THE HONGKONG
TELEGRAPH
MONDAY,
FEBRUARY
1935.
HISTORY OF REVOLVER
FANCY DRESS FASHIONS
SAMUEL COLT'S INVENTION
DAYS OF THE PEPPER-BOX
80
(By Special Correspondent) Legond and romanco have draped themselves about the name of Samuel Colt that it lo difficult to disentangle oven a small amount of fact. from the mass of obvious fiction.
now
PASSING OF THE PIERROT
PIRATES STILL POPULAR
(By a Special Correspondent.)
London.
The fancy dress "season" has been flourishing for overal weeks
He was born in Hartford, Con-now, and it is interesting. to notice nocticut, in 1814. At the age of how swiftly and surely fashiona fourteen he ran away from school change even in make-believe of this and shipped on a vessel bound for kind. Indin. It is said that a wooden
It must be remembered that, like
mipdol revolver, which is still pre-films, fancy-dreas dances may be served, was made by him during divided into two classes. There are, so to speak, the "A" entertain- that voyage.
The youthful Colt is supposed to ments for adults, and the "U" for have visited the Tower when his children, and fashions at the two ship called at the Port of London, are very different.. Broadly, it re-can be said that the children's and there to have seen the
costumen are much more elaborate volving arquebus which had belong- ed to Henry VIII. Be that as it than their seniors. Perhaps it is may, Collier, an English gunsmith, because they do not have to pro- had mado a revolving fint-lock vida, their own! At any rate, carbine as early as 1810, a weapon whether "A" or "U," fashions have which much resembled the Colt changed just as decidedly, if in a
different way. revolver.
were very
came
In the
man
main, this la a costume that
The guard of honour, composed of the New Zealand Defence Force, is een lined up before the elty hall in Wallington, New Zealand, as they were inspected by the Duke of Gloucester on his visit to
New Zealand and Anetralia.
SPEEDING UP IN known as "the depositions."
COURT
MAGISTRATE'S
SCHEME
or
FRIGHTENED TO DEATH
A statement of the testimony a witness is expected to give, which solicitors hope he will give,
A valuable draught horse owned is of course no new thing, for it is embodied in the brief of every by Mr. J. Craven of Heathcote, NEW counsel who has to call one, Victoria, Australin, took fright and Lawyers know it as the witness's dropped dead in a paddock when it "proof."
Sometimes they have to snw elephants which were appear- lament that the testimony, like
TAKING OF EVIDENCE (By Alfred Follows)
London.
weak spirits, in considerably below
ing in a cireus locally, go by, says
proof. No such statement or proof, Austral News.
A few years ago it was a safe Apparently Colt returned to
wager that at any grown-up fancy- school after his experience as a aaltor, and was subsequently a lec-dress dance there would be at least
ho a platoon of pierrots. Any turor in chemistry. Not until had passed his twentieth year did who could think of nothing more ho become again interested in his original used to become a pierrot.
This year the plerrot seems to rovolver, and in 1836 patented it In London, Paris, and America, and be practically extinct. The man- thereby founded the immense busi-ager of a well-known firm which nesa of the Colt's Patent Firearms caters for fancy dress suggested
physical renson for this. He Company.
Before the days.of Colt's the pointed out that the ruff that went with the pierrot costume soon bo- 10st advanced hand-gun was the most
excessively uncomfortable. "pepper-box," an lagenious muzzle. He went on to complain a little loading, percussion-cap weapon bitterly that the picrrut's place with aix barrels which all revolved. Reemed to be taken this year by Though there was a kind of guard the Russian-moujik, commissar, to keep the caps in place. they
likely to fall off the Cossack, kulak, or what not. His nipples, particularly if the pistol bitterness was due to the fact that, was carried ready primed in the more or less minkes itself, as it pocket. To some extent the early Colts and the same fault; but the only needs a Russian-like shirt over a pair of ordinary evening trousers. guard fitted to them was a much it was like, he said, the outbreak of more practical affair, and the capa "boy scouts" and "infants" a few were more likely to stay on the
years ago, which only needed a nipples than fall off them.
this made all except the most FIRM CLOSED DOWN
slim and shapely look so exceeding-able offence the evidence so taken prosecution proposed to call thirty-
Purely formal and unchallenged The Colt revolver did not achieve ly foolish that the fashion soon down is, if the accused is sent for five) a case may be considerably an immediate success. Though the ended and ex-Boy Scouts were only trial, read over and signed by each shortened. This, on the face of it, evidence is, of course, taken at con- United States Army used it against too glad to become "bussars" or witness and countersigned by the appears to be the essence of Mr. siderable speed already, even to the Florida Indiane in 1837, there "knights in armour" once again. magistrate (or one of them) and Snell's plan or experiment. Such a the practice of counsel giving it become valid would and the witness assenting, e.g., was so little demand for the new
Pirates, apparently, are still afterwards transmitted the practice to arm that the small company which popular, and so are soldiers (of superior Court which will try the sooner or inter have to be recog- "You are A.B. of auch and such This written present). prisoner.
evidence, nised by the judges of the King's an address and business a lead- Colt had started in 1835 ceased the
past, not
Silvers continue to or the portion of it testifled by Bench. A possible danger mighting question to which no one would production in 1842, and when Long John General Zachary Taylor sent for a flourish, and Mad Hatters continue witneasca for the prosecution, in be that a magistrate, with the proof think of taking objection. supply for
use in Mexico there to eat slices of bread and butter crowds. Costers and were none to be had.
in friendly In 1847 the United States pillar-boxca are on the wane.
dis- Government ordered a thousand One striking Enet is the revolvers from Colt, and almost at appearance of the "Devil" from the the same
time the settlers and dances of 1935. Not very long ago backwoodsmen recognised its utility Mephistopheles was a sure visitor for defence. The "alxshooter" be to every fancy-dress dance, and came a personal friend to many-often-there-would be the odd-spec- thousands, and skill in its use a tacle of half a dozen of these thing to be talked about. Ameri-terrifying visitanta fraternising at can citizens developed the habit of the bufel. Now one is more likely going "heeled," and Samuel Colt to see "Three Little Piga." reaped the benefit.
however, would be accepted for a moment as deposition by the Court before him, might allow examining above, for the depositions (with
counsel
to "end" a or solicitor certain necessary exceptions) are confined to the written records of witness, te, indiente to him the Mr. Snell, the Marylebone magis-worn oral testimony. If, how answer he was expected to make. trate, has stated his intention to ever, a magistrate and his clerk If prisoner was represented by adopt a new scheme to expedite have on their desks the lot as counsel there would be a anfeguard, Intelligent and truthful witness business in his Court,
Briefly, it appears to be an at-proposes to tell, and the witness but it would be otherwise if he tempt to shorten the time of taking repeats it in the box without any were not professionally defended. evidence. That is usually a lengthy material variation, the time and Mr. Snell's plan, though it might process
neases for the defence, where such from the fact that the trouble of writing it all down again apply to the examination of wit- defence was not reserved, could not judge or magistrate's clerk, as the may largely be saved. case may be, ought to take it down
be carried out for the unexpected verbatim as given, and is not:
questiony and answers of cross- to use shorthand. In the
examination, or of the re-examina-
The Colt was cocked by drawing
A POSSIBLE DANGER Thus, if there are many witnessca
Fahirt and a pair of shorts. Luckily. Aminary hearing for an indict (in the case before Mr. Snell the 1lon arising thereon.
of the
back the hammer with the thumb, "two-gun" work camo from this. the cylinder being rotated also by It is not impossible to hit two this action. British makers, who fairly lurge marks at short range were soon in the field, used the pull with bullets from two guns fred of the trigger to rotate the cyline simultaneously, though the fent der. It was not until 1851 that an requires a lot of practice. Englishman, Adams, produced the double-action revolver, as we now have it. The first breech-loading revolvers were mado about 1868, and the first self-extractors about 1875.
.
Quickness in drawing the revol- ver was essential, and many were the devices for ensuring the gun would be there when wanted. particularly by those who wished to conceal the fact that they were jurmed. The "good citizen" in the Though many extraordinary West usually carried his gun în a stories of feats with the revolver hip holster, however. became current, even in the carly
HIP FIRING
days of the arm, and though much Despite the great development, in of the revolver work shown in the automatic platol, the revolver Wild West films is ridiculous, there la atill pre-eminent for
accuracy
Ja no doubt that there was a con- and reliability, and one hundred siderable amount of dexterity in years after Colt's first patent the the early days.
British forcos are being rearmed Firing from the hip, or even with a new and very much im- from the pocket, was a develop-proved revolver of 38 inch calibre, ment due to the "bad man," and to replace the well-known .45.
to
Scene from the Daka NDLS film "The Old and the Young." The picture concerne the life of the Prussian soldier-King Frederick William (s part acted by Emil Jannings) and his relations to the young Frits, who later became known as Frederick the Great
AIR FRANCE.
CORRESPONDENCES BY AIR MAIL TO EUROPE.. The Company AIR FRANCE” has the honour to Inform the >public that from the 1st of February, 1935, its weekly line LONDON PARIS-SAICON wil be extended up to HANOI (Tonkin), on the itinerary CALCUTTA-RANGOON BANGKOK -HANOI:
The time table has been scheduled as follows:
From Europe to China: Departure from London or Paris every wook on Wednesdays. Arrival-in Hanoi the following week on Saturdays at about 10 a.m...
DURATION OF THE TRIP LONDON OR PARIS TO HANDI::
From China to Europe:
·
10% days.
Departure from Hanoi every Saturday at
about noon. Arrival in Paris or London
on Tuesdays of the second following week.
The flying machines on the route are fitted with trimotors
and carry:
“MAIL.-
FREIGHT. PASSENGERS.
For all informations apply to:
COMPAGNIE DES MESSAGERIES MARITIMES
3 Queen's Building.
BOYB
Sole Agents:-
Agents for "AIR FRANCE" -
the genuine
Tuborg Pilsener
GANDE, PRICE & CO., LTD.
Telephone 20135.
THE
HONG KONG
·PENINSULA HOTEL;----
HONGKONG HOTEL: REPULSE BAY HOTEL;
PEAK HOTEL
& SHANGHAI
ASTOR HOUSE; PALACE HOTEL;
HOTELS
LIMITED.
In association with the Crand Hotel der Wagons Lits, Peking
Penang
The Scenic Gem of Malaya
Lord Byng of Vimy, a former Governor-General of Canada, ia sown enjoying a cup of tea with Man Wert, famed blonde movia star
Hollywood. It was about this time that the famous soldier was
afflicted with a hoårt attack.
Maori tribasman doing a war dance in honour of the visit of the Duke of Gloucester to New Zealand.
Runnymede Hotel
Mataya's Promiar Hotel
also under the same management THE CRAG HOTEL Penang Hill
(A health station):
CABLES "RUNNYMEDE”"". RUNNYMEDE HOTEL, LTD.
JUST OPPOSITE the Dairy
Farm's Soda Fountain..
The MING YUEN STUDIO has removed to the 3rd Floor No. 6 Queen's Road Central.