Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1892-06-11
TWO ROYAL mlpDlEs.
Some "Reminiscences of the Wales Boys
When They We're .ifioat.

A gentleman whose Office is in a
Pine street tire insurance company Of
this city, a the n. Y. Times, was a
shipmatc of the late duke OF Clarence
and Of his brother, Prince George. on
board her majesty's ship Britannia.
I lie has a clear remembrance Of the
day they joined the ship, and of their
reception by their fellow-middies. ; In
speaking of that event recently he said:
AT 1918 Jan, 1s. 1877, on board her
maJesty's ship Britannia, training-ship
for gentlemen cadets. stationed at
Dartmouth, Devon, the bugler sound
ed quarters and all hands, in full uni
form, Were mustered 10 receive the
two newly appointed cadets. the royal
| princes. Capt. Fairfax, commanding,
was standing at the head of the gang
way with the first lieutenant. in full
dress, and as tho steam pipnace came
alongside. the ships band struck up
God Bless the Prince of Wales
Capt. Fairfax, having introduced
each of the wardroom officers and all
the instructors TO their royal high
nesses, sang out Attention, by your
right, dress; eyes front! Gentlemen
cadets Of her majesty's slip Britannia,
now collectively present you to yoA
new shipmates, their royal highnesses
Prince Albert Victor and Prince George
Of Wales. with whom / will now leave
you. Two PAGES forward, right about,
turn, dismiss.'
Then began all the usual boyish
chaff, or running as | believe il IS
called at Annapolis. followed by the
task Of showing our new shipmates
over the ship. As soon as they reach
cd the upper deck the senior cadet
captain said to them: Mates. 1t is an
| old custom that each new on Joining
/ shall 90 aloft over the futtocks, avoid
ing the lubber's hole as he would the
bottomless pit. Which of you two will
be over iirst?' So over the futtocks.
and down again Went the two princes,
finally Joining in q game OF swing the
monkey until the bugle sounded for
cadets to put on mess uniform for tea.
AT the sound of the bugle call two
venerable family retainers advanced
20 our new shipmates. with every out
ward sign of civilian respect, bat no
nautical tug of the forelock, TO inform
! them that their mess uniform was pre-
pared. A shrill voice called out:
"'WhO are your ancient chums,
Wales?'
why, don't you see, some other
wit replied, 'one Is the wet nurse and
the other the dry nurse
"Ths main differences between the
| Waleses and the other cadets was,
that instead Of sleeping in hammocks
they had large cabins Knocked up for
| them on the main deck-sleeping, din
ing.Sand working rooms being pro-
vided. They also had a special tutor,
who was appointed a naval instructor,
! the Rev. j. n. Dalton, who afterward
accompanied them in her majesty's
ship Bacchante in their voyage around
| the world.
"A fayorite cadet joke was to Get
Prince Eddie to stroke q pleasure
boat, and when the coxswain allowed
an easy ALI some one would say:
Wales. when YOU are indeed my ruler.
Iwould very much like it II you would
snake me a duke
"sAIake you a duke. you swab, I'll
make, YOU a shocblack.'
"He would then be taken by the legs
and duoked till he agreed and gave his
word of honor, that each mems
Der Of the boats crew should be . duke
when he came TO the throne.
En- Although without the high spirits OF
His Younger brother, a sweeter tem-
pered and more ~unassuming cadet
Wns never entered in the books Of her
m1fe sty's ship Britannia, and those
| cha acteristics he always retained.
HE last time / saw him was in 1883,
when he was serving as q captain in
~ Tenth hussars ut York, acI gave
me the same cordial greeting that he
alvays had given ten years before,
when we werc brother cadets.
"A time-honored custom on BOARD
the Britannia is that cadets in their
first term shall ,fag' for cadets IN ih.eir
third and fouth terms, and that cadets
in their second term shallfag' for those
fthe fourth or final term. This rule
was in no way abated with the Wales
boys, and I have seen them on several
occasions hauling a cadet of the neces-
ssry seniority up the hill TO the cricket
ffeld on q broiling day. with the per-
SEPARATION rolling down their royal
urVws. 1t was good discipline -,