WITHOUT PREJUDICE

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 130, 26 February 1925, Page 8

WITHOUT PREJUDICE

NOTES AT RANDOM /During the absence on holiday of ‘'T.D.H." this column will be conducted by “Wi."] A copy of the London “Times” _ of Thursday, November 7, 1805, came into my hands the other day. It consisted of'four small pages. Tlie issue number was 6752, so the old “Thunderer” had been going strong for a long time even at that far distant date. The chief item of interest is Collingwood’s dispatch, dated from the Euryalus, off Cape Trafalgar, October 25, detailing the event* of the famous battle in which Nelson lost his life. It is headed “The London Gazette Extraordinary”—that was all. No starring headings like GREAT NAVAL VICTORY. ENEMY’S FLEET DESTROYED. LORD NELSON KILLED. etc., etc. The second page of this age-yellowed copy of “The Times” consists of “Fon. eign Intelligence,” culled from Dutch, French, and Hamburg papers. The Austrian capitulation, at Ulm, to Marshal Ney, told in a paragraph of six Ijfies, is headed: Banks of the Danube, Oct. 21. Running the eye over the 125-year-old sheet, in the Court news, I see that “His Majesty wears a green shade constantly over Ills eyes, after candlelight; and, we K are sorry to say, he cannot distinguish any persons except he be very near, and with the assistance of a glass.” 1 The entertainments column consisted of a single paragraph concerning the performance at Covent Garden Theatre, at which, appropriately enough, due notice was taken of the naval victory: “Last night, after the Comedy of ‘She Would And She Would Not,’ in which Miss Smith acted Hvpolita with admirable spirit, the proprietors of this theatre,' ever alive to the national glory, produced a hasty but elegant compliment to the memory of Lord Nelson. When the curtain drew up, we were surprised with the view of a superb naval scene. It consisted of columns in the foreground, decorated with medallions of the Naval Heroes of Britain. In the distance a number of ships were seen, and the front was filled by Mr. Tavlor and the principal singers of the Theatre. They were grouped in an interesting manner,., with their eyes turned towards the clouds, from whence a half-length portrait of Lord Nelson descended, with the following words underwritten:—'Horatio Nelson, Ob., 21st Oct.’ Mr. Taylor and the other performers then sang ‘Rule Britannia,’ verse and chorus. The following additional verse, written by Mr. Ashley, of Bath, was introduced, and sung by Mr. Tavlor, with the most affecting expression, and it was universally encored: — ~ “ ‘Again the loud-toned trump of fame Proclaims Britannia rules the main, While sorrow whispers Nelson’s name And mourns the gallant victor slain. Rule, brave Britons, rule the main Revenge the god-like Hero slain.

The Law Reports of that particular issue consisted of two cases, _ Doth curiously enough concerned with the conduct of certain gentlemen in attempting to provoke a duel, in each case a rule to show cause was granted. The course of action was to file a criminal information. In the first case the party of the first part broke down a locked gate across what • he considered to be a right of way, and the owner of the gate called him out,” scorning apologies and explanations. In the second case'the King v. Thomas Keating and J. Wylde, it is related that Mr. Keating posted a notice on.the walls of coffee houses and inns of the town: — • . “Mr. Keating begs leave to info? 31 the public that the conduct of Mr. Foxcroft, Attorney of this place, has been so unwarrantable that he is compelled to call him both a liar and a coward.” Stirring, times thesel

Before leaving this ancient atmosphere we must have a look at the advertising columns. Here is one:— EUROPEAN MUSEUM, GERRARD DOW’S celebrated PICTURE of the DOUBLE SURPRISE is arrived at the above National Gallery. The nobility and gentry who wish to become subscribers for the ensuing season are requested to be early m their application as the-Books will soon be closed. ’ , ■ All that the nobility and gentry were expected to pay for admission WM one shilling. Still, shillings were shillings, these days. Here is another: — LOST, an OLD POINTER DOG, white, with red spots, answers to the name of Basto; almost blind; one eve quite gone. Anyone bringing the said dog to No. 153 Swallow Street Piccadilly, shall receive ONE GUINEA, reward, and reasonable expenses paid. N.B.—No greater reward will be ofprospect didn’t look too bright for poor old Basto, with one eye, and a fixed limit to the reward. . Another gentleman advertising for sale “a fine mare/' says, tersely, lo prevent trouble the price is 40 8 Patent medicines were apparently thriving, for Whitehead’s Essence of Mustard was guaranteed to cure chilblains, rheumatisms, gout, palsies, and complaints of tlie stomach; Dr James s AnaFeptic Pills coukf be relied upon to settle all varieties of stomach trollies • and what Dr. Solomon s Cordial Balm of Gilead couldn’t do to cure suffering humanity wasn’t worth writing about.

The projected visit of the Prince of Wales to the Argentine revives memories of previous British associations with that wealthy republic. There are two main chapters — a long one of peaceful penetration and useful enterprise which have done much for the commercial prosperity of the great South American Republic, and a shorter one of vioence which seems to .have been about as successful as it deserved. Somewhere between the two may he the activities of the eighteenth-century . smugglers in the period when a shortsighted Spanish policy was trying to strangle the natural advantages of Buenos Ayres, now the Paris of South America, the most beautiful, luxurious, and expensive of cities. Of all the . queer happenings of the first ten years of the nineteenth century there were few stranger than the filibustering expedition against Buenos Ayres carried out, without orders, by Sir Home Popham, and that strange • soldier of fortune whose portrait was drawn twenty vears later bv Creevey:—“My Portuguese Marshal, Lord Beresford—such a low-looking ruffian in his air, with damned bad manners, or rather none at all, and a vulgarity in his expressions and pronunciation that niade me at once believe he was as ignorant, stupid, and illiterate as he was ill-look-ing.” The Yorkshire textile manufacturers are seriously perturbed at the further reductions in the size of women’s skirts. The point is, are the women seriously \pertiifbed ? THE SUN IS SHINING! By heaven! the bold sun Is with me in the room, Shining, shining! Then the clouds part, Swallows soaring between; The spring is alive, And the meadows are green! I jump up like mad, Break the old pipe in twain, And away to the meadows, The meadows again! —FitzGerald.