New-York tribune., 1906-11-20
r,u,o;n Gamblers "reminiscences of
the Victorian NdUy.


~,-,own" has led Captain ""'ii
rs sting and curious aoFei'ui
HS', Sc many years OF active Sei' ~
Wh ,rovx. and later az war ooi'o
n's sT,s London Times. furhlsheu -,
,,,v In the volume WHICH N9 no ..a
porfuii'' --,ss his autobiography down to the
written ho 80 turkish War and writes with
close o. NV ,-o-tness of his physical and
-.,cboloeical experiences. 1he o00h - NJ
psy+1,-trc es clever narrative of lively incl
en'ei - 7.a1,able for the light it throws upon
oens ,.,.,, NAVY Of the mid-Victorian era. The
'n' .,,. not hesitate to name names and to
eu1'o- =, oo,,stic criticism where he thinks 1t
H'1. ubatber he writes Of kings and queens.
IL ~ the Admiralty or other exalted per-
H' NTH whom he came in contact in his
.o,,s career. His Life" reads more like
:. rsntain Marryat's novels than like
-ecord of actual events. Indeed, ball
=. ottended at the house OF the daughter of
so,,ous novelist furnished him with two
-.cv adventures.
centain Gambler entered the navy mid
.,,-oan at the age OF thirteen. having no diff
s,nltv in passing the farcical medical examina-
A., although he was so nearsighted that he could
,ot distinguish a friend from an enemy across
.hs dinner table and was compelled to wear a sin
,s evegIass-which his shpmates thought made
t., look decidedly "rummy." In spite Of his de-
tecrive eyesight however he managed to see a
great deal more OF what was going on than most
n tbern; for having been born in Italy and ed
posted in France, and being familiar with the
languages of both countries, he in constant
reousition by his superior officers as an inter
rreter AZ all sorts of important official functions
on foreign cruises. It in this way that he
was introduced to the court of Queen Isabella
Of Spain, lady whose appearance and charao-
ter he describes with amazing freedomi
The stout Queen. with her broad face her two or
grTounded by her ministers and favorites did moth
"a 10 secure respect. and it was easier to believe
ne was also supposititious child Of a cook.
Fer redeemng quality was bon diablerie'' which
ssemed never 10 desert her and would have made
her q very popular bumboatW oman on the lower
deck Of nian-os war, or her fortune as a land
& mind Of her own, for without consulting her
dren. some dying young TO the delight of France
which wanted the reverson of the Spanish Crown
saw two Of these children; the elder dark earnest
little girl Of about eleven, the other still darker
little boy Of SIX or seven-with p diminutive face
IKE maTmosets-who lived to ascend the throne
as Alfonso III. On one occasion I had long con;
Eersauon with The Queen, who was accompanied
by the Royal children, and also by a very cele-
Patronicio. woman exerung an almost hypnotic
Influence over Her Majesty ana always for bad-as
fears dreading religious censure, though doing
m.mbsr that the little Prince did not return ti nv
saluation with courtesy SO the Queen put her
Il toward me The Infanta had very pretty little
Eeys with much @ dignity and self.posseSSion. the
Royalty OF her extraordinary life its pers, its
magnihcence its Importance in the worlds history
ranished and she seemed merely an agreeable
person.
In after years lieutenant on half pay he
visited Italy where his fathers cousin had mar
RED the Prime Minister, General della Mar
mora, and on several occasions had the privilege
OF conversing with Victor Emmanuel. Captain
Gambler writes:
He was who impressed one greatly. His
force OF character patent TO the least observer
ena MS personal appearance was not less remark
abe Many human beings seem 70 typify some
IN fact, never saw man or woman with animal
paps qpessS tt SO PLAINLY ndlGated with gassion4te
stood among his ministers ard staff with a stolid
would hS2 gPpeG @ the the 6sest and stoutest
awe by the throat and would have died in death
struggle He was a man of resoute belief in him
self, Of sound common sense. but no high intellect
He was remarkably ugly, with deep set eyes; very
,i spls when be chose, and his gTip Of your hand
@ the @ pltug II IN carr enters wise ana turning on
me screw sloWly-Was extremely characteristics
In various vessels the author took part in the
inglorious Baltic campaign, ciroumnavigated the
and Cape Horn, cruised amid the South Pacific
Islands, visited Australia and New Zealand, and
spent four years in China and Japan, and was
IN the latter country at the time Of the revou-
ton which deposed the Shotgun and established
The Mikado in sole sovereignty. He spent evory
available hour of leave in adventurous excur-
hons into the interiors Of the countries where
ne touched, and seldom failed TO find something
worthy of note Balaclava, at the close Of the
CT1nean War, he describes as 1.-The most ram
shackle place the mind imagine, where even
the ribs Of dead horses and mules have been
impounded 70 assist in its architecture; or where
cafe would be entirely constructed Of British
army boots. imbedded in dried mud together
WIN Preserved meat-tins and empty bottles
knapsacks. busbies and all other 'disjecta mem
era Of the battlefield" At simon's Bay, Cape
VI 5000 Hope, he encountered the disbanded
remnants Of the mercenary German Legion, got
'oeeiher in England for the Crtmean War, and
a.'er"ard sent 10 South Africa TO be got rid
To these "offscourings Of German cttfes,'
ne author attributes the Generalization Of the
beeEs' with whom they fraternized and among
"Hoin hey largely settled. Captain Gambler be-
ne'es that 'it is unquestionabIe that I'D to that
a-e the Dutch Of the Cape were a peaceful and
ts"-a5ioing people and might have been in
so0'n Africa, what their ancestors were in the
eil'eo States Of America, thrifty, industrious
community, had It not been for the moral and
Nys'cal contamination Of these Germans"
me authors active service was passed during
=, iaS' days Of the 'old navy" when the mid
-t''anS mess was "a dark hole on the lower
q frigate, where rats scuttled over a
50 ts1le cloth, whilst cockroaches and ves-
rushed about thick as stock brokers IN
t~loeioorfon street-and of no moro use" Cold
-Hser and abuse were too often the Iot ~ +ba
lung gentlemen" Of the storage ana oo-
s"sl punishment was stin in vogue as d,s
rlliaIy measure. He calculates that On ora