sul's arrival the Commissioner met him privately, explained the
situation, and requested the Consul at once to inform the Commissioner of
Police of the intended duel between the two lovers, and to ask the
Commissioner to prevent it. The Consul quickly left the hotel to carry
out his instructions. The game of whist then proceeded. The private
secretary was not playing too well. No wonder. Even a German under the
circumstances could not have been but somewhat nervous. He needed not to
have been nervous if he had been made aware of the Commissioner's
instructions to the Consul.

At about a quarter to twelve o'clock, as we were finishing our last
rubber, the waiter brought in word that two gentlemen desired to see the
Commissioner. He asked the waiter to show them into the room. On their
coming in they informed the Commissioner that they were extremely sorry
to disturb him at that late hour, that they were police officers, that
information had been received that a breach of the peace was
contemplated, that the private secretary was one of the persons
concerned, and, further, that their orders were to arrest him. As,
however, he was a guest of the Government, it would be more than
sufficient if the Commissioner would guarantee that no breach of the
peace by any one of his staff would take place. I was looking at the
private secretary as this statement was made. I do not think I ever saw
upon anyone's face such a look of relief as came to his.

This ended his affair, as he was made to promise by the Commissioner that
the lady-love was to be forgotten and not to be spoken to again during
their stay in Melbourne.

Having determined to see as much of Australia as possible before I went
home, I bethought myself of the letters of introduction which I had
brought out with me from home. Amongst them was one to General Sir Peter
Scratchley, R.E., who had been, at the request of the Australian
Colonies, sent out by the War Office to advise them as to suitable
positions and type of fortifications to be erected for the protection of
the chief harbours and other vulnerable localities along the Australian
coast. I called on him. He was affable and kind. He gave me considerable
encouragement by telling me that as some of the forts were being
completed it was becoming necessary to increase the Permanent Artillery
Force to man them, and that--it seemed to him--I had just arrived in
time, as my qualifications were satisfactory. He undertook