The Sun.
London, England, 1845-05-19 00:00:00

ENGLISH ETIQUETTE.

The ceremonial observed by the Tudor sovereigns ap-
proached absurdity. When the sisters of the young
King Edward the Sixth dined with him they were not
permitted even a chair, but sat on a bench sufficiently
distant from the King for his canopy not to overhang
them; and, when Elizabeth dined with Queen Mary and
Philip of Spain, though heiress presumptive to the
kingdom, and treated as such, she was carefully placed
outside the cloth of estate. But King James the
First carried this etiquette quite as far; for we read
that, on the 4th of June, 1610, he created his son Prince
Henry Prince of Wales, having previously knighted him,
without which honour he was incapable of sitting at
dinner with his Sovereign, though his father. Elizabeth
was intrenched chin-deep in observances. . . .
If we are to credit the opinion of the witty-
fashionist of the day, De Grammont, such
manifestations were more honoured in the breach
than the observance. When dining in state on
one occasion, King Charles made his favourite
remark, that he was served upon the knee, a mark of re-
spect not common at other courts. " I thank your Ma-
jesty for the explanation," replied De Grammont ; " I
thought they were begging pardon for giving you sobad a
dinner." The customs which were of necessity habitual
at meals form a curious contrast to this superabundant
display of etiquette. We do not, indeed, read of ladies
sitting under the table, or of one lady in particular being
enviably placed there (as erst at the coronation of Anne
Boleyn), "to hold a fine cloth before the Queen's
face when she list to spit, or do otherwise at her
pleasure. But, most certain it is, that the prudish
maiden Queen fed herself with her fingers. It is a mis-
take to say that forks were not known then, for
Elizabeth possessed several, which had been pre-
sented to her ; but it is certain they were not used,
nor for a considerable time after did they become
common. Indeed, the prejudice was as rife against
them, even among the higher classes, as it is now
against machinery among the lower ones. One divine
preached against the use of forks, as " an insult on
Providence, not to touch one's meat with one's fin-
gers." * * * Forty years after this
forks were still a novelty, as may be inferred from
a passage in Heglin's Cosmography," published in
1652. " The use of silver forks with us, by some
of our spruce gallants, taken up of late, came from hence
into Italy, and from thence into England." For a long
time after their introduction into England they were
considered as a most superb mark of coxcombry ; anti it
appe•irs that then, even as now, empty-beaded young
men affected to display their consequence by the parade
of foreign fopperies.—M s. Stone's Chronicles of Pastime.

DIRECTIONS FOR AIDING OR EF-
FECTING ESCAPE FROM FIRE.
The following important directions for aiding or
effecting escape from fire have recently been issued by
the Royal Society for the Protection of Life from Fire,
and, if acted upon, will prove the means of preventing
many of those appalling accidents which it is so fre-
quently our painful duty to record :-
1. Every householder should make each person in his
house well acquainted with the parts thereof which afford
the best means of escape, whether the fire break out at
the top or at the bottom, and, in securing the street door
and lower windows for the night, care should be taken
that an easy outlet for every member of the house is not
thus prevented, in case of fire. [A coil of rope in the
upper pint of the house will be found the most available-
escape that can be kept on the promises.]
2. It is the duty of all to be well acquainted with the
various fire-escape stations of the Royal Society, and the
places in their own neighbourhoods where ladders, ropes,
&e., are generally at hand.
3. On an alarm of fire it should be the object of all
persons to direct their efforts to save the inmates, and
when the fire occurs near one of the society's stations,
see that instant notice is forwarded to the conductor ; if
at a considerable distance from any station, call to mind
where a ladder has been seen, and especially ropes or
chains ; pending their arrival see the next direction be
observed.
4. Two well qualified persons (constables or others)
should ascend to the roof, through the adjoining house;
it is often the case that most efficient assistance can be
rendered the inmates, by an entrance to the upper part
of the building on fire; from thence Dither by the win-
dow, the loft door, or removing the tiles.
5. As soon as the ropes are brought, letone be conveyed
to the upper windows of both the houses on either side
of the one on fire, and one end of each dropped into
the street, which may speedily be attached to the two
ends of an ordinary length ladder or a baker's large
basket (this can be obtained at any hour of the night ;)
the greatest care should always be bestowed in securing
the ropes to the same ; in the absence of these, the
ropes should bo well tied together, so as form a line
across the house on fire. The parties above may
then with common care haul the same clear of the flames,
and bring it before the window where the persons
waiting to escape are. The avoiding the flames will be
-aided by a guide rope attached and held in the street ;
repeated descents could thus be quickly made ; and if a
person would ascend from the street in the firstlinstance,
he would render great service, as it generally happens
that the inmates are unable to help themselves.
6. When a fire occurs in a narrow street, assistance
can be given most efficiently from the windows of the
opposite houses, particularly by means of a ladder placed
across from window to window.
7. When no other means present themselves, the by-
standers had better collect all the blankets, &c., at hand,
and thus be prepared for the inmates throwing them-
selves from the windows ; if there be a scarcity of bed-
ding, a blanket or carpet stretched out by several per-
sons will serve the purpose.
8. Inmates at the first alarm should endeavour calmly
to reflect what means of escape there are in the house ;
if in bed at the time, wrap themselves in a blanket or
bedside carpet, and neither open windet4tnor doors
more than necessary, and shut every doOt 'them. If
there is much smoke a wet silk handkerchief will be
found useful inasmuch as when tied over the face without
time, excludes folded,
the
tpeersmmiotke
permits free breathing, and, at the same
9. It must be borne in mind that in the midst of smoke
it is comparatively clear towards the ground, conse-
quently, progress through smoke can generally be made
on the hands and knees.
10. When all escape is cut off by the staircase, the
object must be to open the front windows, and here the
endangered persons are cautioned against acting too
hastily ; they must not precipitate themselves at once,
but wait until the last chance of assistance fails, then
drop rather than leap, as by that means the height of
several feet is saved, and in dropping give a svAng back-
wards. The window over the doorway
wo'de-',;• at all times
be preferable to escape from rather k!aan those over
-
the area.

SOUTH NOTTINGHAMSHIRE RE-
GIMENT OF YEOMAN.R.Y CAVALRY.
DESERTION OF SEVENTY TROOP HORSES.—The
South Nottinghamshire Regiment of Yeomanry Cavalry,
consisting of four troops, the Wollaton, Holme, Bing-
ham, and Watnall, under the command of Colonel Moore,
assembled in this town, for eight days' permanent duty,
proceeded on Wednesday morning; last, as usual, to their
training ground, on Bulwell Forest, a distance of four
miles from the town, where they went through the move-
ments of the day, and at three o'clock in the after-
noon dismounted. As the regiment had to be reviewed
and disbanded on the following day, this hour had been
fixed upon for awarding the prizes offered to the best
horses in the three troops (Watnall, Holine, and Bing-
ham), and the horses entered as competitors were or-
dered in the rear. The sums proposed to be given were
10/. for the best horse in each troop, and 51. for the
second. George Robinson, Eeq., formerly Major in the
regiment, who had been requested to officiate as judge,
attended by Colonel Moore and the officers, commenced
the inspection, and the whole of the men, feeling anxious
to witness the exhibition, formed into a circle, leaving
their own horses standing in a line in front, unguarded.
On previous days, a large number of boys from the vil-
lages of Basford and Bulwell had offered their services
to hold the horses when the men dismounted, with a
view of having a small donceur, but being disappointed
in their expectations, had declined on this day to afford
their aid ; but this circumetauce was not at all re-
gretted, as considerable mischief had been committed
by these urchins while in the charge of the horses for
a few minutes. Leaving the troop horses untended,
however, occasioned a serious and unexpected disaster.
While the whole were busily engaged in the rear, and
the prize horses were being trotted round, the mettle of
the troop horses became roused, and in an instant up-
wards of seventy set off at fall gallop across the Forest,
leaving their riders behind., and accidentally forming
themselves into three separate bodies, away they went on
the high road towards Nottingham, F (tampering along as
hard as they could go. On reaching the turn leading
into the village of Basford, three bodies went in
that direction, and a foukh continued along the
road to Carrington. A iaa•ge number of little chil-
dren, from four to ten years old, had assembled
at l)obb Park.gate, waiting for the return of the
cavalry, but fortunately at this particular juncture,
Mr. Charlton, of the Pear Tree Inn, Basford, and another
person, happened to go that way, and hearing the sound
of a bugle, the loud clanking of the scabbards of swords,
and the heavy tread and swift approach of horses, and
seeing no riders upon them! Mr. C. Oegan to pitch the

children, like hay into a loft, one after another, over a
gate, into Dobb-park, till they became a heap of
upwards of twenty ; the remainder he rolled into a
ditch. His companion took off his hat, boldly placed
himself in the road, and extending both arms, with his
hat in his right hand, endeavoured to stop the horses ;
the leader, however, pounced upon him, knocked
him down, and passed on, followed by a troop of
about twenty more, all of which jumped over him,
and left him unhurt, except a slight bruise on his right
thigh. He sprung up before the arrival of the second
troop, and dashed out of their way. The whole line of
road in the village instantly became alarmed, men
turned out of their houses, calling out " stop the horses,"
women shrieked, and children ran screaming and cry-
ing to get out of danger. The horses, on reaching the
middle of the village, suddenly took a turn up
David-lane, to the consternation and dismay of the
villagers, as it had happened that only a few mi-
nutes before, a number of young men, for a holiday
freak, had gone that way, carrying brooms, bosoms,
and banners, rattling upon tin pans, and making various
noises, accompanied with a large number of children.
This company stood outside the Horse and Jockey
public-house, kept by Mr. Flint, drinking ale, and
when they saw the approaching horses, a general
shout and the utmost confusion ensued. The men
placed themselves in a position to stop the animals, and
the women and children ran into the house and other
places for safety as they could, but unfortunately many
were unable to get out of the way. Fifteen horses
resolutely made their way through the crowd, pros-
trating all before them, but at length four or five were
brought to a stand, and those in the rear coming up pell
mell, fell in succession, till upwards of a score lay in a
heap upon the ground together. The second troop,
finding the road obstructed, instantly faced to the right
about, and off they went, some in one direction and
some in another, and had the village been beseiged by a
foreign army, greater consternation could not have pre-
vailed. Eight of the horses went directly to the toll-
bar on the Mansfield-road, within the precincts of the
town of Nottingham, where they were stopped, and
others took across the forest. The scene on the
training-ground was indeed of a novel description,
and will not soon be forgotten by those who wit-
nessed it. Officers and men joined in pursuit, some
riding and others running and panting, in the vain
hope of coming up with the deserters, but ere the horse-
men could get in sight of the fleeting steeds, the mis•
chief had been accomplished. At Dobb Park, only one
child was injured, but at Basford, three children,
Catherine Elliott, six years old, Wm. Flinders, three
years and a half old, and George Smith, aged 13, were
carried to their respective homes, their heads and other
parts of their bodies being covered with blood, having
been kicked or trampled upon by the horses; these in-
juries, though very serious, are considered not to be fatal.
It is impossible to ascertain how many others were
slightly injured and bruised, the number being very
great. Mr. Morley and Mr. Ratcliffe, surgeons, were
very busy dressing the wounded when the surgeons of
the regiment, Mr. Watts and Mr. Wright, arrived; the
latter instantly afforded their aid, and visited every case.
Several of the horses were not found till the next morn-
ing. as they had made their way to different towns and
villages in the county. Captain George Rawson (clerk
to the justices of the town of Nottingham) made vigi-
lant inquiries, ordering everything necessary to be done
for those who had been injured.—Nohtingham Review.