The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1903-03-19
ARTHUR ROPES General Editor,
THE GREAT WET DURBAR.

The Sun of New York which-un-
like the statue down the harbor en-
lightens the world has somewhat
abnormal admiration for Boston's
aristucratic military company, the
Ancient and Honorable Artillery
The contemporary seizes upon every
possible-and seemingly some impos-
sible-incident and episode in the
yearly story of the doings of the An
clients to publish a column or more of
editorial comment on their glory,
their valor and magnifcence. Some
years ago the organization invaded
England and laid seige to its capital
Xenephous chronicles of the wander
ings and achievements of the Ten
Thousand pales into insignificance by
the side of the Suns story OF the ex
ploits of Boston's hoary heroes at the
seige Of London-in numbers a few
hundred, in spirits million. Here,
now, is the Suns announcement of an
impending crisis in the history of the
n
preparing to besiege the ancient and
honorable capital of Massachusetts
and its CORPS Of veteran heroes is grid
ing on its armor to welcome the in
vaders with hospitable hands to bloody
reprisal for the London carnage. The
Sun says:
"The American mind runs naturally
to committees when great men fall,
wrote Mr.. John Hay some forty
odd years ago. In Boston, next Octo-
Der, great men are going to fall by the
rank. platoon, company. Then the
Honorable Artillery Company of Lon
don, carrying firearms by KIND permits
sion of the Great and General Court of
Massachusetts, is to be the guest of
honor at the Great Wet Durbar to be
given by the Ancient and Honorable
Artillery Company, which has been
carrying most of the fire. water in the
world since 1885, This Durbar is to
be the most memorable event in the
history of war and thirst since the
Ancients. calamity led by Col Henry
Walker, invaded London, intimidated
the Beefeaters, went to a garden party
at Marlborough House i'll frock. coats
and brown derby hats and made their
Guildhall friends, Cog and Magog,
honorary members of the Company.
The Ancients are all sitting in COM
mittee now; and as they have sed-
entary genius, they are sitting all the
time
Here follows a list of committee.
on every desirable thing straight OF
mixed. excepting, OF course, Cochitu
ate water, and it is noted that at the
end is the committee ON zigzags. -
The committees are many but they
have much to do vast problems oil
transpo -tation, of subsistence, Of
wood and glass;" are to be worked
out. The Sun continues:
1T is a noble sight to see one of these
committees, formidable as an Armada,
splendid as Cleopatra's galley, pass
under the spontoon bridge over the
moat of Fort Young or Fortress Park
er, warp up to the bar and begin an.
other day and night of solemn con
sultation and computation. We are
permitted to have a foretaste of the
Durbar feast to be spread in Sym
postum Hall. One thousand diners
will sit in five thousand chairs, spe
cially made of seasoned oak. The
grandiose proportions of an Ancient
make it difficult for him to be com
Portable in less than from two to six
ordinary chairs. The new chairs are
of five times the usual width, and fur
nished with racks and padlocks tC
keep the passengers from pitching
when a heavy sea arises. "
Watch the Sun for the next few
months, and particularly when arise
the battles din around Fort Youns
or Fortress Parker.