Si je keep it not long—
They call me "Brigand!"—Je le suis.
Mind your Pease and Q.'s.—Q. "Why did Sir Donald Currie pair with Sir Joseph Pease?"—No; we are not going to say anything about "Pease and Currie" going together—we scorn getting a rice out of you that way—besides, this dish has been overdone. But the simple answer is, that as Sir Donald couldn't get any other pair this one was a "Pease aller." [We're better now. "Pax!">[
THE RULE OF THE SEA.
(For the Use of Admirers of the Admiralty.)
- Question. What is your duty as a sailor in Her Majesty's Fleet?
- Answer. To carry out the orders of my superiors.
- Q. If you were told that black was white what would you say?
- A. That white was black.
- Q. If you were informed that two and two made five would you believe it?
- A. Certainly, and insist that those who thought four was the proper answer had been gravely misinformed.
- Q. Would you believe a captain to be always in the right?
- A. Yes, from a lieutenant's point of view. Although, of course, I should consider him the weakest of authorities in the presence of an admiral.
- Q. Would you ever act upon your own responsibility?
- A. Never; as such a course would be destructive to good discipline.
- Q. Then, if you were told to perform an impossible manœuvre you would attempt to do it?
- A. Certainly.
- Q. Even if you saw that the result must be disaster?
- A. Yes. I should choose the lesser of two evils.
- Q. To what two evils do you refer?
- A. Loss of life by my obedience, and loss of discipline by my disobedience.
- Q. Which would be the smaller of the two disasters?
- A. The loss of life.
- Q. But did not Nelson solve a problem of a somewhat similar character by using his blind eye?
- A. Yes; but then Nelson was unique.