A JOKE ON THE LONDON “ TIMES.”

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2496, 21 March 1881, Page 4

A JOKE ON THE LONDON “ TIMES.”

Englishmen are not famous for great jokes, but one has recently been perpetrated in London which is really admirable, and the result of a vast amount of hard work. It consists of the issue of a copy of the London “ Times ” for 1980, of the full size of the “ Thunderer,” and closely resembling it in every feature, even down to the obscurest advertisements. The editorials, language, and style are closely copied, and in dealing with matters 100 years to come presents fine satirical hits at things of the present day. The House of Lords becomes the “ House of Ladies,” and generally the other sex seem to have got the upper hand of the world. The centre of fashion is transferred to Fiji, and the fashion notes from the island are decidedly funny. The progress of invention is shown by the news of a battle in the arctic regions, and the capture of the north pole, transmitted “in thoughtonomic dissyllables by our special phonographic artist.” Travelling is done mostly through the air, and penny excursions are offered to all parts of the world. The advertisements are among the best features of the joke, and include such announcements as “Greek Taught at One Session,” Headache Cured in One Minute,” “The Patent Masticators,” “Elephants’ Milk,” " Burning Glasses for Making Hay,” “Traps for Fleas,” “ Postal balls ” (for sending messages by cannon), notices of “ Excursions from London to Jericho,” “ Seven Hours with the Esquimaux,” “ Lunar Expeditions,” “ Balloons for the Epsom Eaces,” and a multitude of other novelties. It is a question whether Johnny Bull will comprehend the fun, or relish this trifling with such a serious thing as the “ Times,” but it would take immensely in America.