DUELS AND DUELLING

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 3923, 12 November 1929, Page 7

DUELS AND DUELLING

POLITICAL QUARREL FOUGHT WITH PISTOLS

HISTORIC ENGLISH INSTANCES

To English-speaking people duelling is so much a thing of tho past that the idea of Mr Philip Snowden, Chancellor of tho Exchequer, being challenged to light by H. Clicron, one of tho French delegates to tho Reparations Conference at The Hague, creates amusement. Mr Snowden described as “grotesque” and “ridiculous” some of tho figures quoted by M. Clicron which proved that Great Britain’s monetary sacrifices in regard to her share of German reparations have not yet been largo enough to awaken gratitude in tho French nation. Seconds were sent on lie ha If of M. Cheron to Mr Snowden at his hotel to demand satisfaction, and a compromise was arrived at which satisfied French honour without Mr Snowden being called upon to defend his life.

Duelling has not entirely died out in France, but the French duel is not usually a very harmful affair. Of course, accidents will happen, and there have been occasions in which one of tho principals in a French duel has been injured; but as a rule honour is satisfied without any real danger to life or limb. Mark Twain ridiculed the French duel sixty years ago, and expressed the opinion that it was more dangerous to be a second in a French duel than a. principal. DUKE OF WELLINGTON’S DUEL.

Bub in England duels have been fought between political opponents for reasons quite as trivial' as that which [ caused the sensitive M. Cheron to demand satisfaction from Mr Snowden. A hundred years ago tho Duke of Wellington, who was then Prime Minister, fought a duel with the Earl of Winchelsea. In this ho followed the bad example of an earlier Prime Minister, William Pitt, who in 1798 fought a duel with a political opponent, Air Tierney, whom ho had accused iu Parliament of desiring to obstruct the defence of his country because Mr Tiexv ney had opposed Pitt’s effort to pass through all its stages in one day a Bill for tho more effectual manning of the Navy. In 1809 Lord Castlereagb, Minister of War iu the Duke of Portland’s Government, fought a duel with a Ministerial colleague, Air George Canning, Minister of Foreign Affairs, whom be regarded as the head of a conspiracy to oust him from the Government. Charles Fox fought a duel iu Hyde Park with Mr Adam, who had deserted the Opposition in the House of Commons and gone over to the Alinisterial side, and had given as his reason that, although tho Ministers were not very competent, no persons more competent were to bo found among their opponents. Fox ridiculed the honourable member, and on refusing to apologise, was called out. Lord John Russell, in his ‘ Life of Fox,’ gives the following description of the duel:—“ The meeting took place in Hyde Park at 8 o’clock in tho morning of November 29. After the ground Tiad been measured Air Adam desired Mr Fox to fire; to which Fox replied, ‘ Sir, I have no quarrel with you. Do you fire.’ Mr Adam fired; Mr Fox then fired, without effect. Upon this tho seconds, Colonel Fitzpatrick aud Major Humbcrton, interfered, asking Air Adam it ho was satisfied. Mr Adam replied: 4 Will Mr Fox declare he meant no personal attack upon my character!'’ Upon which Air Fox said: 4 This was no place for apologies,’ and desired Air Adam to go on. Air Adam fired his second pistol without effect. Mr Fox fired his remaining pistol iu the air, and said that as tlio affair was ended he had no difficulty in saying that he meant no more personal affront to Air Adam than ho did to either of the other two gentlemen present. Mr Adam replied; 4 Sir, you have behaved like a man of honour.’ Mr Fox then mentioned that he believed himself wounded. On opening his waistcoat it was found that Mr Adam’s first ball had taken effect, but that tho wound was very slight. Tho wits of the Opposition said that Air Adam had used Government powder, notorious for being deficient in strength. No men were greater friends in after life than Mr For and Mr Adam.”

FIRST DUELLIST HANGED

Duelling continued in England until tho ’forties of last century, despite the growth of public opinion against it and tho existence of laws for its suppression. It was stamped out in tlio British Army after the death of Colonel Fawcett on July 3. 1843, from wounds received two days previously in a duel with his brother-iu-luw, Lieutenant Aluuro. As tho result of a public agitation alter this tragedy the articles of wax were amended so as to provide that any officer who participates in a. duel as principal or accessory, or dues not do his best to prevent a duel, shall lie cashiered. Thin regulation is still in force.

Hut long before this llio participants of a duel in which death took place wore liable under English criminal law to bo tried lor murder or manslaughter. The first ease of a duellist being hanged for killing his opponent occurred in 1808 as (ho result ol a duel between two officers ol the Royal- North British Fusiliers—Major Alexander Campbell and Captain Alexander Boyd- The due! look place in Newry, Ireland, when their battalion was quartered there. A trivial dispute occurred between them at the mess table about drill, when they were both inflamed with wine. They (ought with pistols in a small room at the barracks, where no seconds or witnesses were present, and Captain Boyd was killed. Major Campbell tied, but was arrested about a year later in Scotland and sent back to Ireland to stand his trial. JJo was found guilty of murder, and was executed, despite llio efforts made to prevent sentence being carried out. George 111., who hated duelling, declined to accede to the jury’s recommendation to merev. as he regarded the ease as a. particularly bad one. which provided the opportunity of giving a long-needed example to Army officers who were ready to waste their lives in drunken brawls.