British journalists are noting with interest and no utile regret th2 retirement from active work in Fleet [Street of two veterans of the profes sion, Mr. G. Murray Brumwell, who for thirty-two years has been on the editorial staff of "The Times" and opposing forces. It may be pre~ Jsumed that their arrival was in replacement of permanent staff released for the European discussion. Tt must have illustrated the importance attached even in the midst of the great conflagration to the Shanghai Volunteer Corps' role fas defenders of the Settlement.
'The units engaged in the operations were representative of the Corps' jcosmopolitanism. American, Brit-Ish, Chinese, Italian, Japanese and Portuguese volunteers all took part; land the umpires, in weighing up of the merits of the performances recorded were frank but yet tact ful in expression.
After the lapse of years it may not be indiscreet to recall some of ithe observations made by the umpires, although they were not made public at the time. Praise }was not absent from the report and the umpire pleasantly prefaced his comment with the hope that both sides would accept criticism in the spirit of kindliness in which it was tance, more revealing than praise. So sympathy will be felt for the unit which was found to have advanced too far and lost touch, with the result that it dropped a gun and was fired upon by its own side. Another national unit was seen to be advancing in massed formation and paid so little attention to cover that the umpire averred he thought its members "were out for snipe". It also overlooked the rule that "bayonets must not be fixed on practice manoeuvres", Another unit received the laconic hint: "too much exposure and too much talking". This unit also attacked a house occupied by the "enemy" in blissful disregard of the fact that the "enemy" had it under enfilading fire all the time. Yet another nationality came into the picture with this amusing note of its shortcomings:
Took up much too long a for their strength The majority were firing without "having removed the cover from their foresights. O.C. inclined to expose himself. Unwise to have children in attendance, The last sentence is intriguing and, unfortunately, the published record throws little light on the cireumstances to which it referred. The company in question was posted in the open with the Vu Yuen Creek between it and the "enemy" /Perhaps village children gave away {ts position. Or could it be that the resourceful but over-gallant ©.C. had endeavoured to conceal himself behind a screen of infants? [The historic "battle" of Tunsin must be left there. Wheelbarrows, the way, were used as transport on some of these old-time manceuvres. How many volunteers to-day would know how to operate them? Conditions change, but it may be observed in conclusion that in 1916, as 1934, the subse-Jquent comments of the Command-lant were favourable. The men were "splendid". May ie always sol has been the right-hand man of two of the three editors under whom he has served, goes on pension this month, Mr. Brumwell who was educated at Manchester Grammar [School and Trinity College, Oxford, Known to successive generations" ut Printing House Square as an unrivalled and kindly teacher of the craft, besides being an admirable ex-anent of its te Frederick Peake years with the "Morning Post". 1s going into partial retirement, Peaker has been a familiar figure in the Institute of Journalists of which he was President from 1023 to 1925, He has been the Labour and Educa. tional correspondent of the el London newspaper for many years, His role in future will be that acting as its Labour Adviser. Another Fleet Street change which special interest to Shanghai and happily involves no retirement, is Jcaused by Sir Percival Phillips" re-[signation from the "Daily Mail" {is understood that Sir Percival who is always so. welcome a visitor to the Far East (even when he tO. "nod" in describing the Municipal Police) may "be joining another important London journal.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.