Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1911-10-21
News From Foreign Capitals

LONDON, October 20.-The dis
cussion incident to the present un-
pleasantness between Italy and Tur'
key of the unpreparedness of the
Turkish feet has recalled an unusual
difficulty experienced by the found
ers of the original Ottoman navy.
They were hamp ,red by the fact
that there were no words in the Turk
ish dictionary for the various ropes
and sails of the warships Of that day.
An ingenious officer solved the prob
lem by tying different vegetables to
the various ropes and spars of the
rigging, and sailors received orders
to Hoist the tomato!' LET go the
potato!" until a more formal vocabu
larry could be supplied.
Novel as this procedure was, ii
was not an innovation, as it was ex
actly the method adopted by Almeida
the Portuguese admiral and discov
erer, when he was Quitting a fleet
for just such a descent on the Turk
ish colony or Mozambique as the
Italians made on Tripoli.
1t was at the beginning of the six
teenth century. and Portugal still
lacked a navy, and the Portuguese
tongue was devoid of naval terms
This fact did not daunt the doughty
Admiral Almeida, and, hanging up
strings Of garlic and onions on the
port and starboard sides respectively
of his ships, he instructed his helms
men to garlic" or "onion" the helm
as necessity commanded.
The report of the British Prison
commission just made public indl-
Gates that crime is on the decrease
in the kingdom, since there is fal
of $4,000 in the number of prisoners
The commissioners denounce short
sentences and plead for longer terms
with view to successful reforma
tory effects. The report bears tes
timony to the good moral effect OF
lectures and concerts in the prisons
When Andrew Gibson, for thirty
seven years the driver of an omnl,
bus in London, throws down his
reins some night near the end of
the present month, the last horse
drawn bus VII have finished its final
trip through the streets of the worlds
metropolis.
Gibson shakes his gray head sadly
over the prospect and declares that
the London of the notorious and taxi
cab is not as happy as the London
of the days when people were con-
tent to move slower. He said. when
l started driving folks seemed to
have more time and they were more
Passengers of today
never think of passing the time of
day with the driver, or asking ques-
tons like they used to-" AT the
heydey of Gibson's career the two
omnibus companies of London owned
81 900 horses.
After an uninterrupted existence as
a hostelry for over a century and
a half. Longs hotel on New Bond
street has closed its doors. In name
at least it AS one of the Oldest
hotels in London. It was at Longs
that Byron and Sir Walter Scott met
for the last time in 1915 "He dined
or lunched with me-" write Scott, Eat
Longs hotel in Bond street. never
saw him so full Of gaiety and good
humor. to which the presence of Mr..
the comedian, added not
a little. Poor Terry was also pres
ent." The hotel is frequently men,
toned in the literary memoirs Of the
day.
Joseph Verey, friend and courier
Of Mark Twain during the nine of
the European tours made by the
American humorist, has been rescued
from want by society of profess
sional humorists. Verey felt the pinch
of poverty fom the loss of his saw
ngs, which had been unwisely in
vested, and he was in actual want
when discovered in obscure London
lodgings by local papers represent
;ative When his plight was made
public number of admirers of
Mark Twain interested themselves in
MS behalf and secured him position
IS lecturer to local soZfety for the
of humor.
Just prior to his late misfortune
he former courier was engaged as
pheasant raiser by King Alfonso of
Spain. On one of the visits of the
loyal family to the hatchery, Verey
them with stories of his
travels with the celebrated American
1umorist. He has an endless store Of
of his famous employer.
He gave the following interesting ac-
count of Mark Twain's travel habits:
Mr.. Clemens hardly ever talked
10 anyone Once travelled from
Cologne to Dresden with him, and
ne only spoke about two words to me.