hongkong Stage Club by BUYER Christabel Wheatley

the very latest studio); 030, m.ph. white Appointment with Muso, bancing

MV Augusta with Musical example, an Time with Jog Lose and his : Or- an overhead camshaft engine but

Comedy Favourites:

Day and night, for 59 years.

AY und night for 69

Dunbroken watch

has been kept from a tug, with steam up, within hail- ing distance of Tower Bridge.

by GORDON HOLMAN PICTURES BY VICTOR DREES

vessels and

of assisting posc barges navige centre of the

Upper

On the flood tide, the guard tug is usually to be

seen at Thames between, the Shadwell Norwood's Pier, about 100 yards entrance to the London docks below the bridge. On the ebb and London Bridge for the pur- tide, it is just above the bridge ut Wrightson's Roads, and body crossing the bridge coulri pitch

a penny on to the deck.

Mr Harris, born in Southwark Today, on board the 450 h.D. almost within sight of the Pool Musco, which

now carries the of London, was only five years special nams-boards "Tower old when the first guard tug, the Bridge Tug." the Master Mr Wasp, steamed under Tower Charles Harris, told me how lie, Bridge. Now he is 64 and lives and his crew of three, keep

at Ilford. watch for 24 hours at a time.

crews,

Three crews,

the

Harris's

Sitting in the small forecastle. with a saucepan of water bolling on the stove in preparation for

slowly opened to allow

a bir "Dutchman," the Batavier 1, 20 pass through into the Pool.

It was only a precaution. There was nothing for the Musea to do except steam slowly back to her station close to the bridge.

Nobody could have been more

old Fireman Reginald Goulden. They come from Charlton.

They both like the open air life; but when the 24-hour turn of duty is ended they go off to very different recreatione, Goulden goes fishing or cycling. Sumner

playa the plano- accordion.

£250,000 bill

Big day for the Musea comca onec A fortnight. Then she slcams. out of sight of Tower

philosophie about it all than 67- Bridge to coal, year-old Bert Roper in the engine nom.

Our job is to have the Musca ready for anything," he said. "She has plenty of power and there are few ships i would

not be

the meal he was about to pre- with how,pared to hook on to

To maintain.

unbroken pare, the keen-faced guard, the Musea needs three he wears elvilian clothes

fellow ed the Musca's predecessors. Mr Masters are Mr Alfred Saun The Mosquito followed the ders. of Laindon, Essex, and Mr Warp, and then came the Naja,

Adder

he said. Harry Apps, of Northfleet, Kent,

and Viper, Through two wars the watch "Most of the traffle is within two hours, either way, of the was kept, but high tide." said Mr Harris. "We heavy, A direct hit by a bomb the Naja in 1944, and six watch. The signal we wait for men of the guard-ship crows is a double or treble blast on were killed,

All the tugs, from the time. whistle from the Tower Bridge the watch began, have been sup Mester's offles up above."

all take

a turn at being

on Bank

the cost wall

What the Musca is expected to plied under contract by Messrs. do is explained in the Act of Gaselee and Son. Parliament which compels the

Harris:

"I have been one of their tug- City of London Corporation to masters for 31 years," said Bir keep her close to Tower Bridge.

ney must "provide and main: Roper, has had ginger, Mr Bert thin a steam tug upon the River service with them.

SIDE GLANCES By Galbraith

12-17

·Y, Bt. Jog, tà. L' OK..

""Don't`catch cold, deart Remember the air force dance

tomorrow night, and tho marines Tuesday!" --

Printed and published by WILLIAM ALICE GRINHAM for chestra 10.50, Weatherleports 11, still having wheelbarrow-zizod Radlo New Reef Recorded London wheels, should have a maximum and on behalf of South China Morning Post Limited at 1-3 Wyndham Street, City of Victoria, in the Colony of Hongkong. Relay); 11.15, Goodnight Music, God Save The Queen; 1950, Close down speed of almost 95 m.p.h.

about '40. years'

"Some people have the iden that this is the tug that never sails and that we are not worth the money it costs to keep us here.'

That la nonsense. Three or four times a week we move off to prevent a barge that is 'driving' about from hitting the bridge.

+

She swam

"A 2,000-ton cargo vessel lying Just outside the Pool now might have done considerable damage to the bridge it we had not been ready to help her.

"She was in tow, but her steering gear falled, and we had to hook up on her stern to con- - trol

her."

More than once, during the three years Me Harris has been on Tower Bridge watch, the Musca has answered the call after somebody has fallen in the river from the bridge.

"Last me the woman who went in found it so cold she swam ashore and left us looking around in the dark," said Mr Harris.

Although Mr Harris is never more than 100 yards from Innd, Mrs Harris has never been on board the Musca. "She does not like the water," sald Mr Harris: "Years ago she came on board. another tug of which I was the master. All she was interested in was the cooking stove."

Mr Harris's daughter works in a bank. His son, is mata, in a Blue Blar

shin.

came from the con- A signal came trol station high above the Musea and Mr Harris climbed quickly on to the bridge of the tugas

She moved out into the river, as the beacules of Tower Bridge

Ships of more than 8,000 tons

Total cost of the floating patrol around the Jast bridge over the Thames is now about £250,000.

Cost took

The bridge it guards nearly £1,200,000 und eight years to build. It costs

about £40,000 a year to main- tain.

The ships that come through

now come above Tower Bridge Tower Bridge to load and dis- Tuga

and other regular users

al Hay's, Gunshot,

of the Thames, tend to get big-charge gar But the watch tug must Symon's, and the other wharves

still look out for the occasional sailing barge. Musca are two newcomers the river, Cliff Sumner, "Mate at the age of 15, and 18-year

With the two veterans in the to

COLEC

in the Pool of London in the of a year are worth millions of pounds.

The Musca is as much their guardian as she is that of the bridge..

FIFTEEN-YEAR-OLD ·*Mate” Cliff Humner trims. the Iamps. He comes from Chariton, and when his 24-hour turn of duty is ended his hobby in playing, the, plane-accordion,

"SKIPPER" CHARLES the HARRIS, 64, on bridge of Tower Bridge - tug Musca, walls for a call. Mr Harris, born in Southwark, almost within Bight of the Pool of London, has been one of lils firm's tug masters for 31 years, He and his crew of three keep watch for 24 hours at a time,

Mail

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21

By Air

Stam, Malaya, Indonesia, trolla. New Zealand.

C.P.A.

Aus- 4.30 ..*

Formoss, Okinawa, 1U.9. A... [New] York), Canada, 0 p.m., ILKA, „N.W.ALL

Japan, 1 p.m.-8.0AL

By Burface

Bacon, 9_.m.;

Hon Tik Shay. Japan., 4 pm

Le papy, E. Lee

Pyrrhum.

TUVRIDAY, JANUARY 27.

By Air

Formota. 9... vi· C.A.T. Philippines, Guam, Hawaii, USA.. (San Francisco), Noan, PA.AZ

Slam, -- Burma, India, Pakistan, | Middle East, Africa, 'Great Britain,

Europe. Noon, 3.0.A.C.

Philippines, N. Borneo. 4.30, DM. C.P.A.

By Burfac

Macpo, 9 ami, 6 pm, sɛ Lee Hong/ Tak Bhing.

Chim, People's Republic; 0.30*4.01. train via Capton.

Malays East Be South Africa, '. 31 amu as TjRjalengka.

Philppines, 1 pm. * Jaya Mail.

FRIDAY, JANUARY ( 23 )

By Air

Formon, 9_4m, via G.A.T. Japan, USA., Canada, g

ami. C.P.AIL AT AN

Indo-China, France, French, Norin Be West Africa, 11 am,, Air France,

* Indo-China, France, French North, de West Africa, 4:30 pm. Ate Viet-

Philippines, Guam, Hewall, USA. 5 pm. P.A.L.

Formos. Okinawa, U.S.A. (Seat- tis & Western States)......, Canada, pm.. H.K.A./N.W.A.L.

N. Borneo, Australia, New Zen- land, 8 ym., Q.E.A,

Japan, 6 p.m., 3.0.A.C. Malaya, Indonesia, Ceylon, Milla Past, 0 p.m. :D.0.A.C.

ny Bartaca Macio, Da 0 pm 10 Lou Hon Tak An

China, People's Republic, am, train viCanton,

Philippines, 1 pm.. Niko Indore, 11 mm Tipondole, Skam, 2 p.m.. far Yone.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 24*.*

By: Air

Blam. Burma, 'India, Paklatán, Aichon, Great Britain; Europe, Noon, Via B.O.A.CA.

UB.A Canada, Noon, P.. Baro, Burroa, India, (4.30; p.m. Thai AlewDYS/

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