RULES ON THE ROAD AND SEA.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 282, 26 June 1873, Page 7

RULES ON THE ROAD AND SEA.

We clip the following from the " Marlborough Express " : — Sir, — The following lines I have found useful to me as a reminder, and send them to you, trusting they may be of benefit to some of your nautical readers : — 1. — Two steamers meeting head on. Meeting steamers do not dread, When you see three lights ahead ; Port your helm and show your red. 2. — Two steamships passing. For steamers passing you should try, To keep this maxim in your eye :—: — Green to green, or red to red, Perfect safety — go ahead. 3. — Two steamers crossing. Ihis is the real position of danger : The steamer that has the other on her starboard should keep out of the way. There is nothing in it but a good look out, caution, and judgment. If to starboard red appear, 'Tis your duty co keep clear ; Act as judgment says is proper, Port, or starboard, back, oc stop her. But when on your port is seen A steamer with a light of green, There's not so much for you to do ; The green light rnuafc keep clear of you. 4. — If hen in doubt. All ships must keep a good look-out, and steamships must stop and go. astern if necessary. Both in safety and in doubt, Always keep a good look-out ; Should there not be room to turn, Stop your ship, and go astern. G. R. L., Asr Old Salt. Havelock, 21st May, 1873.

An old gentleman has just passed away in America who, it seems, claimed the right to sit on the throne of England. The "New York Herald " reports the death in that city of William Rysam G-racie, in his seventy-first year. For fifty years, says the "Herald," Mr. G-racie believed himself to be the lineal descendant of the great and unfortunate as well as royal houses of Stuart and Sobieski, and many well-informed peoplo in New York and Europe had an abiding faith in his claims to the throne of Great Britain and Ireland. Mr. G-racie, who called himself William the Fourth of England, was uot unlike the late Mr. Horace Greely in appearance, but " his features and ! carriage were of the true Stuart stamp. It is perhaps as well that he never succeeded in establishing his claim to the Crown, for although he is described as " being in manner a perfect gentleman, full of courtesy and chivalrous notions, and courageous in character, as no Stuart ever failed to be," it is doubtful whether, from his habits and temperament he would ever have made a good constitutional monarch. Under his pillow for years he had concealed an old rusty onebarrelled pistol and a huge claapknife, with which he declared he would defend his life against the entire English array. In conversation he would frequently speak of the practicability of landing troops at different points to march to London and seize tho Tower with the Crown jewels and the regalia, and be also, " when under the influence of liquor," had a mania for borrowing money for which he really had no need. About twelve months ago he had a difficulty with a man larger than himself, and who is not more thau thirty-five years of age. It occurred in the Wa3hinton Hotel. " The commingled blood of Arabella Stuart and John Sobieski rose to fever heat," and the aged monarch knocked his opponent flat on the ground and choked him vigorously. The remains of William V. now rest in Woodlawn Ceinotery. From a Parliamentary return, we learn that tho number of non-com-missioned officers and rank and file of the British army on the Ist January, 1872, was 183,620 ; the number of recruits who joined during the year was 17,791 ; deserters, 5,861 ; "deserters who rejoined, 1,855; men discharged by purchase, for pension, medically unfit, incorrigible, &c. 11,578; deaths, 2,549; total strength on J3lbt December last, 182,568. The above return does not account for the total increase aud decrease of the Mi-iiiy during 1872 ; and there are no m^ans of separating the deserters who rejoined voluntarily from those who were arrested.