The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-03-17

PRINCES ON SHiPeOARD.
How the Sons Of the Heir Apparent Co
ducted Themselves as Niddies.


How the Sons of the Heir Apparent Con-
Quoted Themselves as Niddies.
A gentleman whose Office IS in Pine
street fire insurance company Of this
CITY was a shipnlate of the late Duke
OF Clarence and of his brother, Prince
George OF board her majesty's ship
Britannia. He has clear relnem brance
OF the day they joined the ship and OF
their reception by their fellow middies.
In speaking Of that event he said:
sAt 3:f5 OF Jan. Is. 1877, on board her
znaiesty's ship Britannia. training ship
for gentlemen cadets, stationed at Dart
mouth, Devon. the bugler sounded
quarters and all hands. in full uniform,
were mustered to receive the two newly
appointed cadets. the royal princes
Captain Fairfax, commanding, was
standing at the head OF the gangway
with the first lieutenant. in full dress,
and as the steam pinnace came along
side, the ships band struck up God
Bless the Prince of Wales.
Captain Fairfax. having introduced
each of the wardroom officers and all
the instructors to their royal highnesses,
sang out: Attention! by your right,
dress; ewes front! Gentlemen cadets OF
her majesty's ship Britannia, now col
lectiveiy present to you your new ship
mates, their Royal Highnesses Prince
Albert Victor and Prince George OF
Wales, with whom will now leave You.
Two PAGES, forward, right about, turn,
dismissp
Then began al the usual boyish
chaff, or running, as | believe 1t Is
called at Annapolis, followed by the
task of showing our new shipmates
over the ship Is soon as they reached
the upper deck the senior cadet captain
said to them: Mates, it is an old Gus
tom that each "new," Gu joining, shall go
aloft, over the futtocks, avoiding the
lubber's hole as he would the bottomless
pit Which of you two will be over
frstT So over the futtocks and dowH
again went the two princes, finally
joining in game of swing the monkey
until the bugle sounded for cadets t.
put on mess uniform for tea.
at the sound Of the bugle cali two
venerable family retainers advanced to
our new shipnates, with every outward
sign of civilian respect, bat no nautical
tug of the forelock to inform them that
their mess uniform was prepared. 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
The main difference between the
Wales and the other cadets was that in
stead of sleeping in hammocks they had
large cabins knocked up for them on the
main deck, sleeping, dining and working
rooms being provided. They also had a
special tutor. who was appointed naval
instructor, the Rev. j. N Dalton, who
afterward accompanied them in hen
majestys ship Bacchante on their voy
age around the world.
"a favorite cadet joke was to get
Prince Eddie to stroke pleasure boat
and when the coxswain allowed an easy
all, some one would say, Wales, when
you are indeed my ruler, would very
much like it if you would make me
duke
"'Make you a duke, you swab? I'll
make you a shoeblack.'
He would then be taken by the legs
and ducked till he agreed and gave his
royal word of honor that each member
Of that boats crew should be duke
when he came to the throne.
Although without the high spirits OF
his younger brother, sweeter tempered
and more unaSsuming cadet was never
entered in the books of her majesty's ship
Britannia, and those characteristics he
always retained. The last time saw him
was in 1883, when he was serving as a
captain in the Tenth Hussars, at York,
and he gave me the same cordial greet
ing that he always had given ten years
before, when we were brother cadets.
"A time hoDored custom on board the
Britannia is that cadets in their first
term shall fag' for cadets in their third
and fourth terms, and that cadets in
their second term shall 'fag' for those in
the fourth or final term. This rule was
in no way abated with the Wales boys,
and have seen them on several occa-
sions hauling cadet of the necessary
seniority up the hill to the cricket
field on a broiling day, with the perspira-
lion rolling down their royal brows 1t
was good discipline. New York Times