THE CAT-O'-NINE TAILS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 892, 17 September 1879, Page 2

THE CAT-O'-NINE TAILS.

On July 6th, according to a Horn j journal, the members of Parliament. who attended the day sitting of the House of , Commons were engaged . for some time m viewing the instruments used m the infliction of corporal punishment m the Army and Navy and -Her. Majesty's prisons. The " cats" exhibited by order of the Home Secretary and the. Secretary of State for War were four m; number, and were exposed to inspection,, m an alcove adjoining the "cloak room." The alcove" was guarded by two police, wh,o had received strict orders to admit no person not a member of Parliament. The most formidable weapon of the four exhibited was undoubtedly the "marine cat,'! which bpije a ,, descriptive label m the following terms :— " Sealed pattern of 1 , approved^ by the First Lord of the Admiralty, 7th December, 1877. Signed G. W. Rodney, Deputy Adjutant-General." The handle of the instrument is 19in. m length, and from the end depends a thick cord, which at t4in. distance from the handle is divided into 1 three separate cords, and these again are divided each into three tails 14inV m length/ Each of these tails, which, are of finej. hard' whipcord, is knotted nine time's^ The "Navy cat" came next; m interest. It was endorsed "Navy cat, brought from the Duke of Wellington^ 25th of June, 1879, H.M. Dockyard, Ports^ mouth." This instrument is formed of handle, covered m green baize, 21in. m length, from which depend nine lashes of thich cord, each 28in. m length. A label at one end of the handle was endorsed "Never used." Another " Navy cat," called the "approved cat," and like the other, "Marine" instrument, the handle is 19in. m length, Vith'thicjr, lashes, nine m number, and each 28in. long. It bore the inscription, " Cat approved for use on board Her Majesty's ships for seamen and marines. " The fourth instrument exhibited is that used m Her Majesty's prisons, and is composed of a black handle 19in. m length, made of whipcord, and each* bearing three hard knots. • ■ ■ j..