The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-04
May Announce Landing of German F0rce-Once
 Frequently Used
CENSOR GETTING IN
 HOT WATER AGAIN
Members of Cabinet Are Showing Strain Under Which They Are Laboring-Asquith's Hair
 Has Turned White

es@0s Co@soii AOSlct WHO lNtS uOWn al crowborough. in Sussex. and who takes as keen an interest as. perhaps. any man In England in every detail connected with the history of his country, must often pause one fancies, in the course of his walks and motor drives, to take stock of an uncommonly interesting relic of tine past which raises Its venerable head to tho skies in his near neighborhood.
 Particularly interesting at the present time is this quaint old structure, one view of which more than a little suggests some queer ship. for 1t Is one of the oldest of the ancient beacons which were con structed throughout the country to warn the inhabitants of an impending invasion. This Crowborough beacon Is over 800 years old. and it's light, the holder of which can still be seen. gave warning Of the approach of the Spanish Armada being che of those "twinkling points of fire" described by Macaulay in his great roem-and likewise, no doubt, of the coming of the Dutch fleet ana. later of the Young Chevalier.
 In England the beacons were kept up by tax levied on the counties, and had watches regularly stationed at them, and horsemen to spread the intelligence in
 
 seen. They were carefully organized when the Armada was looked for. In 1856 an old beacon work on Malvern hill which had played historic part in by gone days, was lighted up in anticipation of the close of the Crimean war; and af- ferded an interesting amusement to scien- tific persons in estimating the distance at which the blaze could be seen from dis tant hills. Again. on the night of June Fl. 1887, multitude of jubilee beacons. throughout the length of the kingdom, received their signal fuom Malvern hill, the time taken for it's transmission thence to the lake country being seven minutes.
 Fire signals of this kind, 1t seems, were in use in the earliest times, and notices of them are found in the literary remains of ancient Persia. Palestine and Greece. The most primitive were made ny kindltng a pile of wood on the tops of lofty mountains. and keeping the flame bright by night, or having the fire so covered as to emit a dense smoke by day. There were various preconcerted methods of exhibiting the light or smoke. Thus an act of Parliament of Scotland of 1455 directs that one bale on fire shall be warning of the approach of the English in any manner: two bales blazing beside each other that they are looming in- deed." and four bales that they are com ing in great force.
 It remaips to be seen If the old bea- con at Crowborough. where Conan Doyle organized a volunteer brigade which the government refused to recognize. will be lighted once more to announce a German landing on these shores. Criticizing Censor Again
 The censor has been getting it again from the papers and public men. Lord Selborne and Cecls are now leading the fight Lord Robert Cecil opened the engagement with a speech in the House of Commons in which he cornere0 the prime minister on the sinking of the Au- dacious and defied him to deny the story of the loss of the big battlesnip. MT Asquith could do no better than to de- clare that he had not denied the re- port. From this Lord Robert went on to charge the authorities with conceal ing from the country the real state of affairs. with neglecting to publish even considerable reverses and losses or posi- tions and with magnifying every litrie local success. thus giving wholly er- roneous impression of the situation. So far as I know only one London news paper carried his speech in full.
 The following day, Lord Selborne, who is related by marriage to the Cecils fol- lowed this up by a long speech in the city and rammed his points home a cou- pie of days later in letter to the Times in which he made practically the same pleas as had Lord Robert Cecil He called upon the government to trust the spirit of the nation, to make 1t acquain- ted with the fact that 1t had long. | severe, critical struggle ahead of 1t in which 1t would need the efforts of every single man 1t could get.
 There is an interesting story going the rounds of the clubs that the whole Cecil family Is opposed to the war. It is sig nificant that up to this time the sew oral members have not spoken, although in normal circumstances they are the most vocal of men.
 Among tho other stories flying about and one that is backed by considerable authority Is the report that Lord Morley has placed on record his attitude towards the war, giving an accurate and intensely interesting account of the cabinet meet ing leading up to the sending of the ulti- metum to Germany. This has been done at the earnest request of many of his friends who, realizing that Lord Nor ley is an old man and that the data will undoubtedly become or great inter- est to future historians, believe that 1t is highly important Lord Morley should thus protect himself against misrepresen- tatiOn and misunderstanding. This record has been made in the form of private letter to . certain titled lady who is under the most explicit directions from Lord Morley as to fts disposition 1 in case of his death. There is some talk | In radical circles of the letter being cir | culated among close friends of the aged statesman, but if that has been done 1t has been accomplished 70 quietly that not word of 1t has leaked out.
 War and Cabinets Nerves
 ] The war, as one would suppose, Ia telling v.sibly on the nerves of the cabi- net. This has taken curious form in at least two of the members. Both As- quith and Lloyd-George have shown q strange unwiliingness to having their hair cut and 1t is facetiousiy reported in the House of Commons that the latter has made vow he will not clip his already l long locks until peace has been signed. One wonders what he will look like If the war lasts the 20 years mentioned in a recent speech by the premier.
 | At any rars. his long hair now gives the chancellor . strange appearance. With his half grey locks sslcKmg out
 from beneath his slouch hat he looks
 like some old man of the woods who has
 been dragged from his secret hermitage
 Into strange world of civilization.
 AsQuith's hair has turned quite white.
 crntuated his mannerisms in the House. winston Churchill at times iu ip . ter
 rioie state. At ono critical moment in
 the house he actually broke down and cncd. which rominds mo of the story.
 wn1cn l have on the best of authority. that Dir Edward 0rey broke down at the l cabinst meeting at which the ultimatum to Germany waa decided upon.
 These ttoriep can be readily believed when 1t ts remembered how treat . re- .ponsibaltty each Of these men is bear