The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-06-24
THE CODE DUELLO.
DueIling on the Continent Of Eu-
rope.
walls In Russia--PopuIar SentImenb
In France FavOrs Personal
Encounters.
rPall Mail Gazette

Over 5000 duels occur annually in France
alone. The enormous majority of these en-
counters take place between private SOL
diers. In every French regiment are TO be
found two or three frst-rate swordsmen,
commonly called des tGteRrs, whose espec-
ial business it is TO test the nerve of any
recruit suspected of a deficiency Of ply.
steal courage. On the most frivolous pre-
text the tdteIir fastens quarrel on the un-
fortunate nOuUedu, and the unanimous
voice of the regiment declares that honor
demands bloodshed. The encounter takes
place in the presence Of four non commits
stoned officers and Of the Tegimental fenc-
ing master, who stands by, sword in hand,
ready to parry any too dangerous thrust.
The weapon used in the cavalry is the
sabre, and in the infantry the ordinary
sword bayonet, and the issue is generally
harmless enough, although cases have been
known of the tdteur himself coming to grief
through the recruit going for his adver-
sary.
In society, and especially among gentle
men connected with what the French term
la petite preSse, very similar rule prevails,
but with one important modification. The
tateur is here conspicuous by his absence,
and the young aspirant to social or jour
Dreures by deliberately picking a quarrel
with some eligible opponent. The weapon
used in these affairs of honor is almost in
variably the small sword, the pistol being
considered far too dangerous an arm-the
issue of these encounters is as rule
scratched finger or forearm. Occasionally,
when political or other considerations rem
der even a scratch undesirable, pistols are
resorted to, but with peculiar precautions.
Thus NJ. Gambetta and De FOutOu-the
former being one-eyed and the latter near
" blind-were put up in a dense fog at
FORTY PAGES TO exchange shots with very
short-barrelled smooth bore pistols. In
short. nine out of ten French duels may be
looked upon as mere farces played for the
amusement of the gallery. The excellent
health enjoyed by NM RochefOrt, De Cas-
sagnac and earle dies Perrieres, who
among them have been out over fifty
times, adds strong confirmation to this
view of the matter.
In both Italy and Spain duels are fire.
ouent: but in both countries the saber Is
used. to the almost complete exclusion OF
the small sword. Indeed, the prejudice
against the latter arm is so strong in Italy
that it is all but impossible to lind seconds
who will consent to act in a duel a. tepee.
The natural result is that, while fatal is
sue is rare, the ugly gashes in the face are
very common. In both these countries the
penalty for duelling, as in France, is mere
ly nominal.
Throughout Germany, including Prus-
STA, Austria and the minor States, a very
different rule prevails. With the exceP-
ton of the oft described "Schlager" duels
among university students, which are still
yyinked at, encounters between civilians
are punished with considerable severity,
the ordeal of single combat being
a privilege practically reserved for the
army. In the event of two officers falling
out, a court of honor (EhrengeIichD, gen.
orally composed of five superior officers and
presided over by the Colonel of their regi-
ment or the General commanding the dis
trict, carefully investigates the whole
affair and decides whether an apology
shall be rendered and accepted or whether
an encounter is necessary. The decision of
the court is final, and any officer refusing
To comply with it would be compelled to re-
tire from the service, while any duel IN
authorized by the court would infalibly
lead to the cashiering of the offenders.
Pistols are almost invariably used, at a
distance of twelve PAGES; and, German
officers being as a rule very good shots,
fatal consequences are not infrequent. By
a strange anomaly, the verdict of the
EhTen0eY1cht does not entirely cover the
of the combatants. In the
event of a fatal issue, the survivor i liable
to suffer q term of open arrest IN fortress,
varying from two to six months. A Ger
man officer thus finds himself placed IN the
dilemma of refusing to fight and being
compelled to retire, or of fighting and
running the risk of being placed under ar
rest for doing SO.
In no country are duels more frequent or
more murderous than in Russia; the Rus
slams being, especially when in their cups,
as quarrelsome as courteous to foreigners.
The mode of combat universally adopted
is that termed the duel la bdrTiere; the
opponents being put up at fifteen PAGES,
with liberty to advance five PAGES each at
a given signal, and to fire at will. Should
one of them fire and miss, his adversary Is
entitled to complete his five PAGES before
the shot. Many cases have been
known in which duelist, although MORALLY
wounded, has yet retained sufficient
strength to take steady aim and fire with
fatal effect. The great Russian poet Push
kin was killed in duel la bdITiere after
severely wounding his antagonist.
In the Baltic ITONiuCe u Sbclll pIcNdAS
which at first sight appears even more
murSdsrous The adversaries are placed
only three PAGES apart; the pistols arc
held with the muzzle pointing upward, and
are brought down and discharged at a
given signal. 1t may appear almost I'M
possible for two men to miss each other at
so short distance: but this is not the case.
Each of the opponents is so desperately
anxious to gain the least fraction of sec
ond on his adversary that, on the signal
being given, the weapons are often brought
down with so hurried and violent jerk
that the bullets bury themselves in the
ground. At a duel Fought last year at
Riga between an officer and a student in
this fashion, three shots were exchanged
without any result, while at the fourth dis
charge the student had the great toe of his
right foot cut clean off by his opponents
bullet.