Chief Constable Bassom Passes Away.
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rpHE death of Mr. Arthur Ernest Bassom, 0.B.E. who was for some years in charge Of the Public Carriage Department of Scotland Yard, and who was promoted to thti. rank of Chief Constable when, a little time ago, he was appointed Controller of Traffic. Mr. Bassom has been suffering from an incurable disease for a long time and. hail been away from his office for somu months prior to his death. He knew that he could not expect a cure, but was brave and cheerful to the last.
As Superintendent Bassom he was a tough nut for owners and drivers of motorbuses and taxicabs to crack. Hu
had had no engineering training. In the position to whieh he attained Such a training would have been of inestimable value, but, knowing this, one realizes the good qualities of the man and fully recognizes the fact that merit alone carried him to the head of his department. He started life as a gunner in the Royal Marine Artillery, but transferred to the London police force. At first he was put on ordinary street duties, but chance took him into the Public Carriage Office, and there he served as a constable and passed through the different ranks of sergeant. inspector and superintendent to Chief Constable.
• His technical knowledge was ac quired in the course of his duties, and, moreover; was very thdroughly acquired, because he was not the Man to stint his efforts or to obtain information secondhand. He made a very thorough study of public carriage construction from the hansom cab, " growler " and knife-board bus of his early days to the highly developed motorbus and efficient taxicab of the present day. Considerable thought is necessary in every detail of construction and equipment of these vehicles if the safety of the public is to be ensured. Any excess of caution which could be noticed in Mr. Bassom's administration always arose from his conviction that the public came before the vehicle owner. His knowledge of traffic conditions _ was very extensive, and we feel sure that, had he bad his health for the past two years, he would have effected distinct improvements and have materially reduced the present congestion. He had travelled a great deal, but always with a view to the study of traffic conditions and with a hope of learning some lesson or gaining some cue to traffic acceleration. As a matter of fact, however, he was in nearly every instance able to give better advice than he received. One of his attributes was imperturbability, and he always had the courage of his convictions. He will be sadly missed by the Commissioner of Police, the Assistant Commissioner, Mr. Prank Elliott, with whom he came into daily personal contact, and his associates at the Yard. c37