e captain was not of the same political faith as himself.
Shipmasters who take political sides are generally
conservative. Up to that time he had carefully avoided
making known his identity. At last he ventured to approach
the object of his visit. He said, "Now, Captain, we have had
a pleasant little chat; I should like to have your views
before I go, on the Plimsoll agitation. They may be of value
to me. I should like you to state also what you think of
Plimsoll. I have heard varied opinions of him."

"Well," said the captain, in broad North Shields dialect,
"you ask what I think of the agitation. My opinion is that
all the skallywags who are taking part in it should be
locked up, and have the cat every morning at five o'clock,
and every hour of the day after, until they abstain from
meddling with what they know nothing about! And as for
Plimsoll, I would tie one end of a rope round his neck, and
attach the other to a fire bar, and chuck him in there,"
pointing to the ebbing stream of the Danube!

"Then," said Mr. Plimsoll, "you are not in sympathy with the
movement?"

"No," said the infuriated skipper, "and nobody but a ----
fool would be!"

"But don't you think, Captain," said Mr. Plimsoll, "that the
measures you suggest are somewhat extreme, for after all
they are only trying to improve the condition of the
seamen?"

"Seamen be d----d," said this meteoric Northumbrian. "We
don't want ships turned into nurseries, and that's what it's
coming to!"

There were indications that the interview should cease. Mr.
Plimsoll thereupon prepared to take his leave. He apologised
to the captain for having taken up so much of his time,
handed him his card, and proceeded to land. The gallant
captain looked at the card, and called for his distinguished
visitor to wait, so that he might make known to him that he
was ignorant of his identity, otherwise he would have saved
him the pain of disclosing his opinions!

"And your method of putting a stop to agitation?"
interjected Plimsoll.

"Well," said the rollicking mariner, laughing at the joke
that had been played upon him, "we sailors express ourselves
_that way_, but we have no bad intentions!"

"I apprehend that is the case, Captain," said Plimsoll.

So ended an interview which is memorable to at least one
person; and not least notable for the friendship Mr.
Plimsoll showed towards his would-be executioner! The story
was told to me about two months after the intervie