Out and Home.—Ry the Extractor.
Page 15
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The White Zephelants.
Lights, for the love of Allah ! I am one of those who think, rightly or wrongly, that it is fearfully overdone, the way London is being darkened. I happen to live in central London, and such is the gloom and the dismalness that I am beginning to look forward gleefully to the middle of the week, when I usually spend one or two evenings in the Provinces. Let us be prepared by all means, and let us get our minds attuned to the fact that we are at war not many miles off, but to my mind unlit London is becoming farcical. What have we to fear from Zeppelins ? What have they accomplished that we should be thrown into this state of terror'? To my mind Zeppelins are perfect white elephants since the advent of the aeroplane. Just as I had got a nice new Rotax dynamo fitted to my little ear, and the lighting as near perfect as it is possible to be, "Yon lamps of yours are too brilliant, sir," spoke the constable a few evenings ago. A peculiar sense of gratification came over me, but I explained that they were only the side lamps. If he had seen the headlights I should have been interned, I suppose. I was allowed to proceed after disconnecting the near-side lamp. Anyhow, one must do as little driving as possible at night in London itself ; it is particularly dangerous.
Farewell Khaki Receptions.
Now I have seen A. G. Hills, of the London Improved Motor Coachbuilders, and J. W. Stocks, of the De Dion-Bouton, resplendent in their khaki and holding receptions previous to departure. Frank Vandervell, too, of the C.A.V., tells me he has joined the Colours. Hills, of course, is an old warrior, having seen much service in the East ; now he goes as captain of a Yorkshire Regiment. Stocks is in charge of a motorcyclist brigade in connection with the Royal Naval Reserve. He is taking his old De Dion "bus,". which has been rigged up as an armoured car.
Why Not Girl Scout Bands?
The most interesting street scene I have witnessed in London lately was a girl scout parade with band. They were well set-up, stalwart maidens averaging 15, and to see them step out, shoulders back, eyes bright., was quite inspiring. A while ago I saw at Birmingham some successful recruiting with police bands ; eligibles were invited to "fall in." I have never seen bands used for recruiting in London : I am sure girl scout bands, such as I saw in Oxford Street, would round up every waverer.
Vehicles Tor Russia in Cold Storage.
An idea has been suggested to me in connection with the great demand for vehicles for Russia which deserves the consideration of the Russian war authorities. It is, of course, within everyone's knowledge that the Port of Archangel is ice bound for many months in the year, and deliveries of transport vehicles and other articles required for war purposes can no longer be accepted for shipment until next spring. Unfortunately it looks as if the war will be continuing throughout 1915. It behoves the Russian authorities not to wait months before placing their orders with the British makers, or they will be hampered, as they have been, by delay. Why should not the orders be placed now, and as the wagons come through let them be paid for and delivered to storehouses in the various British ports ready for despatch when the time arrives. They will otherwise lose valuable time. In this connection I hear that a few weeks longer grace for delivering is probable, as
some powerful ice-breaking machines, some of English, some of American make, are on their way to the north of Russia.
Overton and His Red Cross Ambulance.
No doubt Unic ambulances are greatly used at the Front, seeing that the Unie is a French production. All the same, Mann and Overtone, Ltd., the British agents, have determined to do their share, and the redoubtable W. E. Middleton tells me that they have presented an ambulance to the Red Cross Society, and Mr. Willie Overton has crossed over and is well up near the Front with it by this time, he being 'iii charge thereof."
Stick No Bills.
The country roadside is sadly disfigured, I always think, by the gigantic advertising boards using primary colours and mostly singing the praises of motor spirit and foreign-made tires. The beauty of many a picturesque corner is completely marred. I have met with scant sympathy from motoring friends on this matter, hints being thrown out that it is all pure jealousy because we happen to have advertising
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spaces of our own to let. However, t was interesting to hear from one of our staff who has just returned from the Hartlepools, and he tells me that for miles along the road he found the great blue and yellow boards of a foreign-made tire had been zealously and assiduously pasted by some patriotic enthusiast with red and white bills indicating that they were "made in Germany."
Everything Concrete is a Gun Emplacement.
Evidence of the hysterical spy mania which is engaging a large number of people with nothing better to do at the present time was given to us by the proprietors of James Bartle and Co., Notting Hill, one day last week. It appears that two or three local residents laid an information that this firm—which, by the way, was established in 1854, and is of exclusively British origin—was busy manufacturing goods for the German Government and sending them out after midnight in vans ; that such work was going on during the night ; that illuminated signals were made through skylights all night ; that there was one of the inevitable concrete gun floors in the larger buildings; and finally, that bombs were thrown up into the air which exploded with great force, and were undoubtedly signals to hostile aircraft. The fact that the works has been engaged day and night recently on British Government contracts, and that as a rule there are one or two inspecting Army officers on the works, should give confidence to these ultra-nervous residents. The Scotland Yard officials who visited the Western Ironworks as a result of these " complaints" interpreted the signals into the sky as being due to the flickering of arc lamps in the shops ; whilst the bombs, it has been definitely established, are nothing more harmful than occasional misfirings of the gas engine. The gun platforms are the 6 in. concrete flooring of the main garage sheds, built over an old 8 ft. sand foundry floor. It was not found possible to' establish exactly whether it was intended to send the above loads of "goods for the German Government" the whole way by road. I quote this, as I have said, as an example of the annoyance which is being caused to a great many people by the extraordinary officiousness of hosts of self-appointed informers at the present moment. The Scotland Yard officials make no secret of the fact that informations of this kind are being laid by the hundred all day long just at present. Our Editorial staff itself has even not escaped, as one of its members was threatened with arrest by a special constable for being "a foreignslizoking gentleman acting in a suspicious manner." He still graces the staff, an is English!