A DUKE'S FREAK.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1403, 13 June 1883, Page 3

A DUKE'S FREAK.

; •, In the old days, medical men' were •i paid and treated so badly in the navy 'i-i;, that no gentleman of decent know* ledge or education could be induced to 1 "join;' The first' change was made, owing to a freak of the Duke of Oiim-' berland many years ago, which iB worth {; repeating.. ' :';, One evening, after a somewhat hearty 1 dinner, His Cruets took it into his head that it would Lit a hit of fun to go for a cruise down to'ilni foist '< i' End of London, and pay a visit, to'the • neighborhood of the docks whero he had never been. ~,... Accoixlingly accompanied by Captain H—, of the Royal Navy,.' both of tt courso disguised in big cloaks and hats, :_ the Duke started off. . ; They drove as far as Wapping, where they alighted, and began to look . ; around them. They entered various dancing saloons and watched the seamen enjoying them- • ■•' selves with their sweethearts, and, in fact, saw " life" as it was lived in the East End." ■• -■ ' '; ' At length/ nfttf several narrow . cßcaj)eß of "discovery"they determined . to return westward to the more oivilised ' jregioiis vvliere they resided. ' "' But' unfortunately'on quitting tho last house they toot the wrong turning, and before they discovered their mistake they round themselves down below Shailwell. ""Egad, your Royal Highness," exclaimed Captain H—, " I'm"afraid we're'lost, for I'll bo hanged if I'm not altogether out of ray reckoning." "Never mind," answered the duke; ; " there's a decent looking man, let us inquire our way." fbey "accordingly approached the ' man in question, who was a nautical- ' looking party leaning against an anchor stock. While they were speak"inghe sharply scrutinised them, and ' ygntheirconcluding put his hand to nflWth and gave a shrill and long "■• whistle. 1 ■ Before they bad time to defend ••'■' themselves or make their escape they were surrounded by half-a-dozen wild ' and ferocious looking men, " What is the meaning of this f inquired the Duke, feeling for his pistols under the impression that he was going to be robbed. " Don't flurry yourself," was the reply, " this tho pross>gang." Captain H—- was about to declare himself, when his Grace whispered : " all right H , don't say anything, we will carry the joke through." So they sub- : mitted themselves, and were quietly made prisoners, . With much unnecessary roughness .and brutality they were dragged and pushed along until they arrived off the receiving ship, This was called the "lender," on •' board which the poor follows who had been kidnapped were confined while a 'cargo was made up, : •'. Then, treated worsothftn slaves, they "were conveyed tb''§hee'rn'es3 or Portsmouth, and placed aboard .different men-of-war, . Ai As soon:as. they reached the tender _', they were hauled before'the captain, who, instead of commiserating them ... upon their rough treatment, repri- '..' nwnded them for not joining the navy without being forced, and tb,pn>without waiting to hear what theyliad to .say, ordered them below. .. "I.have received an injury," observed the Duke; "and I should like to see the surgeon."

"It will be worse for you, : .my fine fellow, if you're not in'jufdd," observed tbe : captain j but-at- last he called for the surgeon, wlioi out folie an apothecary's assistant who had been obliged torun away in consequence of stabbing Lis master. .-. ,i" Now- doctor," observed the captain, ''this fellow (the Cuke) says our. men. 'bate injured hini,'but'! don't -believo

•'"Shertainly not," replied, the ' ( 4 i doctor," with a drunken hiccough, J: " noshing the matter with 'im," ' "■• And then without examination he turned round and disappeared below. " Now you' shall taste the boatswain's rattan for that," exclaimed the , captain maliciously. " Tell Mr Yarn I want him." The Duke now spoko up, and assured the captain they were free of the press, "Nothing of the kind roared the cantein, you're the mate of a collier brljgrand that fellow is your cook. I knqmyou, and.so does the doctor; ■; ..he'll stand by me;" And again he -called for the boatswain. Captain Hi-imow attempted an ;. explanation ; kit it was all in vain, he ordered to Presently tlie/'boatswain -'made his appearance, and he "was directed to strip the .two, men, and let both of them taste liiß rattan. " I dare anyone to lay hands upon roe," cried the duke, stepping back. '•'lt will be the worst day's work he ever did in his life." This put the finishing touch to the business, and the captain, foaming at the mouth with rage, seized a rope's end and rushed towards his victim. At the same moment the men laid hold of the Duke and tore his cloak off, and as they did so they exposed to view the star and numerouß'Orders that lay upon-his breast, .■ ... The effect may be imagined. The captain dropped on hie knees, begging for mercy, and the scene was changed,.; The consequences of this little affair were that the, captain was, dismissed from the service, and an inquiry was held with regard to the medical department of "the navy, which terminated in an orderbeing issued that none but qualified men were to* bo admitted—Tit Bits.'

There can be no doubt, says the Engineer,that, th,e,,inventor who could supply / ih' a machine •'out two or thiee'horqe ppw l er,'fifr''|da|. .wouldreap\an enonnouß forjtun^^>Up f . to the nreseht time,' however, nothing ;bf thß been placed inCthe now, andigAS engines are plentiful .1 •enou'jgb, yet.they do not meet the'want wibjcji a; aitoragei may'iie^ma^e

Engineers-in Berlin are experimenting in war balopns and photography. It has been'found quite practicable to mount to a height out of range, arid on the way up/to use an electrical apparatus.by- which,ja. view oftht underlying' 'coun'try 'can be taken in less tha¥ a 5ec0nd..'..,...» ,-.. .*.(!"! I .. ■An.entirely novel cartridge has recently been tried in America... ing to the inventor, the cartridge .will not heat the gun, it is self-ejecting, has twice the propelling force • of powder, and is much cheaper. It will also v cosfc very much less than metallic cartridges of gunpowder, and will not be injured .by water. Its materials and.,modeof 'prepaiitlion are secrets, but in appearance it is like paper pulp soaked in some explosive material, and! pressed into a hard roll. The ball Ls.attached : to the end of the roll, and., .the whole thing leaves the gun together on the sky-rocket principle, ' It: may be adapted to any'guri, and is'to revolutionise the ordinance departments of the world. At the trial the • inventor fired one of the ball cartridges into a spruce log eight inches' thick.' • The ball passed entirely through the log and a two inch plank behind; it and flattened against a stono Wall. --After firing twelve rounds out of tlio saw gun, thero was no apparent heat; and no fouling. A more scientific; and satisfactory test is shortly to'bo made in America before Government experts.. .. t ...