inments in order to draw
crowds, and everywhere could be heard the praises of the wonderful
American.

From Florence Paul went to Rome, where he visited General Pescetto,
Italian Minister of Marine, with whom he had a pleasant
conversation, during which the meeting with his son on the Po was
mentioned.

"What can I do for you?" cordially asked the General.

"Well," answered 'Paul, "my business is introducing my life-saving
dress, which will be the means of preserving many lives on the coast as
well as on the men-of-war you are now constructing."

"Ah, you have proved the value of your dress. I have no doubt of its
efficiency; but our government has expended vast sums of money already
for the benefit of shipwrecked mariners and we are not as rich as we
would wish to be. The means we now have for saving life on the coast
are considered sufficient, and in regard to adopting your dress on our
men-of-war, I fear you do not understand the nature of the Italian
sailor. If we placed a number of your dresses on the Duelio, for
instance, or on any of our men-of-war, the sailors would reason that the
vessels were not seaworthy and we would have much difficulty in
persuading them to enlist." "Suppose I could prove to you that it would
be possible to slip under one of your men-of-war on a dark night and
blow her to atoms. How would that be?"

"Ah," responded the General earnestly, "that is a different question. If
you can prove that to me, I will call a commission to examine into
it."

Ample proof was given as to the efficacy of the dress in the torpedo
service, and to-day there are many drilled experts in the Italian
navy, which serves to show how much more interest is manifested in life
taking than in lifesaving. Arrangements were made for an exhibition in
the bano del poplo. In preparing for this entertainment, Paul first
experienced the manner most of the European artisans have of doing
business and their original way of preparing bills for services
rendered. It was necessary for him to engage a carpenter to build
several small boats for use in the exhibition. Paul asked the
landlord to assist him in making a contract with a workman. With the
accommodating host's help, an agreement was made with a skilled
worker in wood to build six little boats according to specifications
given, for the sum of five lire each. The carpenter had the boats
ready on time, and during the exhibition, constit