Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-03-28
SURVIVAL OF THE
DUEL in EUROPE.

Baltimore Sun.
Much OF the current comment 10 the
press OF this country on the recent
Castellane- Rodays duel merely Illus,
trates how much opinion is affected by
the point of view. American news
paper writers Of today jauntily assume
two things as IL they were. beyond oil
dispute; first, that dueling 10 barbarons
and akin to common murder second,
that the so-called code Of honor is
essen italy ridiculous, aud as practiced
on the continent Of Europe at the
present time is positively farcical. IL
must be said, however, in fairness to
the French, German and other dueling
nations of Europe, that the code and
practice OF dueling are not necessarily
inconsistent with civilized state OF
society, though the nations that speak
English have abandoned them. And
Ut ought to moderate alike the censure
and the ridicule which the British and
American press unite in pouring upon
present.day duelists to remember that
their own ancestors, until quite late
In the Nineteenth century, were en-
thusiastio patrons of the field OF honor.
There are doubtless few men living
who can recOllect the sensation that
was made by the Duke OF Wellington's
duel with the Earl of Winchelsea in
1929. The hero of Waterloo was then
prime minister, and the encounter was
all about "a pettish letter. respecting
the Catholic Emancipation bill. When
the last century was young it was not
an uncommon thing for 20 duels to
take place in day in the British
Isles. In 1909 Major Campbell mortally
wounded Captain Boyd In a Inessroom
duel in England. He was tried at
Armagh and sentenced to death. His
wife was very active en- his behalf aud
did her best tc gain the royal olemenoy,
but George III was infisxible, says
Charles Mackay, sin consequence OF
the report of the Irish vioeroy that an
example was necessary.
Between that dnt0 and the Duke OF
Wellington's Premiership the great,
war had interviewed and 1t bad made
considerable difference. When British
troops we're in occupation of France in
1914 duels with rapiers were constantly
provoked by French officers for the
most trifiing things. English officers
were ignorant of the art, but they used
to rush at their adversaries and often
succeeded IN quitting them down. The
French seconds protested against this
breach Of the rules, but the English
seconds carried pistols and threatened
to shoot anybody who interfered.
Systematic French duelists went about
vowing they would take the life of the
fret English officer they met, and in
several cases carried out their threats
by practically one .sided duels. But
Irish officers were always ready and OK
pert at single combat. The Iron Duke,
himself an lrishman, had good
memory for these things, and SO when
Lord Londonderry entreated him to
keep the Tenth Regiment in Dublin,
though he knew duels would result,
the duke said; II think it not i'm
possible they may have to fight duel
o. two, but that consider OF NO
consequence. II Irish officers in King
Georges service were rather fond Of
duels, they were equally ready to face
French duelists we're not, and hence
| Napoleon's saying: 1.-THE better
duelst, the worst soldier. - Napoleon
had an aversion to dueling, ~ shown
by his reply to Gustavus Nv, from
whom he received a challenge: 81
will order fencing master to attend
me as plenipotentiary"
by ardoai Pnwian5 YorI,a 10 s,,r,osad
~ haue h,onaht r. - G.aIan5 ;pp Isa1
hnt sarI;ar than that Il uss nat an ~,
no,,,,n,, ,h,nm 70 ssa ,Iora 49,. =. 80.
M Liza H., obr,nh % ehaiiassa 80 -
anyone who should talks IL down. There
were l72 duels in England during the
reign Of George III, and there were
/ several trials of peerg for lnurder nv
tho House ~ f,ords aro,ina ~ y,
then, IT, last dnai r. Ena1.nS ~
tmaar p,tt;ah aeS L;an,. - H.h4 10
So,,thsas ~ iaas 49, t';s,,faa.sst
H.w,a. who Md rasant.a az 49,.
tio amNo5, VIZ io,t nau e'o S 'ne a''eh,
Eiaranth uns.ars ~ Ne ,.;. ,;lia9
him in oonhat W WIZ Ai"oo
The recor5s a. E,onob dral;n, rol.
h,y afford moro aansat;onaie atfa,.s
tban thosa ~ az o.bav ,aao,,, ns
the 6sid Of honor ' e U aJsa pbUp ~
trv v E,anoh an IL n 90 yuur
mat;o Thns e.. oSa NY u "a
raSon - an;s WV az at. m sne
;nsnited iada 'ao h aIst saa Haup,n
dared ont ~ Tho roora sha VA va ~
,n,,id oo;s H. ..n,,ti" yno saiu eii 3
~ ias H. ,me ,so nU,e e,,Va VIZ esIouseu
s;Sa x,tsr W ~ tn.uS noI . 1h.,
49,, -, ;. u o e. sne hiiieo
haIi.r, rhI "aoS' , W nv
Hal ha,waen Fonr esa ~ ioi2 o.
ahat ,asteS 10 noars Tdea anu uur one
t, ua ~ noe; a ,rSoaas asleeo, py
w,thIn ioo ra;ias " aaob sney were
rau,,It b.d sau,a daa, n V.uol gu ~ .
hats 6 aa s Snn Ge ,s p sg9ro com
| 10y uui1np eau We