Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-11-07
-CONSTABLES
NEW LONDON FORCE
Band of 600, With Fleet of Motor
Cars, Is Held Ready for
Any Emergency.

LONDON. October 24.--As part Of
London's preparations against Zeppe-
lin raids and the possible activity OF
unsupported enemies in our midst,
new force of what may be called super
consta bles has been raised. This is
500 strong, and consists mainly of
members of the leading social and
political clubs of the West End. Their
duty is to hold themselves in readiness
for any emergency at night, and their
base" is Scotland Yard.
AT the detective headquarters. fifty of
these super constables are always
available between in. the evening
and 6 in the morning, duty being UNI
dertaken by individual members in
six-hour shifts. A fleet of motor cars
is held in readiness to transport the
waiting force to any part of the me-
tropolis at the speed of firemen sum
moned to an outbreak. small arms
| will be carried, but the primary object
| of the authorities is to prevent panic
| on the part of the public i'll case of a
bomb being dropped, to keep order. and
| to give immediate assistance 10 any
| people who might be wounded.
The insurance of London buiidlhes
| against risks from hostile aircraft goes
on hriskly at Lloyds. The insurance Is
| by means confined to private houses,
! as reports in the newspapers suggest
| Some of the most famous buildiTss'
! whose value is incalculable in money,
| have been insured. The authorities OF
| st. Paul's Cathedral have insured IL TOT
| S1,5O0000. Among other risks covered
Yesterday was that of w eStmlnster Az
| hey This historical fame is OF a Naiue
| which is absolutely incalculapie, nu'
| serious damage might be done to the
| roof and exterior parts of the building
without it's grand interior peins Sc
riously endangered. An amount oi
| 81 900 900 has been insured by the re-
sponsible authorities
Some Shafts of Humor.
The darkness of London is being
lightened by some shafts OF humor
against the fears of Zeppelin raids. IL
your pictures are not removed 10 the
cellar it is an acknowledgment that
they are not very good. In the pest
houses the pictures are removed to
| the cellar or elsewhere. Furious quar-
| rels are proceeding between artists
and clients in cases where the artists
! have been so sighted that their pic
lures have been allowed to remain on
. the walls.
Some of the Tate gallery pictures
have been put in the basement, and l
believe that there has been consider
able resentment among Chantreu art
lists who have not been given this hon
or. There may even be protest meet
ing. 1t is argued that to have your
pictures hung anywhere above the cell
lar is to be 'skied.'"
Bond street, too, is determined to be
| in the fashion. and If you want to see
really good picture you must go into
the cellar to look at it. Some fash
ionable dealers arc debating whether
they ought not to spend their next out
lay, not on expensive damask-red pa
per and green marble surrounds, but on
bombproof cellars. 1t is said that the
latter is the latest touch in the trade.
and that it is very effective, especially
with American clients.
Favorite Dinner Amusement.
A favorite amusement among artis-
tic dinner rites in the West End is