The Merry Past 



world's goods. Admiral Payne was first introduced 

 to the Prince o£ Wales when a lieutenant ; and on 

 being asked by His Royal Highness if he had been 

 hrei to the sea, the gay son of Neptune replied that 

 he had, but added, " the sea has not been hreai 

 to me." 



A brace of lieutenants — one a naval, the other a 

 military hero — rallying and firing their squibs and 

 sallies of the brain at each other, the red-coated 

 gentleman, taking out his pocket-book, said, ^' I will 

 show you what you have not seen since the conclusion 

 of the last war," and immediately produced a bank- 

 note of j^20. " Very good," says the other : " but 

 look, here is such a sight as you never saw in your 

 life," taking a paper from his side-pocket; "here's a 

 tailor's bill with a receipt to it ! " 



There were, of course, a few naval officers who had 

 ample means, and these generally managed to get on to 

 the same ships, their tastes and habits being naturally 

 of a more luxurious kind than the usual run of officers, 

 who only had just sufficient money to live. 



When Sir Home Popham commanded the 

 ''Romney," in the Indian seas, one of his midshipmen 

 wrote to him requesting his interest to get him ap- 

 pointed to a mate's berth in a country ship ; on the re- 

 ceipt of which Sir Hom.e sent for him, and asked him 

 whether his request proceeded from a dislike to the ser- 

 vice in general, or from his wish to serve under some 

 other captain. The midshipman replied : " Neither, 

 for he felt a sincere attachment to His Majesty's service; 

 and had ever considered it as the highest gratification 



112 



