1935-02-06 — Page 2

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SCIENTIFIC STUDY OF TRAFFIC PROBLEMS

It is the constant endeavour of scientific workers when carrying out experimental work to vary one factor at a time," but as pointed out by Colonel Mervin O'Gorman in an interesting ad- dress to The British Science Gulld studies of the road-traffic prob- lem are almost invariably vitiated by the number of variables pre- sent. The main object of Colonel O'Gornian's address was to plead for the creation of a committee, consisting of disinterested scien- tific men, whose duty it should be to study road transport in all its aspects, and to devise experi- mental methods by means which the importance of each in- dividual factor could be inves- tigated.

of

Importance of Road Transport.

The Arst part of the address was devoted to bringing out the importance of road transport to the nation, and in this, the point was made that the system of in- dustrial production which had proved to be particularly suited to this country was that of specialising in the production of kidustrial parts in separate fac- tortes, these parts being after- wards brought together to form the completed product hi an assembly works. Such a system. however, depended for its sdécèss en good transport facilities, and as the component factories in the scheme were usually only a few miles apart, road transport had been found most suitable for the purpose.

Accident Aspect

The present stress on the ac- cident aspect of the road prob- lem was somewhat deprecated by the speaker. To place it, in its true perspective. figures were quoted to show that the number of fatal road accidents were ac- tually less than those within the home, or those from measles and whooping cough. It appears to us to be as misleading to con- sider only the fatal road ac-

cidents as to accept the usual' published figures covering all road accidents as a basis for ac tion, and that Colonel O'Gorman himself appreciates this was sug- gested in a later part of his ad- dress, where he appealed, for i definition of a ́oad casualty equivalent to that already ac- cepted on the railways.

In suggesting the type of work which the proposed committee night carry out, Colonel Ö’Gör- man's chief point was that im- provement should be sought in the direction of so affecting the traffic flow that each quantum of flow wis achieved for an ever- dwindling number of acidents.

Other points were that the-. committee should collect and tabulate data in all practicable directions, and that they should determine

most the

suitable weight of Individual goods vehicles from the widest point of view, including traffic now; road cost, and road wear,

Deterrents to Accidentä" The address closed with a fur- ther ist of subjects suitable for

scientific study, such as cross road traffic, ribbon bullding,' lighting, pedestrian's troubles, and punishments for breaches of the trainé laws. In connection with the latter, Colonel O'Gor man stated that quilte clearly the terriic character of the deter- rents at present hanging over the driver involved in a fatal road accident have been ineffective, and suggested that still severer deterrents would fall in their oby ject, because they could and would not be borne in mind at the time that à critical decision had to be made. It may, how- ̈ ever, be suggested in this connec- tion, that if breaches of the road regulations were punished, when- ever observed, whether they re- sulted in an accident or not, the reflex actions of the driver would receive a healthy stimulus in the right direction.

BEAUTIES OF THE DALES

A Tour Through Yorkshire

A special interest is always attached to a novelist whose works are identified with a de- finite locality, and

this respect the late Halliwell Sut- cliffe deserves a wide popularity, for many of the most famous beauty spots of the Yorkshire Dales appear in his writings. The books are classics of by- gone Yorkshire. life. per- petuating types and customs lost to us for all time, and there- fore indispensable to all whq would gain a deeper knowledge of the county. The itineraries embodied in the novels will pro- vide the motorist with a delight- ful holiday.

The market town of Skipton displays

interesting many features. principal ones being the old church and castle; the latter has a courtyard which claims to be the most pictures- que In Europe. In the wide

"Linton, grey and comely on either side its stream"; and "Thorpe, the dear hamlet lying under shelter of the folded hills." Rylstone, with its pretty old church and tranquil pond, forms the principal setting for "Pam. the Fiddler," and here.. too, occur striking incidents in: "Ricroft of Withens" and "The Open Road."

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Sutcliffe Uved for inany years iri a charming old house at Linton, where one should "note the ancient church of St. Michael and the quaint Geor gian almshouse.

Thorpe. hidden away in the. hills, was a place of refuge for the surrounding villagers when the Scots too, a colony of shoemakers was came raiding. here,

established for hundreds of years. The village appears as Dene in "Toward the Dawn." and under its own name in

main street we can recall the "The Crimson Field," that spien- fight between Cavaller Roundhead.

and In *The White Horses," and the rescue of Kit Norton from the gallows in "Pam the Fiddler.". "Storm" and "The Gay Hazard" also pro- a number of enthralling

vide

scenes.

Haworth

From Skipton, via either Colne or Keighley, & splendid road over the wildest moorland pro ceeds to Haworth, where the name of Butcliffe should stare almost equal honours with that of Brontë, for this dour little village is the Marahcotes of "Mistress Barbara Cunliffe,” "Through Sorrow's Gates." and also those magnificent feud tales "Shameless Wayne," "Ricroft of Withens" and "Red of the Feud." A mile or two beyond Haworth

is another bleak village, Stan-

bury. Ponden Fall a study mui

did tale of Flodden Field. In this novel mention is made of Hubberholme Church,.. which stands amidst the most lovely and secluded surroundings, and which is famous for its good-

Retracing our steps, we pass through the wide market square of. Grassington, the scene of many "feasts" and gatherings," and we remember also the old- time theatricals held in the great barn there. This district comes into "The Kiln," "The Heather Bride" and "Battling- Keepe

Pretty Burnsall beside the Wharfe (do not miss seeing the ancient Grammar School and; -church). Appletrewick, where the High. Hall has pre-Renais-

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HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1935.

MOTOR

JOTTINGS

PRIVATE CARS

THE CROSSINGS EARTH'S DAILY

IN LONDON

IN BRITAIN

Registrations Show Increase

(Special Air Mall Service)

London, Jan. 12.

An increase of 35.4 per cent. in the number of vehicle registra- tions In Great Britain was re- corded last October, compared with October, 1933.

According to the monthly pro- gress report of the Society, of Motor Manufacturers and Trad- ers, private car registrations in October increased by 40.2 per `cent. over October, 1933, and orily stead add coal-gas goods vehi- »cles showed a decline.

For the twelve months to September, 1934, the total regis- trations increased by 21.9 per cent over the twelve months to

September, 1933. The number of private cars registered th the 215,816 and, in October, 1934, 17,- twelve months ending 1934 was

966, against 12,816 in 1833.

Production figures for British manufacturers also show a steady increase, and, every month since November, 1933, until October, 1934 more private cars and taxi- cabs have been produced than in the same period of the previous

.. year:

The production totals for the twelve months ending September, 1933 and 1934, were 220,779 and 256,806 respectively.

Commercial vehicle "production nas also increased..

IL

Exports of private cars and taxis show a slight falling of from 285 in November, 1933, to 681 in 1934,

Production rates are still being accelerated in many leading Bil- tish factories, and the last com- plete working week of the year has been the bustest in the bls- tory of the Morris Company."

a circular building the chapel -from which radiate small bed- sitting poms. They were found- ed in 1593 by the third Countess of Cumberland. We get some delightful glimpses of the place In "The Gay Hazard," where the hero is hunted all over this locality by a crowd of ruffling squires.

Blubberhouses to Knaresborough

From Bolton you can make. your way over that fine stretch of moorland called Blubber- houses to Harrogate, near which Is the little township of Knarss borough Open your copy of "The White Horses" and read how, it is a town beautiful as a man's dream of fairyland. At the foot Nidd River swirled, and from the stream, tier on tier, the comely houses climbed the steep cliff-face, with trees and gardens softening all its outline. It was a town, to live at case in to dream high dreams." Despite many moderniams, it is easy to picture Here Kit Metcalfe and the delicate courtship of "Milks Bingham and the gallant Blake.. A mife or two oh brings us to Ripley, one of the most charm- ing of model villages, dominated. by the old castle Where the Ingelbys have lived lot maný generations: "The White Horses" gives the episode of Lady Ingül- by keeping watch over Croniweli when he stayed one night under her roof..

4

Thus you will find that to Ex plore a county through the medium of its fiction constitutes a charming little holiday.

POLICEWOMEN FOR PARIS

sance plaster work and a Problem Of Uniform

minstrel's gallery these places. and the country as far as Bolton

lioned house of the early nine-Abbey and magnificent portrayal

teenth century, adjoins the ruins of a far more ancient home- stead. This is the Wynyates of "Mistress Barbara Cunliffe.” Near here, too, is the Silent Inn, with Its memories of rustic: gatherings and thralling feud fights...

Butcliffe, has a marked affec- tion for three little places be yond Skipton; "Rylstone village, clean between clean hills"; and clean between clean hills"

inThe Crimson Field." The afteenth-century ruins of Bar- den Tower and the Bridge' ap- pear as Logie ir "Storm" "Ad-"": Joining the chapel la the home of the Lister family, where they have lived for several hundred years, and where you may enjoy a good Yorkshire tea whilst looking at various antiques.

Beyond Bolton we come to the Beamsley almshouses, unique in point of architecture, comprising

Still Unsettled

Special Police On The Watch

(Special Air Mall Service)

London, Jan. 12.

- "Prosecutions of motorists and "Pedestrians who break the regula- tions at the foot crossings in Lon- don can now be expected to be come frequent.

In suitable cases warnings will still be given, a correspondent was officially informed but it is now considered that sufficient time has elapsed for the public generally to be aware of the law regarding the crossings. There will be cor- plete impartiality as between drivers and pedestrians.

Three months have passed alice the regulations were made. It was always intended that à length of time should pass with out prosecutions, so that the lay ing down of the crossings with studs and beacons.could progress and the public become accustom- ed to their use.

..r:

Special Duty Police have been specially de tailed for duty in connection with the crossing regulations. ings have been against

So far the only court proceed- a few drivers, but many warnings have Deen given on the spot by spec- lally instructed uniformed officers. A few plain-clothes officers have been detalled to note the way in which the crossings are used,

"ROOM 40"

BRAINS

Detector of Enemy Secrets

בד.

Secrets of the famous "Room 40" at the Admiralty during the war are recalled by the death at his home at Cambridge, of Sir Alfred Ewing, the distinguished sicentist and engineer.

Bir Alfred was born at Dundee and was seventy-nine years of age. He was President of the British Association in 1932.

As Director of Naval Education at the Admiralty under Mr. Wins- ton Churchill, then First Lord, Bir- Alfred was asked to under take the task of intercepting and decoding- enemy wireless messages in cipher, an dhe became the brains behind the famous "Room 40."

His great work there in counter- acting the plans of enemy spleg was kept a closely guarded secret for a considerable period after the cessation of hostilities.

movements

From Decemebt, 1914, the Ger- mah Beet made. nd which were not known in advance by the British Admiralty, thanks. to the skill of Sir Alfred And his stal.

The day before the battle of Dogger Bank it was learnt that: German ships were coming out, at what time they were coming, and where they were going,

One of the greatest achievements of the department was to decode a message from an ordinary comb entwined with sewing cotton.

Someone suggested that each space between the teeth represent- ed a letter, and by unwinding the thread and following its course tooth by tooth a message was de- elphered which led to the discovery of a nest of naval spies.

gaged for some time in social

work

Wear

The policewomen are to devote themselves to the care of children and minors. They are to some sort of uniform, since they must be recognized by the public, but Mille Vénic expresses the hope that she and her colleagues will not be made ridiculous in the eyes of mele policeman's képi. Farisians by having to wear a

(Special Air Mail Service)

London, Jan. 19. Paris is to have women police for an experimental period of Two of the policewomen four of whom bave been appointed three months. If the experiment keep watch over the exi is success the number will be schools and U

Vlook dftar extended.KOL increased and the women's duties found wandering at

other two will be stationed at the The first policewoman is Mile Prefecture to help in cases involv Jeanne Véniel, who has been en- ing women and children.

The

BOMBARDMENT

20,000,000 Meteors Out Of Space

(Special Air Mail Servicei

Londoa, Jan. 19. Space is not empty. It is filled (or at least evenly populated) with countless meteors thrown off by the thousands of millions of known

stars.

This is the conclusion which has been drawn by British astronomers from a two years' survey of meteor arrivals undertaken in Arizona by Harvard University. It will be advanced, it is expected by Dr. M. Davidson, formerly director of the meteor section of the British Astronomical Association, at the association's next meeting,

Although no official interpreta- tion of the American records has yet been forthcoming Dr David of the Morning Post that they son pointed out to a representative` proved that considerably more than 20,000,000 meteors strike the earth every day; many of them originate outside the solar system; ..they come from all. directions

equally

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Many of these meteora are no higger than a grain of sand. It is only the enormous speed of their arrival in the earth's atmosphere which makes them glow sufficiently brightly to be visible.

PROGRESS WITH THE "QUEEN MARY"

Internal Work On Ship Advancing

M

Special Air Mail Service)

London Jan. 19. Viewed from the southern bank of the River Clyde, the giant Cunard White Star liner, the Queen Mary, her stern projecting far into the navigable waterway, presents little sign of the beehive industry proceeding inside her hull.

The workmen who clambered like fies over her framework a few months ago have disappeared, but inside the Vessel and throughout the engineer, ing shops of Messrs. John Brown and Co., Ltd, Clydebank, thousands of men are working night and day to ensure the ses in the spring of 1938. that she shall pass down the river to

changed from the time when, with To the eye, the Queen Mary is little the blessing of the Queen, she entered the water in September. The three funnels which will complete the beauty and symmetry of her appear ance are not yet erected.

mony has been principally confined to Progress since the launching cere engineering sheds and the hundreds of establishments up and down the country which are dealing with the innumerable sub-contracts.

The main exterior sign of alteration is provided by the substitution of Queen Mary for "No. 534,"

Interior Walls

Canard-White Star fleet will be fitted made shortly. The first recruit to the with more electrical machinery than any other ship afloat, and the electrical industry of Britain will benefit con- siderably.

Orders for the ship's. 24. lifebosts "have been placed.

M'Lean and Sons, Govar, received the Messrs Hugh contract a few days ago,

These lifeboats will be the largest and best equipped in the world. Each host will be fireproof and unsinkable. and will be fitted with Disst motors which will work even if the boat were flooded. Two "leaders" are equipped with wireless.

to be.

the Clyde Lighthouses Trustees are to Although much remains to be done, consider at their February meeting the question of dredging the river to permit of the safe passage of the Queen Mary

Steps are being taken to berth the Bowling daring her journey. Pilots liner at the old Admiralty wharf at believe that the ship can be taken. down the river on one tide with a safety margin, but the builders are determined not to turn the slightest risk, and are to use two tides

Great Momenta On entering the water the liner was

Smith (as" big-game-hunting little more than a shell, but three friend concludes yarn): "By jove! months work have resulted in the con- Yes! How thrilling! By the way, struction of the interior walls and the talking of hunting, did I ever tell beginning of cabin construction.

you about that time our canary got out?"

The boilers are ready for placement, and it is likely that a start with the installation of the machinery will be

The Only Possible Verdict A crime I contemplate is the re- moval of one of those inhuman

torturers of wireless listeners-a crooner," writes Peter Simple in the "Morning Post."

New Discovery“ Allowing for the earth's speed of eighteen miles a second round the sun, 44 miles a second is the greatest possible speed of arrival" for a meteor which has originated within the solar system." Dr. Davidson stated, "Now meteors mall. They must add alightly to have been observed with arrival the earth's weight, but the gain speeds of up to 130 miles a second. must be relatively small, because "There is nothing essentially there does not appear to have been surprising in the idea that the any slowing up in the speed of

Nightly he and his race make stars should throw out matter. the earth's rotation from this there will be no moaning at any countless thousands mourn, but We know that the son throws out cause." prominences from its surface, and

bar when he passes. The Harvard survey was organiz it is quite possible that it may ed by Dr. Ernst Opik, of that the consequences, for I can con- From myself, I have no fear of throw a certain amount of matter University, and largely owes its ceive of no jury of twelve sane completely clear.

"Although

success to the employment of pre- many "meteors etrike the earth, it must be remem bered that most of them are very

50

*

W

cise instruments for recording the citizens bringing in any verdict positions and speeds of incoming ether than one of "Justifiable meteors..

"Germicide."

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