3 
) 
whilst his more fortunate brother was having a fairly good time in the head- 
quarter mess at Fort Canning. When heavy rain came (and it knows how to rain 
in this part of the world) the roof was much too hospitable to keep it out, and 
one had to get up and push the bed round the room to dodge the wet. To add 
to this, the atap was the happy home of the white ant, the scorpion, and the 
centipede, and one could never claim to feel very lonely. . 
The last reorganisation of the R.A. results in having two companies of Artillery 
stationed here, 25th Company which is quartered on Blakang Mati, and 88th 
Company at Fort Canning. Major Wace, R.A., D.S.O. and 2nd Lieutenant 
Griffith are coming out next month to join the latter company, which will then 
be up to full strength. 
The R.A. in the Straits possess a capital football team which has just won the 
Singapore Association Football Challenge Cup in grand style, ultimately defeating 
the runners up by three goals to one. This cup competition has a rather curious 
history. Last year the two teams left in the final were the Ist and 2nd teams of 
the 2nd Batallion Lincolnshire regiment, now quartered at Woolwich, and these 
two teams tied no less than seven times and finally decided the competition by 
tossing. This year the R.A. met in the final the team entered by the 5th 
Northumberland Fusiliers. The latter were the favourites, the betting being 
about 2 to 1. The game resulted in a very fine exhibition of football, the short 
passing and shooting of both teams being very good indeed. Where so much 
good play was shewn, it would be difficult to single out particular individuals for 
praise, but such play as was shewn by the R.A. backs is rarely witnessed in the 
Hast. 
The command of the Singapore Company, R.A. has just changed hands. 
Lieutenant J.G. M. Watson, who formerly served in Singapore in 26th Company, 
Southern, relieves Lieutenant Corrie, who goes to a native mountain battery in 
India. 
Major Hawkins, R.B. and Lieutenant Paul, R.A. have just returned from 
Muar (Johor) through Malacca, after climbing Mount Ophir, said to be the Ophir 
of the bib’e from whence King Solomnn brought gold and peacocks. It is only a 
little over 4000 feet high, but it is the highest mountain in the Malay Peninsula, 
south of Perak, and a very fine view can be obtained from the summit. They 
failed to bring back any talent of gold with them, but some very pretty orchids 
and ferns were brought down. 
In another month or so the snipe season will have commenced. No bags of 
any size are made in Singapore, but Malacca, Penang, and Province Wellesley 
are said to be the best snipe grounds in the world, and a good bag can always be 
made by a fair shot. 
Lieutenant J. T. MacDougall has returned, after a fornight’s leave, to Java. 
He reports the climate as delightful, especially in the hills, the food good, and 
the hospitality unbounded. Some very good shooting can be obtained én the 
island with a little trouble, and in Batavia, cricket, and golf are merrily played 
all the year round, , 
OBITUARY. 
Mason J. M. Stpson (retired), who died on the 16th September, 1895, joined 
the Regiment, as Lieutenant, 17th August, 1874; became Captain 12th Septem- 
ber, 1883; and Major 7th November, 1891. He was placed on temporary half 
pay, owing to ill health, 20th January, 1895, and retired 7th August, 1895, 
