Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-12-18
THEHON0R OF THEFLAG.
By ". CLARK RUSSELL.
Copyright, 1861

Copyright, 1861
Manifold are the historic interests Of
the river Thames There is scarcely a
foot Of its mud from London bridge to
Gravesend reach that is not as ''conse
Grated as that famous bit of soil which
DR.. Samuel johnson and Mr.. Richard
Savage knelt and kissed ON stepping
ashore at Greenwich. One of the his
toric interests, however, threatens to
perish out Of the annals. It does not in
deed rise to such heroic proportions as
you find in the story of the Dutch inva-
sion of the river or in old Hackluyt's
solemn narrative of the sailing Of the
expedition organized by Bristol's noble
worthy, Sebastian Cabot, but it is alto
gether too good and stirring to merit
erasure from the Thames history books
~ the neglect or ignorance Of the his
torian. Es
It is absolutely true. I pledge my
word for that on the authority OF the
records of the Whitechapel county court.
In the year 1851 there dwelt on the
banks of the river Thames retired tai
lor, whom will call John Sloper out
of regard to the feelings of his posteri-
ty, if such there be. This man had for
many years carried on f1ourishing
trade in the east end of London. Hav-
ing got together as much money as he
might suppose would supply his daily
needs, he built himself a villa near the
pleasant little town of Firth. His house
overlooked the wates. In front of it
sloped a considerable piece of garden
ground. RI
Mr.. Sloper showed good sense and
good taste in building himself little
home on the banks of the Thames. All
day long he was able, if he pleased, to
entertain himself with the sight of as
stirring and striking marine picture
as is anywhere to be witnessed. He
could have built himself house above
bridges, where there is no lack OF ele-
gance and river beauty of many sorts,
but he chose to command a view Of the
Thames on it's commercial side.
In his day there was more life in the
river than there is now. In our age the
great steamer thrusts past and is quick
~ gone the tug runs the sailing ship to
the docks OF to her mooring buoys, and
there is no life in the fabric she drags.
In Sloper's time steamers were few; the
Water of the river teemed with sailing
craft of every description; they tackled
across from bank to bank as they stag
gered to their destination against the
wind.
Sloper, sitting at his open window
on a fine day, would be able to count 20
different types Of rigs i'll almost az
many minutes That he took a keen in
terest in ships, however, I do not assert.
That he could have told you the differ
ence between a brig and schooner is
barely imaginable. The board On which
Sloper had fiourished was not ship
board-it had nothing to do with star
board or larboard. He was a tailor, not
sailor, and the friends who ran down
to see him were of his own sort and
condition.
Sloper was widower. How many
years he had lived with his wife cant
say. She died one Easter Monday, and
when Sloper took possession of his new
house near Firth he mounted some
small cannon on his lawn, and these
pisces of artillery he regularly fired ev-
e. Easter Monday in celebration Of
what he called the joyfulest anniver-
sary of his life-from which it is to be
assumed that Sloper and his wife had
not lived together very happily. But,
though the Whitechapel county court
records have been searched and inquiries
made in that part of London where Slo
per's shop was situated, it has not beer
discovered that Mrs. Sloper's end was
fastened by her husbands cruelty-that
in short, more happened between then
than constant quarrels. Yet it must BIZ
said that Sloper behaved as though, il
truth, as the old adage would put it.
his little figure contained no more thai
the ninth part Of soul, when he mount
ed his guns and rudely and noisily tri
umphed over the dead whom perhaps hi
might have been afraid Of in life, anG
coarsely emphasized with blasts of gun
powder his annual joy over his release
Now, in the east end Of London, no
above 20 minutes walk from Sloper'
old shop, there lived a sailor named 10
seph Westlake. This man had served
when boy under Collingwood; ha(
smelled gnnpowder at Navarino unde,
Codrington; had been concerned in sew
eral dashing cutting out jobs in TIN
West Indies, and was altogether a
hearty and worthy specimen of an OLE
English sailor Of the vanished school a
you could ask to see.
He had been shot in the leg. He car
ried a great scar over his brow. He wa
as full of yarns as piece of ancien
ships biscuit Of weevils He swore will
more oaths than Dutchman, sneeret
prodigiously at steam and held tn
meanest opinion Of the then existing
race OF seamen, who he said never coult
have won the old battles which hat
been the making of this kingdom
whether under Howe's or gallant Jer
Wis or the lion hearted Nelson's flag
The country had no further need o
MS HprvIonc ~, l. 80 1>o,,,rr IL ofF r,