1961-10-12 — Page 6

S

INTELLIGENCE REPORT

Consider this:

In Britain today

there is one Hiroshima

bomb to

every two square miles

THE CHINA MAIL, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1961.

by Chapman Pincher

BUT HOW SAFE?

THE STOCKPILE

Nuclear weaponя

BRITISH

H-bombs............. RAF tactical bombs Navy tactical bombs

AMERICAN

bumbs for 847 based here

H-bombs for bigger

No. Power la

Power in Megatona" | "roshilmas"

140

180

9,000

BO

50

Ba

50

283

240

12,000

bombers on rola-

tion from V.A....

30

300

15,000

Thetien bombs...

400

4

200

Polaris warheads at

Holy Loch

21

12

GOO

JOINT

'Thot rockets

(80

80

100

8,000

on missiles and spares)

WE HAVE 884 898 44,900

* One megaton in the equivalent of 1,000,000 tons of TNT exploriza

Girl in a hurry

to grow

grow up

So

10 much nuclear explosive has now been stockpiled in Britain that there

is the equivalent of almost one Hiroshima bomb 'for

every two square miles of the country. The build-up of British and U.S. nuclear weapons here, detailed in the chart, already provides a total fire-power of about 45,000 Hiroshimas-the equivalent of about 17 tons of TNT high explosive for every man, woman and child.

Because of the country's smail size this colossal stockpile makes Britain eusly the most concen- trated nuclear explosive dump in the world.

I seems to be serving its pur- pase in deferring war. But what is being done to make sure it it never exploded by accident, by sabotage, by mudmen, or by fannties"

Sequence

Until now the Government has been silent on its safeguards, But as a result of searching In- quiries with the co-operation of Defence Departments at the highest levels, I can reveal the meticulous precautions taken to

protect the nation from such nuclear calamities.

The safeguards begin from the moment a weapon is designed by selenitats of the Aldermoston Research Station and of the Aviation Ministry.

Enough safety devices are buit! into each bonib or wire head to aver-insure many times against premature firing, Each weapon needs a surge of current from a powerful electric battery before the arning

This bat-

HE'S 15, the schoolgirl who lives in a

maisonette on the Partside Estate in Hack-sequence can begin.

tery is never fitted to weapons

ney, London. And like a lot of other youngsters, she is waiting impatiently for the day she can leave school.

Not, however, to run into the

fest job that shows itself. She's in the West End now-good, already go one.

isn't it? I think people reunice

For this H-year-old school-bug by it,"

girl is Helen Shapiro, the singer They do. Schoolgirls on the whose seentul record "You bin pestered her for her Don't Know" — got to the top autograph,

of the hit parade and has sold And Helen Shapiro, for a few more than a quarter of a million more weeks still »

The cash

The law will 14 her leave #chool at Christmas. Prom then on here will be no te rush- ing away from the theatre be- cause child performers must be out of such places by 10 prn.

Altes Shapho, aged 15, can Her as long as she Hos.

For the some reason, ber shows wit no longer be "first holly only." which means more money.

"But I won't have a car until

3 can drive it myself," sy said

as we waited fogellier for the bus to take her, hanie from school.

herself, obliged. Singers.

JEAN

scivolgirl

With inity

in store.

The bultery cannot activate the firing circuit until several ellehes have been thrown. These are so placed in the weapon that at least two men-

usually more-must work to- gether to operate them. Most of the switches are padlocked or sealed 30 that they cannot be thrown by accident,

Buried

1 was told that some are even buried in the homb where they cannot be reached except by specially shaped tools kept

HUTCHISON locked away. A madman Intent

~(London Expresa Servier).

QUOTE

-by Labour

Party Chairman Mr Richard Crossman, at Nat- tingham-

on exploding the weapon would have to tear it apart to reach Them and would automatically moke it harmless,

While each weapon is on the drawing board and several times during its development the safely mechanisms

are critically examined by groups of indo- pendent safety experts.

Then after the firing mechon- isms have been proved In iests culminating in the kind of ex- plusions trow In progress. In Russia, they undergo further THE car is becoming merely a scrutiny by an independent

status symbol. The only safely tribunal, purpose in getting one, is inving As the Defence Ministry told

She has, Ne saki, bien sing to stand in a traffic jam while

ing ever since she can remem-hiply 'trains go by.

ber, but things began to inove.

when 1 abswered an advertise- ment for pop music school. The fees were 238, for half an heur, but the coaching wuz terrife,"

☆

from the Police Review: THE exponetits of civil dis. Tobedience in this country They know the obstruction (beg one big advantage. public was cause will not be dealt with by fire Jones, lear gan, rubber truncheons. or rifle bulls.

A record company heard her, anade a fest recording. Her first record to hit One

made in January.

music.

She can't rend

pick up v tune

Helen's new

she says.

start tvlih

don't want to boast, but I ca Instead they nay 'expect to be pretty quick," carried to a watting conveyance amil taken to convenient police stations where they will be riches offered ball. *

So far,

show not so much in the girl

herself but In her home.

me "Before a weapon is að- mitted into stockpile a further study is made by A separate body, not only of the weapon design. but of the conditions under which it will be stored and maintained,

Weapons which were unques- tionably safe have nevertheless been fited with extra safety de- vices us a fesult of the super-

cautions insisteree of this rt- mechanical barriers preventing bunal, which

the operation of the nuclear ex- responsibility.

nlusive nove aside,

carries the nnar

Loaded

No blast

fighter bombers carrying atomic weapons.

The nightmare

Guards life

No active 11-bombs are carried on patrols frum, Dritain either by the RAF, or the U.S.A.F. Bombs Blown in by the U.S. arrivo ismantled

Wherever nuclear webpons are located the most stringent pre- caulluses ure taken to prevent unauthorised persons from get- ting near them.

The weapons are stored behind three sets of security fences, in Ileos made of concrete so thick that they could not be destroyed By ariary demolition charges, and ätted with alarm systemis, There are armed guards with police dogs patrolling at the might

(I dnt that the storage of U.S. weapons In Britain is sill not quite up to the extreme Air Ministry requirements. Το pat this right the U.5. Government is building improved storage and maintenance facilities for

nuclear weapons at Sculthorpe, Wethersfeld, Woodbridge, and Lakenheath).

Reviews

access

of the man

who

lost his Goya

HERBERT

by

KRETZMER

WHEN the telephone rang in the Islington

home of Sir Philip Hendy at 8.10 on the

are morning of August 22 he was stark naked.

Close attention is paid to the psychological make-up of ati

with

tn men

nucleat weapons, ABY abowing

the Beast sign of instability quickly posted.

This safely policy has worked It was one of the most bizarre elfectively during the seven moments in Sir Philip's normal-

'That was nearly two months years

wieldedly calm and ordered life. nuclear

ago. When I met Sir Philip in Wasting no time, the early his alry semi-Gallery, the other nuclear weapons are designed morning telephone caller in-day he was still to detonate if ever

feeling needed for formed Sir Philly that the strain.. USO In muger the authorities feel they

£140,000 Goya portrait of the became van never euniplacent about

Britain

กะร่

Bul power.

#

because

possible

Because of the need to con Because of these barriers vince t aggressor that the nuclear explosive canriot de- nuclear weapons in Britain would tonute if an aircraft crashes, or

Duke of Wellington had vanish- not be eliminated by a surprise a missile explodes on the pad. A neefdient.

ed from the National Gallery. attack, many of the H-bombs small charge of ordinary explo-

Sir Philip is the director So the precautions are con-

of are 11031 in stockpile." They sive which is part of

the Gallery. the tinnusly reviewed by a Nuclear

He is the man, in are loaded In barbers sitting detonating mechanism can go off Safety Commiteg including short, who lost it, in "roßex areas" on runways an impact, but as several crushes suunt of Britain's foremost Sir Philip recalled the other ready to take off at a few with nuclear weapons aboard selentille brains, headed by Sir day: "I knew something was up. minutes' notice. Others are have proved, this never sets of Solly Zuckerman, the Chief Jumped out of the bath, wring- in the nose-cones of Thor rockets the nuclear charte.

Defence Selentist.

ing wet. I couldn't believe it. on launching siles and In Pojnels

A disaster of such magnitude. missiles in submarines based on

"How do Hnly Loch. How are these wea

you feel when pons safeguarded?

you've just a Guya? Well, r'a

The same is true if the ordin- ary exalesive in the bomb is set off by fire. Nuclear material may he sealtered, cresting a localsed

but polson hazard, there is no nuclear blast. to complete Could à berserk bomber crew In missiles there take off without orders and

In addition to the switches in the bombs there are cockpit switches essential the circuit,

weapon cannot resible.

are master switches in the nal drop the H-bombs on Russia, servicing trailers.

thereby starting a nuclear, warf Every with all these switches I was assured that this is not throwr. the

The arming of the operate until it has been dropped humb by ground crews is not from an aircraft or been launch- done will the last minute, ed in a missile. It must reach a There are additional controls curtain acceleration before final over the plots of single-seater

WE'VE

Committees are no- toriously slow because

they tend to be too tell you You feel a bloody

the

"I can't say I've had a decent night's sleep since I happened," be said.

"I have weird and fantastic dreams," he added. "But never, strangely enough, about the actual portralt. Instead I dicara Leeds during the war. about gallery I started near

"I was very happy there, was very peaceful,

Rurely seen, seldom inter- lewed, Sir Phillp Hendy, at 1, is a rongy six-footer, fatiess as a greyhound. He has grey hair,

handsome features, -

deshingly Regarding fool, and that's the truth."

Strain

over

meticulous, the safe-guards the unprecedented pow- der keg on which we are sitting day and night, this one cannot be too meticulous for me. :

(Lukion Express Service).

OIL MAN.

BY JAK

“REMBRANDT, PICASSO, DA VINCI. SO WHATE

LOST THE

Confused and alarmed; the naked knight decided to do without breuitfasi.

He leaped into a sitit and then into a taxi. At Trafalgar Square, police wailed....

IF IT'S 30" x 40". Í'LL TAKE IT."

Laddan Kapreji Boizlea,

MOON RACE

grout indon racp ---- AND THE MAN WHO IS SAYING IT IS

AMERICA has lost the already. 'Amtarica

must This

A TOP AMERICAN SPACE DOCTOR

While Helen's blonde motherby Sir Howard Flurey, prest-face up to that fact. made me a cup of tea I sat in dent of the Royal Society, at an Is the conviction of one of a cream and red armchnir, part assembly of the International of a brand new suite, and ad- Council of Selentifle Unions in har top space. medicino mired the shiny cocktail cabinet. London:---

oxports, General Den

Falar hope never did anyone 40, and other good." Gen. Flickinger told me, YF we could, at this time, cir- Flickinger,

culate in a satellite watching distinguished scientists "Russlaris now hold auch a

commanding lead we

the new curtains and csepel.

Autographs

Helen played records her. records. Her full, deep voice, played an luud un it would go. illed, the sinal sitting recei

"It," 1 mid, Sbe beamed. Sho loves being recognised

cannot

You

In detall the evolutions at our here "whom I have inter hope to beat them to the mons fellow men, we might well lave vlowed in the past three What we need is time. ou to despair, for we are a pécullar species.

days.

eannot buy time with money- They believe the British and not even with an extra 3,500 American public should bo billion dollars." jolted out of the idea that who

issue.

*

to the prosecution in a parking incter cose:-

THO

ble epico

and

ment

a pronounced isenchant

with television, motor- cars, and personal pubilelty..

He is vastly respected us scholar and dininistrator, ond

A

Tought a series of brisk bat- tles for his Gallery, crossing swords with Petro Annigoni and badgering 'Governmeni and trustees inte expanding the range and scope of the collection under his command.

The start

His regime has been a brilliant one until the vadishing Goyn threatened to shoot It down

In flames.

Sir Phiilp said: "Could

stand a Gallery coffee?

you

cup of National

We walked along ley passages to the tea room. "There are 250 windows in this place." sold Sir Philip, "One hundred and eighty private rooins. Paintings worth £200 million. I'm full of statis- tes since the Goya went, .."

The coffee wasn't at all bad. We talked about Sir-Philip's life In art, which started at 23 when he came down from Oxford." "I was going to be a schoolmaster at Eton," he said without notice- able regret. "Then, one after- noon at tea, my papa suggested jokingly 1 might folt up with the Wallace Collection.

"It never occurred to me that there was anyone in museums

except porters in uniform. I took my father's Joke seriousty, and there you are."

Sculptures

The Hendys live in the Canch- bury area of Islington-"now alleged to be becoming fashion- able in a home graced by Henry Moore sculptures and drawings.

There is

one son, Mark, 24, just down from Cambridge, working for a London art book publisher.

Di

Such was the gentle and de- dicated pattern of Sir Philip Hendy's te until the fretsorte unhenvals

the zitghl of August 21. He remembers odd details of that night. "I was in airal coming back from 料 visit to a sick slater in Sussex, I looked out of the window and noticed that it was becoming dark. Funny, remembering that during those moments the Goya went,

+

So sad

projects through

with

interest, no vested General Flickinger was voicing) the Arai rumblings of perimism among US. scientist,

"Security has been tightened Hula, he mided, would bring up terribly, of course, and t them to the verge of bankruptcy has deprived me of my greatest the advanced systems used in unless the disorganized wastage pleasure In the Gagarin and Tilov space was slopped.

the old days From Peter Fairley, dlahts which were several yours

waited until the visitors went Ife explained it was vital for home cach, evening, Then I ahead of anything in the West, the free world to be told the played arounut. That's when I Washington.

yoului General, who true sfidation 12 thá rellred from the air foren two race la nyold is moralo being goneumes until nine o'clock at

space really looked at my pictures. months age in reported disgust haltercl when with the way America was run reached the moon arst.

the Russians night. That wan my joy. Now I've got to, gel out when they Trotically, be added, Soviet lock up. successen with then in space all over. It's gone for guod..." That kind of fun fa

Having Amerlea "a and elvilian space tremendous amount

Sir Philip looked at me with of Timo a

kind of haunted andres, and money."

3'll tell you something,” itd **I blame

The US, hail gained' o' lot of d "va, woken up every experience from them despite morning for "Only milliary

the last seven organiên- the fact that Rurala had kept weeks with a sense of absolute on," he added, "has experience back many of the results, and momentum needed to carry

catastrophe..." (London Expresa Service).

London Krytase Harvies),

price of our post mistaltes, ning her mado effort, shid bia The General, who has fire-particularly our failure to give country, inade "the graver by Mr A. A. Pereira, Clerkten-it te mon first is a hand knowledge of Russia's Cir Auks proprene single her military and donated well magistrate, refusing conta

synco offert, went on: "1am. luded direction." not being a defentist. It is time

Flickinger doubted that Pre- programmes. faced people

realities and sident's Kennedy's avowed goal understood what in involved. It of an American will take us 30 years witole in 1970 could possibly be met.

on the moon riew generation to gain equality American experts, he said In Apace, We af paying the' And kesti kinazed by sole of

1

'We noed timo' in the street.

She keeps to her hairstyléss

They consider that President short back and sides and behind pine poor unfortunate mator-Kennedy is wrong to turn it the mars, because her nge lata nee hlt quite hard publicly into a matter of West- starting felor Shapiro hairstyles | enough.

ern prestige.

were