Marine Job

Not until last week did the long, arduous and honorable public career of Sir Selwyn Macgregor Grier become notable to the rest of the British Empire. Son of an English vicar, Sir Selwyn won intramural fame as a classical scholar at Cambridge, spent four years as a humble schoolmaster before entering the British colonial service in Nigeria in 1906. While in West Africa he rose from Assistant Resident, Northern Nigeria to Director of Education of the Southern Provinces. By last week he was safe in comfortable anonymity as King George's representative in St. Vincent, British West Indies. Last week clamorous cables had thrust Governor Grier and his miniscule island into world headlines, sent a British survey ship scudding up from Grenada to land Marines with fixed bayonets to restore order.

Labor troubles and complaints against high British customs duties started in St. Vincent's Kingstown months ago, but caused no apprehension to Governor Grier and his staff until the outbreak of hostilities in Ethiopia gave black agitators a chance to whip up the beginnings of a fine race riot.

Sweeping aside Kingstown's few policemen, hoodlums tore through the streets, caught Governor Grier squarely in front of the courthouse. Only by promising to meet and talk with the strike leaders was Sir Selwyn released, but jabbering blacks wrecked his car as well as those of Supreme Court Judge Williams and Attorney General Ross.

By this time somebody had sent for the Marines and volunteer constables were being hastily armed with pistols. The mob swept on out of town, barricaded the road with uprooted telephone poles, tore down the bridge at Camden Park and separated the Leeward and Windward sides of the island. Grocery stores, plantations and homes, including those of Judge Williams and Attorney General Ross, were looted. In Kingstown, a burst of rifle fire from the police killed three natives, wounded eight. Next morning into the harbor steamed H. M. S. Challenger, and in a jiffy a landing party of Royal Marines were over the side and in the streets, ended the riot.

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