Prince's Brew

Ask any British schoolboy about Burton-on-Trent and loudly will he answer, "That's where the ale comes from." Ask him what ale and he will cry, "Bass's Ale!" Almost as familiar as the Prince of Wales' three feathers is the pale red triangle of Bass's Pale Ale and Stout, sign manual of the firm of Bass, Ratcliff & Gretton who have brewed the potent, acrid, yellowish brew--which Britons drink in preference to beer--ever since Washington wintered at Valley Forge.

Burton brewers have been potent in politics nearly as long. Ale has won them a family peerage (now held by Nellie Lisa Baillie, Baroness Burton) and a family baronetcy, now held by gruff Sir William Arthur Hamar Bass, Bart., who went to Harrow, joined the army, upheld the honor of the Burton Basses against the Boers in South Africa.

Last week royal favor descended once more upon the potent brewers of Burton-on-Trent when Edward of Wales flew down from London, visited the brewhouse, mixed for himself a special vat of extra strong mash to be known as ''Prince's Brew." Waiting at the flying field to greet him was the Chairman of the Company, Colonel the Right Honorable John Gret-ton. Conservative M. P. for the Burton Division of Staffordshire. Waving proudly over the old brewery was a great banner lettered GOOD HEALTH TO OUR PRINCE. Edward of Wales attended a special luncheon after which he sampled with relish five separate and distinct brews, including a famed ale made by his gastronomically expert grandfather, Edward VII. Slightly flushed, Edward of Wales went with the directors later to the brew house, peered cautiously into a great copper vat half filled with a fermenting mass of brown syrupy malt, yellow flaky hops.

"Now what do I do?" said Edward of Wales.

"You turn on the water, sir," said Chairman Colonel the Right Honorable John Gretton.

In two hours, so has science and electricity aided the ancient art of brewing, the "Prince's Brew" was ready to be bottled and barreled. Edward of Wales was handed a copious draught of his own ale and pronounced a master maltster.