Punch (103.1892)

October 8, 1892.] PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

161

WRITTEN A HUNDRED
YtARS HENCE.

[From a Collection of Com-
munications supplied by
our Prophetic Compiler.)

Dear Me. Punch,—
Forgive me for addressing
you, but the urgency of
the occasion warrants the
intrusion. A hundred years
since, the old Fighting
Foudroyant was sold by
the Admiralty to be broken
up. The moment the
Public of the Period learned
the cruel fact through the
customary sources of infor-
mation, they flew to the
rescue. Headed by the then
Loud Mayor, they raised a
fund to bring back the dis-
carded vessel, and yet in
those distant days there
were they who denied that
the Foudroyant had ever
done anything in particu-
lar. And now we propose
doing the same thing. On
the Thames there is an
ancient steamboat called
Citizen Z, that once be-
longed to the Company that
started penny river lifts.
It is certainly rather out of
date, but is full of histo-
rical memories. It is said
that the Cabinet travelled
to Greenwich on its vener-
able boards, where they
feasted on the half-for-
gotten Whitebait, and the
entirely, superseded Cham-
pagne. It has carried, at
one time or another, all
the nobility to Rosherville,
there to spend (as the old
saying went) " a happy

OVERHEARD IN THE HIGHLANDS.

day," and yet it is pro-
posed to break it up! Out
upon the thought! Have
we no veneration for our
relies of the past ? Cannot
we appreciate a boat that
should have had an
honoured place in the
Museum at Woolwich ? Do
not let this act of Van-
dalism be done. Save the
steamer for the sake of its
past. Yours truly,

A Peak-Admiral.
H.M.S. Electric-
Balloon, Skye.

Dear Mr. Punch, — I
appeal to you, and I know I
shall not appeal in vain.
The picturesque Cabman's
Shelter in the middle of
Piccadilly is threatened! I
hope you will exert your
influence to preserve it. It
absolutely teems with his-
torical associations. Lord
Randolph Churchill is
suppesedtohave used it for
writing his famous letter on
the Poor-Laws, and to this
day is shown the initials of
Charles Stuart Parnell
which were carved by that
celebrated statesman on one
of its benches about the
middle of the last century
—probably in 1854. And
why is it to be removed?
Simply because it is said to
impede the traffic I Could
any thing be more absurd ?
Do, pray, save it from the
hand of the ruthless " im-
prover." Yours truly,
One who Respects

First Chieftain. " I say, Old Chap, what a Doose of a Bore these Games the Past.

are !" Second Chieftain. "Ah, but, my dear Boy, it is this Sort of Thing

that has made us scotchmen WHAT WE ARE.'!''

Tumbledowns, West Ken-
sington {late Heading).

child. Br. Burch, who is evidently easy-going, but good-hearted,
after flirting with a lady who has her boots cleaned before the Royal
Exchange, suddenly developes into a philanthropist, not to say a

divine. On the carpenter's wife and child
appearing on the Thames Embankment in
the characters of would-be suicides, the
worthy pedagogue convinces them (to quote
the programme) " That they have no right
to take away the lives which the Almighty
has placed in their hands." Mother and
child are quickly convinced, and the neat
but drunken father (Signorina Malvina
Cavalazzi) appearing on the scene, the good
man informs him that his wife and child are
dead,'' driven to an untimely grave by his
(the intemperate but natty artisan's) deser-
tion and cruelty." The effect of this in-
accurate statement is startling. To quote
once more from the argument, "inconti-
nently the now penitent ruffian falls faint-
ing to the ground." But he is brought
back to himself, his better self, by his child
whispering "Father!" The situation is
full of pathos, even when witnessed from
the Stalls. Recovering his senses, the con-
verted carpenter promptly borrows money
from the good old Doctor, and when that
estimable gentleman is about to enter the
Empire Theatre of Varieties (accompanied
by his school), a little later he has the "sa-
tisfaction of seeing his protege Mortimer
(the ex-ruffian), returning contentedly from
Jolly Tar A.B. « Hip, Hip, hig work,» This is the simple but pathetic
Hooray. ^ story that Mr. Geo. Edwardes touchingly

tells with the assistance of a full corps de ballet, five tableaux, and

There are many remarkable persons in Round the Town. Notably
an effeminate but substantial stock-broker, who looks like a stock-
jobber's maiden-aunt in disguise. Another important personage is a
representative of the Navy, whose figure suggests as an appropriate
greeting, " Hip, hip, hip, hooray!" Both these characters are well-
played, and although subordinate parts, make their mark, or rather,

Dramatic Situation on the Embankment, as seen from Empire Stalls,
we should say, score heavily. Altogether, the ballet is excellent both
in dances and plot. The first is a testimony of the good head of
Madame Katti Lanner, and the last of the equally good heart of
Mr. George Edwardes. There is no doubt that Bound the Town

last, but certainly not least, the hints of Madame Katti Lanner. 1 will draw all London to see (in its realistic scenes) all London drawn !