A JUBILEE SELL.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 2376, 1 October 1887, Page 2 (Supplement)

A JUBILEE SELL.

Thk most adventurous of the celebrations of the Victoria Jubilee has been the ascent of Mont Blanc by two Englishmen, who climbed to the top of “The Monarch of Mountains’’ on Juno2l, in order to shout. “God Save tho Queen’' at a height of 15,750 feet above the element ruled by Britannia. Tho most crooked of the incidents connected with tho Jubilee has also taken place in Switzerland. In tho town of St. Gallien, the seat of the Swiss embroidery trade, there is a largo colony of English people, and on Jubilee Day they decided to have a banquet, under the presidency of a Mr John Finlay, of Appcnzell, and to send a telegram of congratulation to the Queen. They did so, and received two replies. An American, who had come to Paris direct from St. Gallien, met an English friend in Paris on the same day, and told him of what was going on in the little Swiss centre. Bent on mischief, the two went off to the nearest telegraph office, and sent to the chairman the following message;—“ Sir John Finlay, Weisbad, Appenzeil, Victoria’s gratitude. Rise Sir John." The message reached the festive scene while the banquet was going on, and was considered a prompt reply; and the new knight at once ordered a dozen bottles of champagna to christen his title. At 5 o’clock came another telegram ; “ General Ponaonby is commanded by the Queen to thank the British residents at St. Gallien for their good wishes.” The two messages were then compared, and it was seen that one came from Buckingham Palace and the other from Paris. Poor Mr Finlay has to face in every warehouse of St. Gallien a copy of the bogus telegram, “Rise Sir John!"