Catoctin clarion., 1920-05-20
BOOKS OF
william ".
Navy Lists, With Comments on
Superior Officers, in New
York Library.
WASHINGTON GREATEST MAN
King Of England So Termed Him in a
Speech Long After His Visit to
New York-Eighteenth Cen.
tury Slang.

New York.-Under the title "a
Kings Books" attention is invited
by the New York Public library to the
very human personal comments and
titles bestowed on his superior officers
by British prince, in annotations
made by his own hand, during his serv-
ice afioat in one of his majesty's ships.
In the Bulletin, recently published,
are described some old volumes uf
British navy lists, once the property Of
William w, "tbe sailor king" A NUM-
Der of the volumes have his autograph
signature, "William Henry" on the
title page, with his naval rank ut that
date, and the name of his ship. Such
Is the case with the list Of 1885. when,
In addition to his name, he has signed
himself "Lieutenant'' Of the "Hebe."
THE young prince had amused HIM
self" according to the Bulletins edi-
tor, by annoting certain volumes Of
the set, (which he seems to have had
In his cabin and, If the COM
ment opposite the name of his gra ce
the duke of Bolton, admiral Of the
White, looks suspiciously like the word
mad 1t may be that the prince, e, en-
as lieutenant, was in a position to
know whereof he wrote. Twas
by no means the only comment at his
disposal. The Right Hon, George Ii rd
Viscount Mount Edgecumbe. admiral
of the White, Is tersely described as
damned miser.' This Is in the list
for 1885,"
Eighteenth Century Slang.
Reference is made to other express
sions mysterious today to every one
excepting those familiar with sailors
slang of the eighteenth century: 9TH
ers whose significance has no shade Of
doubt-the blunt language OF the quar-
ter-deck or the barracks" And there
Is at least one, which some discreet
hand" possibly his own, when he sad
succeeded to the throne, chad set.- Il,
to cut out with sharp penknifs'
"All are In keeping with the cnur..c-
ter of the man who. when ne became
king. over forty years later, Ias
known for his good humor-but also
for his seafaring manners" saws the
writer. In stressing his bluff nnd
hearty nature" the library publcat,Jn
cites the fact that, "at the most solemn
moment In his life, as ne acceded to
the throne, and spoke Of his late SOW
ereign and brother, George ~, with
as much feeling as anyone not d
trained actOr could put into his voice
for that monarch" ha INSTANTLY added
tn, a.,
he affixed his first signature as king to
some papers Of state: This is q
damned bad pen you have given me-
OF more vital interest to New York:
ers Is the princes connection with
their own city of Manhattan. "A.s
Prince William Henry the king stayed
for some time In New York, with the
British military and naval forces the3
Q7s2) occupying the city, contrary to
the wishes of General Washington AMI
the American army, encamped In New
Jersey. The prince had his quarters
In Hanover square, and skated. at-
cording to tradition, on the Collect
pond. Colonel Ogden of the First Jet-
sey regiment formed an elaborate AMI
well-matured plan to capture the
prince and his admiral and take theDl
into Washingtons camp. General
Washington approved the plan.
Thought Washington Greatest Man.
"Something seems to have affected
the prince favorably toward this cOurf-
trv and its first president. He had,
throughout life. an extraordinary
weakness for making speeches, some
of which were not remarkable for their
tact. A happier example Of his
oratory was afforded when he was
king and happened to be entertaining
group Of gentlemen which Included
the American minister. He was 'seize'l
with his fatal habit OF making n
Speech and said that 1t had always
been with him matter of serious re-
gret that he had not been born free,
independent American, so great was
his respect for that nation. He said
that he considered Washington the
greatest man that ever lived.
Coming as this did from the king
Of England, compliment could go no
further"
The acquiring by the library Of set
Of British Army LISTS" beginning
with the year 1855 and ended with
1S42. dates back to the Astor library
and the time when Doctor Cogswell,
its FIRST tGrarian, sns In EUE?pe with
his princely endowment iH his pQcket."
"These books" says the Bulletin,
had teen the property of William Nv,
king OF Great Britain and Ireland, and
of one or another Of his sons, and they
bear the bookplates Of one or more of
these personages"