Originally the pumps were worked by a horse-mill, as was the case at Bulmer's works at Broken Wharf, and Ford's at Somerset House; but in 1712, or soon after, Savery, who had already set up one of his pumps at Camden House, Kensington, erected a larger and more complicated apparatus at York Buildings. This does not seem to have been a success, and about 1726 a Newcomen engine was installed. This is in all probability the dragon referred to in "The York Buildings Dragon or a Full and true account of a most Horrid and Barbarous Murder Intended to be committed on Monday the 14th of Febr. next (being Valentines-day) on the Bodies, Goods, and name of the greatest Part of his Majesty's Liege Subjects, dwelling and inhabiting between Temple-Bar in the East, and St. James's in the West; and between Hunger ford-market in the South, and St. Mary la Bonne, in the North, by a Sett of Evil-minded Persons, who (by the Instigation of Plutus, and not having the fear of several Lords, Knights, and Gentlemen before their eyes) do assemble twice a-week, to carry on their wicked purposes, in a private room over a stable, by the Thames side, in a remote corner of the Town. The Second Edition, Augmented by almost half. London, 1726." 16 pp. 4to. ་ In Wright's Caricature History of the Georges will be found extracts relating to the York Buildings engine from The Foreigner's Guide to London,' 1729; Read's Journal, 1731; and All Alive and Merry; or, The London Daily Post, 1741. There is some reason for thinking that it was eventually acquired by Sir James Lowther, and reerected at a colliery at Whitehaven. The later history of the York Buildings undertaking is related briefly in Matthews's Hydraulia.' In 1818 it was acquired by the New River Company, at any rate as far as the street works were concerned. In 1829 an Act of Parliament authorized the dissolution of the York Buildings Company and the sale of every kind of property belonging to it. RHYS JENKINS. that at any time received a supply from this concern was about 2,700."-P. 33. Matthews is by no means accurate historically, but I have a note from the 'Statutes at Large' that the Act of Incorporation is 2 William and Mary, sess. 2, cap. 24, so that at the time of the lease quoted by C. L. S. (1679) the company must have been private company, and the waterworks must have been constructed at least twelve years earlier than Matthews states. A. MORLEY DAVIES. Winchmore Hill, Amersham. a In The Builder of 6 June, 1906, will be found an illustration of this water tower, and possibly some descriptive letterpress. It stood on the site of old York House, and was established in the 27th of Charles II. to supply the inhabitants of St. James's with water. The patent granted in the reign of Charles II. in connexion with it is as follows: "Water house to supply St. James's.-R. vij die May con Ralph Bucknall and Ralph Waine to sett upp a Water house upon the River of Thames upon parte of the Ground belonging to Yorke House to serve the Inhabitants of St. James's with water for 99 years." The are works described in The Foreigner's Guide to London,' 1720; but the company took to purchasing estates, granting annuities, and assuring lives, and proved to be one of the bubbles of that year of wild speculation. The fire engine ceased to be worked in 1731; but it was afterwards shown for several years as a curiosity. "Its working by sea-coal was attended with air thereabouts, but spoil the furniture."-London so much smoke, that it not only must pollute the Daily Post, 1741. The confused affairs of the company, and the consequent disputes and lawsuits with its creditors and debtors, gave rise to a host of pamphlets, and even a political novel. An interesting engraving by Boydell of a view of London from the Thames, near York Buildings, where the tower-spire of these a conspicuous object, is exhibited (No. 53 in the catalogue) in St. Martin's Library. The following quotation is from William waterworks is Matthews's 'Hydraulia' (1835) : : In the year 1691, waterworks were constructed for supplying a part of Westminster; and the persons who engaged in this undertaking obtained an Act of Parliament for incorporating them by the designation of The Governor and Company of Undertakers for raising Thames' water in York Buildings.' The establishment was situate on the bank of the river, contiguous to the Strand, at the bottom of Villiers-street, under which their principal cistern or reservoir extended. These works conveyed water as far as Piccadilly, Whitehall, and Covent Garden, with the intervening streets; but the greatest number of houses J. HOLDEN MACMICHAEL. 4, Hurlingham Court, S.W. C. L. S. will find an account of the York waterworks in the third volume of Mr. Wheatley's 'London Past and Present,' under 'York Buildings.2 G. F. R. B. For full particulars of this company, the water house, &c., see 'The York Buildings Company: a Chapter in Scotch History,' by David Murray (Glasgow, James MacLehose & Sons, 1883). T. F. D. [W. S. S. also thanked for reply.] his livings: Hilborough on my mother's pre- in the chancel of Burnham Thorpe." Anne, By this it will be seen that Catherine Suckling's father died in 1729-30; and, as a matter of fact, his widow immediately removed to Beccles with her young family, and was there residing when Mr. Nelson was appointed curate and made the acquaintNELSON'S BIRTHPLACE (11 S. i. 483; ii. 36). ance of her daughter Catherine. Lord -I believe Y. T. is mistaken in ascribing Walpole of Wollerton was Mrs. Suckling's Horatio Nelson's birthplace to Barsham maternal uncle, and so gave the living of in Suffolk. Nelson's father, the Rector of Burnham Thorpe to the husband of his greatBurnham Thorpe, Norfolk, in 1781, penned niece. After the Nelsons' removal from with his own hand, a Family Historical Sporle to the old Rectory of Burnham Register," in which he noted the births, Thorpe, Mrs. Suckling took up her residence birth-places, and sponsors of all his children. in a house belonging to her uncle in that In this MS., which is still extant, he wrote village, and there died on 7 January, 1768. of his children : 66 It is possible that Y. T.'s informant has I think this is conclusive that Admiral Highwood, Romsey. BARABBAS A PUBLISHER (11 S. ii. 29).— Rolland adds that the merluche is less False traditions die hard, but I supposed esteemed than the codfish when salted; that this one had received its quietus long but evidently both, hake and codfish, when ago, as it has been refuted some scores of dried or salted, became confused in common times. use. Fishmongers, grocers, and their cus tomers are neither naturalists nor lexicographers. H. GAIDOz. 66 22 There is no reference in Byron's poems to Barabbas and a publisher. The story ran that Byron gave my grandfather a Bible, and that my grandfather was much touched by this evidence of the poet's religious fervour until, on turning over the leaves, he found in the 40th verse of St. John's Gospel, chap. xviii., the word robber changed into "publisher." The joke was perpetrated by Thomas Campbell on another publisher: neither Byron nor my grandfather had any part in it. I have in my library Byron's Bible, and there is no mark or notch in it of any kind. Byron, however, did drink the health of Napoleon because he shot a bookseller. 22 22, Rue Servandoni, Paris (VIo). Cotgrave, 1650, has: "Merlus ou Merluz. A Melwell or Kneeling: a kind of small Cod whereof Stockfish is made." Miége, 1688, has: "Merlus. Poisson de haute mer, dont on fait le Stocfiche, a Melwell, or Kneeling, a kind of small Cod whereof Stock-fish is made." Ménage, 1694, derives the word from Maris lucius, and states that Scaliger calls it merlucius, and that Pontus de Thyard, referring to the fish called asellus by the Latins, says that this is the merluz. Ménage also states that from Maris lucia came molûe, to-day called morûe; that in Lan[MR. W. H. PEET thanked for reply to the same guedoc merluce signifies morûe, and that effect.] merlus is the equivalent of merlan. 50, Albemarle Street, W. JOHN MURRAY. All of which seems to show that merluche is the codfish from which "stockfish made. 66 T. F. DWIGHT. La Tour de Peilz, Vaud, Suisse. 66 22 MERLUCHE (11 S. i. 329) is a word of uncertain and equivocal use. For in stance, I take Alfred Elwall's Dictionary, which I used in my schooldays, and in the French-English part I find "Merluche, saltcod," but in the English-French part Hake, merluche." Turning to the 'Dictionnaire-Général de la Langue Française, by Hatzfeld, A. Darmesteter, and A. Thomas, I see that the name is given to several fishes of the species Gadus when dried in the sun, and especially to dried codfish. 66 But the lexicological problem is solved in the late Eugène Rolland's excellent Faune Populaire,' vol. xi. (April, 1910). This volume treats of the reptiles and fishes. The article Merlu,' p. 213, tells us that the merlu or merluche is the Gadus merlucius of Linnæus, and in certain countries takes the place of the codfish and is prepared in the same way. Our morue (ibid., p. 221) is the English codfish, and Cuvier's Morrhua vulgaris. was JOHN HODGKIN. Lemery (Traité Universelle des Drogues,' Paris, 1723), under morhua, has the following: "On fait secher des morues aprés les avoir salées, & c'est ce qu'on appelle merluche ou mourue [sic] salée"; and under salpa: Salpa, en François, Vergadelle, Stochfisch, Merlu, Merluche." The former fish is, of course, the cod; the latter, from the description he gives, I should suppose to be the haddock, but in Cassell's Eng.-Fr. Dictionary" Merlus, m., and merluche, f.," is the definition given of the hake. Under merlucius Lemery has "sive Callarias, Jonst. en François, Petite Morue," which is still one of the French names of the haddock. The scientific name of the hake is, however, Merluccius vulgaris. Of the name merlucius Lemery says: "Merlucius à mare & luce, comme qui diroit, lumiere de la mer, à cause que ce poisson a de grand yeux 22 (I give this as he prints it). The conclusion appears to be that merluche is a name given to various kinds of dried or salt fish. C. C. B. Though merluche is comprehensive term for stockfish, such as cod, ling, hake, haddock, and torsk, it usually implies haddock on menu cards, while melus on the same is utilized more especially for hake. WILLOUGHBY MAYCOCK. 66 Strictly, I suppose, merluche is salted cod “TILLEUL" (11 S. ii. 47).—The colour of 22 stockfish according to some of the the fleurs de tilleul is a yellow-green-the dictionaries; but as a matter of practice combination is two parts yellow and one and habit at restaurants throughout Europe, part blue. This hue is not uncommon, if you order merluche you will get haddock. and therefore it may bear a particular name I have no idea whether this is a correct inter- at any season, according to the humour of pretation or not, but I do know that in fashion. The tilleul colour probably owes kitchen-French,' 22 which is a mongrel its origin to some Parisian textile merchant tongue, merluche means haddock, whatever with an eye for novelty, who gave to this hue the dictionaries may say. the name of the tree. But such colours get out of date, and the name loses its special significance. FRANK SCHLOESSER. ST. SWITHIN seems to halt in the definition of merluche as a word used indifferently for hake, cod, or other stockfish. Presuming as I do that it signifies in French any kind of dried fish, I also take it to be plainly borrowed from the Italian merluzzo, which he may ask for at any restaurant, and be supplied with "whiting on his order. 22 WILLIAM MERCER. [Several other correspondents thanked for replies.] COL. SKELTON OF ST. HELENA (11 S. ii. 48). The references to this officer in the standard authorities on St. Helena are of an incidental and not particularly informative character. T. H. Brooke (History of St. Helena,' p. 377) records his arrival, on 22 June, 1813, to take up the office of Lieutenant-Governor. He appears to have been the last holder of that office, which was abolished on 16 January, 1816. His residence, Longwood, was assigned to Napoleon. The illustrious exile proceeded there on the morning after his arrival, and breakfasted with Col. and Mrs. Skelton, but did not enter into permanent occupation until two months later. Beyond this brief association with the exiled Emperor there does not seem to be any outstanding episode in Skelton's J. F. HOGAN. career. Royal Colonial Institute, Northumberland Avenue. In 1889 I happened to be at Potchefstroom in the Transvaal. I was there presented to an old lady of ninety years, a Mrs. Alexander, widow of a General Alexander. She was born (so I was told) at St. Helena, the daughter of an officer named Skelton (I do not remember his rank). She told me that she remembered Napoleon, and that when she was a girl he had often talked to her in a mixture of French and English. Mrs. Alexander died several years ago, but her grandchildren are still, I believe, to be heard of at Langlaagte, and other villages outside Johannesburg. FRANK SCHLOESSER. Kew Green. With regard to tilleul tea, the feuilles de tilleul are employed in medicine, either dried or in infusion, as an anti-spasmodic. These leaves may have replaced the ordinary tea, as they make a very good drink. 66 66 TOM JONES. Is QUILT" (11 S. i. 448), meaning to thrash, is well known, but the sense of traversing swiftly 22 does not occur, to my knowledge, in any dictionary. DR. SMYTHE PALMER, by any possibility, to kilt "-a thinking of the Scottish verb word not altogether dissimilar to quilt in sound? At all events, "to kilt," in the Scottish vernacular, signifies "to lift up the dress so as to run more swiftly over the ground." It denotes, however, preparation for running rather than the act of running itself. 66 W. S. S. 22 The inscription seems clearly to be intended for "Peter Hewit.” W. G. B.. [One other correspondent suggests Peter Hewit, but the majority favour Peter White.] SIR W. B. RUSH (11 S. ii. 49).-Sir Wm. Beaumaris Rush was a knight, not baronet. The mistake in the 'D.N.B.' appears also in the obituary notice of Dr. Clarke in the Gentleman's Magazine, 1822, pt. i. p. 274. The Gentleman's Magazine, 1806 (i. 281), states that Angelica was second daughter of Sir Wm. Rush, not fifth. It may interest M. A. to know that in a diary of Capt. Matthew Holworthy of Elsworth, co. Camb., there are several references to Dr. Clarke and Sir Wm. Rush, with both of whom he appears to have been on intimate terms. I should be pleased to send M. A. the references, should he care to have them. F. M. R. HOLWORTHY. Elsworth, Tweedy Road, Bromley, Kent. a order from that of the military Knight is, I believe, problematical, but it certainly appears to have been looked upon as of a higher status. To suppose, therefore, that a man made a K.B. in 1465 should six years later be dubbed again to a simple knight. hood would be unreasonable. Which of the two dates is the correct one William Beaumaris Rush was not baronet he was knighted 19 June, 1800, is a matter of credence and evidence, the and died 8 July, 1833, aged 82. Leamington. ALFRED B. BEAVEN. [G. F. R. B., DIEGO, and A. R. E. also thanked for replies.] STRETTELL-UTTERSON: EARLIEST Book balancing of one authority with another. And here I think the evidence in favour of 1471 is conclusive. To the proofs quoted in his note by my friend MR. BEAVEN from Gregory's Chronicle' and the London City records may be added the monumental inscription to Philip's wife in Herne Church, Kent, given by Weever (Fun. Mon.') as follows: 'Hic jacet Christiane dudum uxoris Mathei Philipi Aurifabri ac Maioris Londinensis que obijt....1470 pro cuius anime salute velitis Deum orare." It is clear, therefore, that the ex-Mayor was not a 66 Knight when his wife died in 1470. a AUCTION (11 S. i. 448, 477; ii. 16). Will MR. W. SCOTT kindly give some particulars of My impression is that the origin of the the list of auction-sale catalogues, ranging error is in the statement of Fabyan, a writer, as said by the late John Bruce, who is from 1637 to 1841, to which he refers ? Where can such list and catalogues be seen?nected with transactions that took place withmost valuable authority upon all matters conI have been always under the impression that in the City of London; but often inaccurate the sale of Dr. Seaman's library on 31 October, 1676, was the earliest known on minor points respecting events which auction sale of books in this country. See IV., Camden Soc. vol. ). I suggest that this passed elsewhere ('Restoration of Edward EDWARD B. HARRIS. is one of Fabyan's minor inaccuracies and the source of the whole difficulty. 10 S. v. 43. 5, Sussex Place, Regent's Park, N.W. PARIS FAMILY (11 S. i. 508; ii. 53).— If E. H. will write to me, I will put him into communication with members of the family of Mr. Thomas Clifton Paris, son of John Ayrton Paris. He died recently, aged 95. J. E. FOSTER. 10, Trinity Street, Cambridge. SIR MATTHEW PHILIP, MAYOR OF LONDON (11 S. ii. 24, 73).-The date of knighthood of this early civic worthy has been long a difficulty, owing to the seemingly substantial authority for both the K.B. of 1465 and the Knight Bachelor of 1471. It has been suggested that Philip was twice dubbed, but I know of no case in which the same man received the accolade twice, unless possibly upon the promotion of a Knight Bachelor to the higher dignity of a Knight Banneret, and even of this the evidence is by no means clear. Anyhow, this would not apply to Philip. Neither would the fact of the alleged earlier knighthood being that of a K.B. account for a possible second dubbing. Whether or not in the fifteenth century Knighthood of the Bath was of a distinct 22 Lowton, Newton-le-Willows. W. D. PINK. (11 S. ii. 48). CANON ELLACOMBE has not, If I had a donkey wot wouldn't go, Junior Athenæum Club. CANON ELLACOMBE will find what he requires on p. 85 of Punch for 17 February, 1844, under title of A Polished Poem' :Had I an ass averse to speed, Deem'st thou I'd strike him? No, indeed! TENNYSON'S 'MARGARET' (11 S. i. 507).— To a mind delighting in literal accuracy the idea embodied in Tennyson's two lines will no doubt sound like nonsense. A poet, however, or a person endowed with imagina |