THE ARCHIVES

100 years ago

Interest is aroused in New York by views of the military situation. The New York Times estimates that Germany’s losses are only 3,000,000 and 5,300,000 enemy troops are on the Western front. An upward tendency in Wall Street is noticeable. This is attributed to the failure of the German drive, good crops, larger shipbuilding and great industrial activity, with resources available for investment. Another factor is evidence of the strain in enemy countries from which much gossip reaches here.

50 years ago

A summons against comedian Dick Emery alleging that he flew an aircraft over a congested area at less than 1,500 feet was dismissed by Brighton Sussex, magistrates. He told the Magistrates that on October 22 he was flying in from the sea towards Brighton at 2,000 feet when he noticed that the engine of the hired four-seater was losing 300 revolutions a minute. “I immediately thought it might be carburettor icing and commenced to lose height to get into warmer air,” he explained.

25 years ago

More than 100 children, parents and teachers had to be rescued from an island in the Firth of Forth yesterday after they were marooned when their boat ran aground. They were brought ashore by a helicopter and small boats, apparently none the worse for their experience. The children and adults were mainly from Midlothian, but included a small party from Hillside School, Aberdour. “No one was in danger and there were no injuries,” said a spokesman for the Coastguard.

One year ago

Patients at a Dundee medical practice have been advised to postpone non-essential appointments with GPs after it was affected by a nationwide cyber attack. Computers at Hawkhill Medical Centre were struck by the “Wanna Decryptor” ransomware virus that brought health boards in Scotland and England to a standstill. The surgery was one of at least 10 believed to have been affected by the virus which demanded a ransom of the online currency Bitcoin.