Punch (88.1885)

134

PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

[March 21, 1885..

THE SAME OLD GAME.

Samuel Pepys (late Secretary to the Admiralty).

d UST THE SAME IN MY

‘Never mind, my Lord.

Swim. ‘ So Home to Bed ! ’ ”

John Bull to the Shade of Samuel Pepys .-


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Always the same ? Shade of sleek Samuel, yes,

T With Pepys or Brassey as Chief Secretary,..

Naval affairs seem always in a mess ;

At least the critics’ stories never vary,

In this brave bellicose much blundering land,,which
Muddles on still as in the days of Sandwich.

Your Memoirs on the Navy, honest ghost,

By Reed and Robinson might well he edited.

Still croakers croak, official optimists boast,

The cry of “ Wolf! ” oft heard is but half credited.
The one thing not in doubt, a fact that’s funny,

Is that onr Navy—costs a lot of money.

’Twas just the'same in your time ? Very like!

There’s little comfort, though, in that reflection.

I want to know that I can safely strike,

And that the “ silver streak ” lacks not protection;
And—Northbrook sniffs with mild superiority,

And “ sets authority against authority ” !

Brassey may he a perfect prodigy,

And Reed a very broken reed to lean upon’;

My Fleet may he a phantom one, or he
The very finest ocean ever seen upon :

But what it is seems most Sphinx-like of riddles,
Who ’ll solve it for me without taradiddles ?