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Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 13, 7 September 1912, Page 6

Horsferrv Hoad, Westminster : where the British Government has dc ci-cled to erect their long-promised Museum of Safetv Appliances m connection with the Home Office, perpetuates tho name of an historic horse ferrv.the only conveyance of the kind wine a was permitted on the river within the London area. Tt did net finally cense to exist until the early sixties, the opening of Westminster and Lambeth bridges rendering it no longer of use. Its chief cla : in to fame, perhaps, is the fact that it was across this ferrv that -Tamos TT. fled from Whitehall one dark night, dropping the Grmr. Men! into the water on the Avay. 1n p fares charged when the ferry was in the zenith of its prosperity were 2s fid for a coach and s : x horses, or a laden ca rt. 2s for a m.in and a horse, a enaclt and four horses, or a cart e’ - waggon, Is fid for a coach and two horses, and Is for a horse and chaise. On one of the chain of islets stretching across the river Ythan, making the site of the old “ernive dykes.” just above the Bridge of Ellon, a pair of swans built them nest this spring. During the lengthy period of incubation the male bird- was aggressively assiduous in protecting his consort and hoc eges from interference by hoys and other “ferae naturae.” Becontly two cygnets wore hatched, and under the jealous care of their parents they were gradually irlotcd down the river to the tidal water near the meadow's of Waterloo. One Sunday evening, apparently from jealousy of the greater attention paid hv the mother bird to her brood, tho male swan, an extremely ftp re'' and powerful bird, sudden Iv attacked his mate with ungovernable fury, and despite the attempts of a few spectators to restrain him from the river’s hank, he so buffeted and maltreated her Avith beak and Avings that she collapsed in a limp and dishevelled state at the brink of the stream. One of the eye-Avitnosses of this outburst of marital Jealousy, on going to the assistance of the poor bird discovered to his great astonishment that she Avas beyond his succour; her neck Avas broken. Her ruthless slower—an Othello in all but plumage—gathering Ins cygnets, one under each Aving. Avith obvious tenderness, betook himself nostream without another glance at the corpse of his victim —A.J.R., in the “Weekly Scotsman.”