... PURCHASED BY THE NATIONAL GALLERY FOR £12,000: The Virgin with the Iris, attributed to Albrecht Diirer, a picture of the German School which has come into the possession of the Nation during the past year with the aid of a contribution of £2,500 from the National Art Collections Fund. It is often supposed that it might well be this picture that is mentioned in Diirer's correspondence in 1508 ...

... NAGASAKI, AUGUST 1945-- one of the two great atomic bomb explosions which shook the tottering Japanese empire to its foundations and led immedia eu TO ITS SURRENDER: Two impressions of the giant radio-active cloud which ascended above the ruins of the city after the explosion of the third atomic tomb in the history of the world. The photograph on the left shows the cloud after It had ...

... WHAT HAPPENED WHEN THE FIRST ATOMIC BOMB WAS EXPLODED IN THE UNINHABITED DESERTS OF NEW MEXICO An artist's impression of the terrific blast, the blinding sheet of white flame, and the towering cloud of dust and gaseous fumes which followed the experimental detonation of the bomb at 5.38 a.m. on July 16, 1945. When the test was over it was found that the explosion had completely vaporised the ...

... The triangular conflict in Palestine, which has assumed ever more menacing proportions since the publication of the Report ol the Anglo-American Com mittee of Inquiry, has of late centred particularly on the three coastal cities of Jaffa, Tel- Aviv and Haifa. Fifty years ago Tel- Aviv was a mere village among the sand-dunes, but now it has grown into a vast and prosperous city boasting a ...

... HIGH AND DRY ON THE SANDS OF MARGATE The collier Acrity was stranded recently by the unusually fast ebbing of the neap tide, her bows being firmly lodged on the beach, partly because she was heavily laden with a cargo of coal. In order to make sure of releasing her on the next tide, members of the crew dug a channel to seawards of the vessel and also beneath her bows. Holiday-makers were much ...

... ■WITiiTI THE three florins-- modern equivalent to the Queen's shilling-- changed hands with a silvery clink. A. prayer-book was produced. The tall, sad-eyed man in the blue serge suit placed his hand upon it and said, I swear by Almighty God that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King George Sixth, his heirs and successors and faithfully defend His Majesty, his heirs ...

... Lady Ritchie, O.B.E. Director of the Women's Legion Lady Ritchie, who is the wife of Sir Douglas Ritchie, M.C., Vice-Chairman of the Port of London Authority, was awarded the O.B.E. in this year's Birthday Honours. During the Battle of Britain, when emergency feeding facilities were severely strained, the Ministry of Food asked the Women's Legion to help in the catering arrangements for the ...

... Party in Mayfair Given by Mrs. Thomas Hutchison, of Collingwood Hall, Camberley, and her Daughter, Virginia Miss Sarah Ismay and Mr. Patrick Filmer-Sankey grandson of the Duke of Westminster Mr. Michael MacLean Welsh Guards Miss Joan Williams -JVynn Mr. Michael Stourton Grenadier Guards and Miss Jane Luxmore Capt. Andrew Angus Grenadier Guards Miss Virginia Hutchison and Mr. Julian Tennant ...

... CjALLY GILMOUR, leading dancer of the Ballet Rambert, studied as a child in Singapore, and then came to England to be with Karsavina for two years, when the foundation of her career as a dancer was established. Under the guidance of Marie Rambert she has come to be regarded as one of the greatest interpreters of modern ballet in this country Dark Elegies At the Duchess Theatre, 1937, with ...

... Village Wedding Holland Walker The village church of Rusper, Sussex, was the scene of the recent wedding of Mr. Anthony Holland, barrister, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Holland, of Lullings, Balcombe, Sussex, and Miss Ann Faure Walker, sister of Lady Hawke Mrs. Field Walker, Air. Faure Walker, the Hon. Mary Chaloner and Cdr. Field Walker were among the guests The bridal group at Faygate ...

... AMD LARGE BEFORE ENJOYMENT'S GALE Major and Mrs Crichton- Stuart Miss Maclachlan of Castle Lachlan, Argyll shire, and Capt. Hodgkinson Mr. and Mrs. David Rome A party who were sitting out included SjLdr. H. Binder, Lt.-Cdr. R. Menzies (secretary of the. Ball), Mrs. Menzies, Mrs. Binder, Jnr.-Cdr. Eileen Elsey, Lt. G. C. Shoult, R.N.V.R., and Miss J. Eraser Among another group were Major ...

... BOOK REVIEWS ELIZABETH RIIWEVS For Children THE PATCHWORK BOOK, AN OMNIBUS FOR CHILDREN (Pilot Press; 12s. 6d.), has been edited by Marghanita Laski-- whose Introduction shows that good sense to be expected from the author of Love on the Super tax. The Patchwork Book is, she tells us, intended for children of, and upwards of, ten years old; or, rather, ten is the age at which she hopes that ...