1938-10-06 — Page 10

10

CAN WE BE ORIGINAL

How

often we think we have I made, an original remark, only to find we were quoting someone else! Or we may think we have had an original idea, only to find that someone else had it long ago

and told us of it!

In way this is humiliating. In

n way sooling, for we are some- olher, times inclined to think that people have taken our ideas with- out giving us the alightest credit for them.

For instance, to those of us who time and write this may happen again. Our ariletes

or stories pra by other people who have seen em; "stolen" or "plagiarised," call

will.

it what you will

We

not unnaturally feel that we have been badly treated. But per- haps

aps the theft has been innocent→→

our theft of other us innocent as

people's phrases or ideas. In fact, if we go back far enough, our article may only have been a copy of come- one else's.

Echo of Wordsworth

Once, when I was discussing this with a friend, she recounted an odd experience, which had bearing on this subject, and may help us to make allowances for apparent "copy-

+cais"

As a very small girl she had a school essay to write, an orginal des- cription of some phase of Nature. She had forgotten exactly what it was-summer or winter, or sunrise or sunset. She enjoyed writing that essay, and regarded it as about the best thing she had done,

When the master gave out the results he

her never mentioned name, and asked her to stay behind the cines. She was puzzled, but ex- pected praise. Instead, she received blame.

Asked for an original essay, she had merely paraphrased a poem of Wordsworth's!

THE⠀ ⠀⠀ HONGKONG : TELEGRAPH, "

THURSDAY, OCTOBER

1938.

MONSTERS ON THE CANADIAN PACIFIC

Wiard's sledge and steam-

ship

1.

Swan of Ermouth

2.

3.

Whaleback steamer s

4.

Popofke

5.

Sir Henry Bessemer's ship

SIXTY years ago a ship

was invented,

which

She wept, she did not know constituted the climax of Wordsworlls, and did not remember the poem The master read it to crazy inventions. It was a

OCEAN

have forgotten that a ship does not only roll. Bessemer voyagers

STEAMSHIP - MORAN -*

FALLWAYS

BERTHING PLANS FOR 1939 ARE OPENPRE

were not rolling seasick,, but MAKE BOOKINGS EARLY

pitching seasick, which made less difference than the name,

to secure accommodation desired

The Popoffkas finished their swan's breast, however, a won. After the first experiment no TO CANADA, UNITED STATES and EUROPE: existence sixty years ago and derfally designed ladies' boudoir other Bessemer ships were we do not quite know whether was built in.

built.

vis Shanghai, Kobe & Yokohama

EMPRESS OF CANADA via Honolulu EMPRESS OF RUSSIA

EMPRESS OF JAPAN via Honolulu EMPRESS OF ASIA

the

Air-conditioned equipment on Frequent

we should laugh because of the For two or three years the grotesque ridiculousness of this proud bird sailed along the Sir Henry Bessemer's Idea and other inventions of that English coast, and then disap. had some sense anyhow, which epoch .or at the credulity peared, as many of its pre- cannot be said of the sensa which mlatook these extra- decessors and followers,

tional invention” of an Ameri- vagances for super-wonders. The sea has always inspired can who constructed Another very practical inven- mankind to great feats and "whaleback steamer." tion, at least on paper, was many men live on in our

the combined memory for brave exploits on He thought that a whale is sledge and the occan, Some, however, we unhampered even in stormy steamship of have not forgotten, not because weather and that its immense American their exploits were heroic, but frame remains steady. Wiard. It mea- their efforts, such as the in: simple but ingenious idea was Bured 48ft. and ventions of many constructors to build a ship following the could, or rather who racked their brains to find shape of a whale. But as it should, carry a cure for seasickness,

would be very unpleasant for

50 person 8,

because it is not likely that

her, and she had to admit the para-warship, circle-round, with- It travelled of

phrase. She must have heard that

name of its author, and had been so

appear in her essay. Subconscious Tricks

Possibly most plagiarism is, like hers, subconscious. The next time we suffer from it let us try to think that, Instead of saying "Copy-cats!" I suppose it is very difficult to be

realny original. Probably copying 801

someone. Anything out of Russian Tsar. the ordinary impresses us and Hes hidden in our memory

until we

to want it, when we produce

ten over the snowfields or broke the waves

The machine

the

because of the peculiarity of

C.P.R.

...Neon, Fri, Oct. 14. · Noon, Thurs, Oct. 27. .Noon, Fri, Nov. 11, .........Fri, Nov. 25.

Trans-Continental - Trains) Canadian Pacific Atlantic sailors to European Park”,

TO MANILA

EMPRESS OF CANADA

2.00 am Fri., Det

The

One of these the passengers to live in the was Sir Henry stomach of that whale, the Bessemer, pre saloons were built high above. sident of the the hull, on a skeleton of steel

Iron and Steel poles.

Institute of Great Britain,"

honorary citizen'

of London and The experimental ship sailed Inember of the in 1890 on Lake Superior and the "American Steel Barge Company," which had built the ship, had the idea of building 50 more to maintain the traffic between America and Europe. Two years later a monster of this kind really crossed the ocean. It had a displacement | of 14,000 tons and was 500ft. long. It carried a cargo of 3,000 tons of wheat,

But the voyage was not so peaceful as the constructor, had

poem at some time or other-pro-

ro-out keel, prow or atern; it bably without eliher its name or the was like a flat plate, which impressed that it had lingered in spouted smoke and soot. of the river. her subconscious memory-to -The ship had a displace-

ment of 2,500 tons and a could be lifted 3ft. high during Royal Society, who ardently de hoped. The new ship pitched draught of only 13ft. The motion, to glide over low snow sired to cross the sea without and rolled precisely as much as, inventor was 2 Russian heaps; in case of higher ob- sacrificing his dinner to Nep- if not more than, any previous Vice-Admiral, A. A. Popoff, had to stop to be lifted over by fortune. His plan was to con- luxurious first and second class, structions the ice locomotive tune and therefore spent a ship; the passengers of the general adjutant of His Ma- means of jacks. It weighed struct the middle part of the jesty Alexander II., the three and a half tons and is said ship, which contained the saloon, high over the stomach of the to have cost two thousand dol- so that it floated horizontally in whale, were badly seasick. The lars. It travelled for several the hull of the ship.

third class passengers, how- Two of these ships were built, weeks in the neighbourhood of

were put in the ever, who An engineer called Reed con- like Jack Horner and may What and the maiden trip of the St. Paul and on the Mississippi, structed the vessel according to whale-hull, died like flies. It a good boy, um 1!" Instead of feel-Novgorod on the river Neva then it somehow disappeared."

the plans of Bessemer. It was wus a great fiasco and the 320ft. long and 46ft. wide. "whaleback" did not return to If it comes to that, very little of ties and the plate shaped ships

Our phrases,

A somewhat longer life had Through the whole length of the States.

a gigantic our ideas, our outlook on life-we were mockingly called Popoff- the Swanship of Captain George the hull floated

As long as men's brains will Peacock from Exmouth, in St. Petersburg was full of South Devonshire. The Swan its longitudinal axis. It was invent, crazy inventions will be admiration for the wonderful of Exmouth it was called and provided with every comfort put forward by eager inventors, invention, but five years later the name proudly stood on the and elegance of the time, the but only a retrospective view the prow of finest qualities of wood, leather gives us a good iden of the silli- The subconscious is a queer thing,

blue silk flag on both Popoffkas was broken up. that comical ship. It was 16ft. and other material were used. if our ideas or stories or phrases The

of game

the Vice- high, the wings acted as, sails have made sufcient Impression anyone to be stored for future use Admiral had died a natural and added to that the "bird" even if they are trotted out with the death and had swallowed up was propelled forward by two air of the White Knight when he several million roubles. Why mighty swimming feet, which Several hundred people had

the admiral had constructed were controlled with a handle occasion to become as seasick Fred these

ships, crazy

nobody like old firepump. The on this ship as on any other knows, and perhaps the admiral Inside resembled an "elegant 1st ship batween Dover and Calais, himself did not quite know why, class railway carriage." In the for the constructor seemed to

ing. "A good idea, but someone else's was attended by such a crowd and I'm palming it off as my own." that there were several casual-

our minds is our own.

get most of them from someone cise; | kas. although we have probably forgot- ten the source long since and pro-

duce banalitics us if they were pearls

and we ought really to feel flattered

said, "Quite my own Invention!"

SL F. M.

Street Decorating

Aa The Germans Did It

on

THE Royal visit to Paris and the cordial welcome accorded to King George and Queen Elizabeth, focused Edinburgh's attention once again on the vexed subject of street decorations. Most people of aesthe-. tic tastes are agreed that, a town like Edinburgh ought to bring out all her national treasures when dis- tinguished visitors pay a visit to our Capital.

in

one of

the

an

They make about (and

saloon, which could turn round

a

ness and uselessness of some of the things in which we have believed.

Coppersmith

lot of fuss

money out of) frocks

fifth largest employér ok

acason's show;

A big collection can

Union

Building

Canadian Pacific

Telephone 20752

SWEDISH EAST ASIATIC

SERVICE OF FAST MOTOR VESSELS

(with limited, but exceptionally good passenger-accommodation). TO POET SUDAN, PORT SAID, ALGIERS, ORAN, CASABLANCA, ANTWERP, ROTTERDADL * (AMSTERDAM). HAMBURG, COPENHAGEN, OSLO, GOTHENBURG and other SCANDINA- VIAN FORTS, HOMEWARDS:

M.V. “SHANTUNG"

M.V. "TAMARA”

OUTWARDS toi Yokožams, Kobe & Oaks. M.V. "TAMARA”

ALV. "NANKING"

Passenger Rates:

To London or Antwerp

Hongkong. GILMAN & CO., LTD. Phone: 30966, - ...

Sailing about

2813 Oct

27th Nov.

12th Oct.

18th Nov.

£33.0.0.

Agents:

* Canton. G. E. HUYGEN.. Phone: 11493.

OUR BRITISH CROSSWORDS

ACROSS

3 It may prevent flooding from

itself beheaded (5).

0 He probably pays rent, but nus

so much at first (0).

9 The latter part of this course

has many branches (0),

10 Fashion from # disordered

phase (5).

תי

11 This Imp curtailed may be on

A ship (0). If 12 To do so would be a profound

development (6).

13 Fortunate is the person who is * destined to do this at, the 'pre-

-sent time (7).

7 Sappers in two directions quite

undisturbed · (0),'

13 A confusing way, since out is.

14 It gives but pleasing airs (6), 15 Bring into opération' (5);

a plain steed apparently“

16.Not

-- (8). A

17 It may go from collar to glove

(5)...

18 Under hit

guidance things should run straightly' (6),

22 Keep soparate from sea toll (7) 29 Though you start it, you will se never succeed in : growing it.

(7). 25 This creature would be very

thin if reversed (0), CA 20 Can be kind, though some say

cruel (9).

or

as if it ought to be

20 Bring to

Mention of heraldic emblems colour recalls Berlin in the summer

British Isles cach Then there are the saleswomen, as the mannequins clothes in the visitore dang the Olympiade, not WHY should London newspapers scribble down

go-betweens for designers, and cus- of any particular. distinction, think it worth while to send go by. At the end of the day we year.

Three hundred thousand people in fomers. Head saleswomen get £0 a but tourists from all over the world. writers and artists twice every year have to sort out what is news, and

I recall my

Great Britain make their living out week, but they make six or seven impressions of the

what is fashion. to report the Paris dress showst pageantry on that occasion, and Lye- "The August shows, telling women People watching the fashion shows of these clothes. At the top, the de- hundred a year with commission.

they know are extreme member being amazed at the alza

months before the fashions what they are going to wear this this year were purple-faced in the signers. Three

hard time trying and beauty of the flags displayed.winter, are over.

heat. I found myself sticking to the shows open they have to start plan- they are in for Flags, not only representing Ger- many, but all the nations of

There are those who will have back of a chair and the gilt came off ging their collection, getting out new to persuade women they look nice been saying,

10 The start shelters the hands, British

that it is absurd to on my dress. But your own clothes ideas, trying to gauge which way dressed like maypoles, or Arctic ex- Commonwealth; likewise "waste" so thuch time and money on cessa. to matter. The smartest the fashion wind is blowing. And plorers.

Fabric manufacturers Bro 1 and the whole the neck- (7). France and the U.S.A. I admired

simple subject of women's dressed women look out of date as they cannot afford to be wrong: this

The 19-Part of a codex to learn (5). terested in fashion shows too. the skill and research that must have clothes.

soon as the new clothes ro by. their reputation is staked on each Velvet Guild of America sends a 20 A superior position (4)

TWD gone to the making of these gally

shows run- But it is not 'so simple. Fashion

bad coloured allken Bags, each about the Is an industry, not a frivolity.

IN Fagland fashion is the ning and they are on the way out, representative to each house to note 21 Might be of many links,

letters' (4), size of a large carpet. Being water- For a fortnight Parls was full of proof and hanging free, they did not Journalists. We go to live or alx labour. And It brings in moneys £1000 to: put, on : (with cost Just how and where. velvet is used

count even if it is only a bow on the 22

ing in speech, but it isn't. suffer damage from the rain and the dress shows a day, taking notes of £200,000,000 is a conservative asuming the furs), and, they have two a shoulder or a bair ribbon.. anell "breezes that blow straight

Crowding among these people.# every detail' we ean munoge... to ate of the ainpunt spent on women's XCar, as well as the hides in fallon writers, trying to spot 24. This variation of sea tern is by from the Baltic next door reminding.

aldeshows. At least link of the

no means frivolous (7).* · Edinburgh.

collection may not take on and will which clothes will make news, and In the Prince Street of Berlin,

BULE DEVEN P, told Buy in good years which will make the new fashions. 27 Not so easy to reduce to tears which

is Unter den Linden, one First, we find the

(7), asmini fint dedigner will employ They ard liable to be thrown out and "Olympischen never tired of examining the dearms of Berlin-in black and white, Feuer," which shocked the mac 500ppies and mine a turnover of their notebooks, destroyed if they 39 Its lid is the making of It (8). skelch so much as sleeve line-032 Has a coat of this a half-seedy corations. These were little hand-about the only monochrome in the minded by burning night and a half a million a year.

terrified are the designers of having

look? (0). painted plaques wreathed with ever-whole scheme of decoration. These during the whole period of the

their high-priced models copied. greens and symbolising all the de- represent a large black become glow of the unearthly fares stood

Olympic Games, Bathed

33 Made from a fruit found, this VIE craftsmen come next on coralive features of all the various a white ground perpetuating some

others, in India (5). the list. An expert cut- towns in Germany.

the city's that colofts, green copper Inta

legend anent

Cathedral,

34 Bird the Dom

ntier

can earn £35 a week,

shows "come the London All the

Kirche,

footballers, After them J whole id-with

few.

thousand women In London, rango of sewing girls, machinists, the pal

painter,

known as the "Scot- vented by a College

ze of Heraldle ex-

relatives cole ex-¡and various tish Vandyke," decorated the perts well grounded in

their job.

b brated in Gorman art King Charles a

and in-matching girls, who are, paid 12s. 6d. each on a new dress. A few weeks

later those samo dresses will Netherbow Fort and environs in Of course, I must include the cluding our own Stuart

week. what must have been a

floodlighung. A, similar

lause andenlenti. would go the length of flood-lighting on each one of these people. that time the designers will be start-

I

copied by the dozen. by big stores don't

Town Council suppose pur

passing phase of fashion in and sold for a few pounds. But by Every fashion.

no nation like the Germans would The most notable entrance to Un-improve on the Grecian idea of an some part of Edinburgh Caalle or

year, for instance, there is ing on their ideas for next summer a ter. don Linden la through the Odympic fire; bringing all the re- elsewhere so as to include statues of craze for sequins. That means that Brandenburg Gate, which had its sources of artistle and chaineering ancestors of the visiting Royalties or dozens of girls will be employed for Doric. Lucado (same nithe RS.A. skill to produce a prodigy of un- any one cles of any country whais weeks at a time sewing sequins on Galleries in Princes Street) em-

forgettable beauty and brilliance. strever,

Afrocks-five stitches to old sequin, ! bellished in a very notable manner.

and a dress can carry 10,000.

records, shows that

city arms the garten stood tho

In

the

ier For

dil AFTER the Paris

dress as

*

(E).

Alchemists.

sought this of life

ancient Germany. Research | Jung-IDIKther banners | during the visit of Charles I to be and plaques were in colour URAZY AMP nha than Wilhelm Schloss nearby and they are bid for as eagerly as ones. And in a' tqw weeks' time a 38 This is apparent at the end of ́ crowned at Holyrood, George Jamie / bodied every animal bhane and end gialues origiam of Orangembroiderers, down to the Inte Paris and New York will spend 250 |

ever.

In the show-place called the EusF=

2

A. G. Kilgour.

clothes.

bo

three months (0),

DOWN

Lorde animals

1 The most troublesome

in the world (0)

2 Ambillous advice from Perala

(0).

3. Merit!:(7),

4 Ay vessel partly open (4)ZQ0K 5 Thle is always necessary in out

language (7)

Lucy Milner Tronoun ponths to 15 across?

(0)

28 In "his" cupa máñý mám. ham this cups an arch, reference! (5).

from the rello it

sci£(0);"

31 'When locke

are out of order

(this may be useful ((4))

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTION;

[COMPACT

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