Jack Ashore.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7731, 6 February 1905, Page 4

Jack Ashore.

AMUSING FBEAKS OF BRITISH TARS AT SMYRNA. £30,000 SPENT. New has the city of Smyrna beheld such an impressive sight as that presented by the portion of the British Mediterranean fleet which anchored in the port at the end of August. When at night, on the discharge of a rocket, t'he whole squadron was transformed into a mass of light, exclamations of " Wonderful " " Mag- j nificent !" and "Splcnidid !" burst from tens of thousands of spectators. 9 Jack ashore enjoyed liimsfelf in a characteristic fashfion. Numbers of men hired horses, and numbers of the Royal Bluejacket Horse Brigade were seen cantering all oner the town. One tar, whose steed persistently put down his head, threw up his heels and flung his rider, ingeniously " ballasted him " by fastening a large stone with his lanyard to the animal's tail. Another sailor bought a donkey, saddle • and all, for £5, the dealer agreeing to take tho animal back and return £3 at the end of twentyfour hours, if it were still in a condition. Jack mounted his steed and rode away. Passing a fashionable cafe, he dismounted, and seating himself at a table and ordered two cakes:. One he ate himslelf, and the other he gave to the donkey, who also had a glass of beer every time his owner bought, one. Tbe sailor duly sold , the animal back to the dealer, and some hours later, finding that he'had still ten shillings left, he hired ten boatmen and gave each a shilling to take him on board. The ten boats being tied together in a line, tihe sails*' seated himself in the last one, and was pulled to his ship, to the intense amusement of officers and men.

Hestaurant and cafe keepers had hung up symbols to attract the handy man, such as " The Nelson Restaurant," " The John Bull Bar," and " The Togo Brewery." It is estimated that the bluejackets and marines alone spent about £30,000 in Smyrna.