Navy and Army Illustrated Volume 8 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1899 edition. Excerpt: ...ago, of the retribution that overtook a gambling trio who were engaged in fleecing a novice. They were seated round a candle, in the depths of the stokehold, with the stakes in a mess basin on the improvised table, when a ghostly hand came out of the darkness, knocked the light out, and disappeared with the basin, leaving not a wrack behind. The novice got his share of the pool back again in a day or two, by postal order, with a letter warning him to say nothing; but the plundered gamblers sought theirs in vain. They were compelled to bear their misfortune almost in silence, as any enquiry would have been tantamount to a confession of a breach of the law. On the following Sunday morning, "Hiring the sermon, the chaplain said he desired to thank the person who had placed a bag of money in his cabin for the Naval Orphan's Home. Apparently, he said, it was the result of a collection, as the bag contained a number of coins of all sorts and values. If so, he desired to thank those men--they preferred, it seemed, to remain anonymous--who had so generously contributed.' This was the true charity--not seeking for self-glorification, but out of pure goodness of heart, denying itself for the good of others. There were three, at least, of the congregation who thought it was a very bad sermon that morning. The only form of gambling practised to any extent is the gently exciting sweepstakes. This is frequently indulged in on the most trifling events, such as the hour of arrival at a port, or the number of knots steamed during a day. But although the seaman's amusements are thus limited, he is by natuie a cheerful soul, and content with little. One never-failing pastime lie has--that of debate. He will argue at length on any conceivable subject. I...