50 YEARS AGO

For some time past, the B.B.C. Research Department has been studying the technique of colour television, and recently a programme of experimental transmissions was started outside normal broadcasting hours. On October 20, Sir Harold Bishop, director of technical services, presented a special demonstration for the Press. This comprised the transmission over a closed circuit at the Alexandra Palace station, of still pictures, a short travel film and a number of ‘live’ camera shots, all of which were reproduced at the receiving end as attractive colour pictures.

From Nature 29 October 1955.

100 YEARS AGO

The Far East. By Archibald Little. — Of late years the Far East is only far in actual distance; it is very near to our thoughts, while the ignorance regarding these lands is being very rapidly dispelled... China stands now at the parting of the ways; for many years resolute in keeping out foreign inventions so distasteful to the old-fashioned mandarin, circumstances have proved too strong, and railways, the precursors of western life, are now being built or projected throughout the land... Consider the Yangtse Valley... This magnificent river will undoubtedly remain the great high road for commerce into Central China; but railways are and will be built to act as feeders to the main line, much to the profit of the shareholders and of the inhabitants, for Chinese are born traders, and already make use of the pioneer of Chinese railways — the line from Tientsin to Peking — in large numbers.

Finally, we have a vivid description of the southern basin, Canton, Hong Kong, and the provinces bordering on French territory. Yunnan, which adjoins our Burma, has a particular interest to Englishmen; but here, owing to our supineness in days gone by, we have allowed the French to get ahead of us with their railway, which will undoubtedly draw to itself all that is valuable of the trade of the province.

From Nature 26 October 1905.