"KING GEORGE" AS STOKER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11669, 8 April 1916, Page 2

"KING GEORGE" AS STOKER.

EARNED SEVEN SHILLINGS FOR A WEEK'S WORK.

It was the cruiser H.M.S. Cumberland which contributed not a little to our success in the Cameroons, and the story of tits-operations in that part of the world, told in " Blackwood's Magazine," makes thrilling reading. There is also a lighter side to the story. " One amusing episode was the employment of thirty natives—Kroomen, as they are called in that part of the world—who were engaged to trim coal in the bunkers. These men, to quote "Blackwood's," ihad to be borne on the ship's books for pay ,purposes. "Some had no names, .and ethers were blessed with patronymics; which baffled the Accountant Staff; hence they were made to select ' tallies' for entries in the ship's ledger. Undoubtedly they were assisted by the sailors in their choice, which accounts for fthe appearance in our books of such-distinguished personages as King Greorge, "Ll<syd George, Jack Friday, etc. To see King George receive 7s as a reward for a week's labour was the source of undisguised mirth of both officers-and men."

Of great assistance was a native entered on the books as " King Bell." It appeal's that at the outbreak of the war the native King of the Oamcroons was imprisoned by the Germans for his failure to comply with some order issued which affected hia property. By some means he managed to communicate with ■the' English authorities at Lagos, asking 'for help, for which offence he was hanged. With characteristic thoroughness. the Germans also hanged all the king's male relatives they could lay hands iqn. King Bell was uncle to the king who was hanged, and the Cumberland found him only too willingto join the English 'and help in driving tho Germans out; for ho was heir to the throne, which ho would occupy in due course. As soon as it was agreed to take this monarch with them, runs the narrative in " Blackwood's," he "was stent on shore to collect a, staff of guides, spies and pilots from the natives who knew the country. The result of his efforts added another twenty to our ever-growing complement. Ifc is mentioned, too, that a special inducement to the Cameroon natives, whom it was desired to tempt to friendliness, was the offer of tinned tripe, which formed part of the stores. It appealed specially to the native palate. An amusing incident occurred wlu-n an officer in charge of an armed boat was proceeding up a creek to act as guardship ofF a small town, at that time occupied by our troops. His orders were to insure the friendliness of tho tribe which inhabited the entrance to tho creek and to prevent any news of tho operations getting through to the Germans farther up. With this object in view, he invited the chief of the tribe on board and regaled him with the delicacy referred to. Its effect was the establishment of such mutual good-will that he insisted on presenting Kis host with seven wives, an offer which, for diplomatic reasons, was accepted.