MASCOTS OF THE FLEET.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 133, 8 June 1916, Page 2

MASCOTS OF THE FLEET.

JACK AND HiS STRANGE PETS. Being of a very strong, sympathetic nature, with a great passion for animals. it is scarcely surprising that “Jack” dotes on mascots and pets. Dogs and cats are. of course, to the fere, and among the most famous ca”!ne nets of the Navy are the bull-

dogs cf the famous Rodney Stone breed which Lord Charles Beresford has presented to several Dreadnoughts. Sir John Jellicoe, it may be remembered, was presented with a hull dies:, Jumbo, as a mascot for his flagship. If Monkeys and parrots, however, are among sailers’ favourite pets. Both are highly entertaining, and the form- ( er, in the words of the Irishman, “does everything but spake, in case he be made to work.” Sometimes pets in the Navy are come by in strange circumstances, says the “Field.” as, for instance, the pig cf H.M.S. Glasgow. This animal was found swimming about in the Pacific after the Dresden went down, and was picked up by one cf the Glasgow boats. a pother rescue incident is fm’theemiro- in the story of Snot, of the Iron Duke, During the battleship’s "team trial she rescued the crew cf e s.s Sootsdvke. which had caught T!'e dujr belcup-ou to the cantain, and was with him on tlm burning ship. An offer made after the rescue to present the dog to the Iron Duke ums immediately closed with. An opossum on the Superb is one <-f the <!f ■>«»e <vr> ~ 1 spu-ietim o " n . r*~l. 7 c: 1-.H+- pf fUr. } ,-<• UP*- e" ma"-eOtR - - I- r, ..v'f r Our, + lin motol U—' rr ‘~ Of- ; *" A fv'"a carried fl’« g-'!-e about, in a tin hoy for a. I<-r>g time feed ”•>«>■ it on field miee. It was eventually killed, hut finds an honoured place as a curio in the United Services Museum. Of memorials to pets the graveyard of H.M.s. Excellent at Whale Island Gunnery School is interesting. Here crosses are erected to the memory of a pet, the “Property of Commander E’avlev. run over and killed December 19th. 1896. aged two years; also Brownie, the monkey, died from pneumonia, January 11th. 1897; also Dash, died April. 1899. aged nine years.” The keeping of pets on board has to have the express sanction of the commander.