Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 11.djvu/141

 ii s. XL FEB. is, 1915.] NOTES AND QUEEIES.

131

Clarke, Capt. Bobert, d. India, 14 May, 1793 Where ?

Cockcraft, Lieut. Samuel Charlton. Betired on full pay 14 April, 1794.

Godfrey, Capt. John, d. Purfleet, 1831. What date ?

Brisac, Lieut. Walter Henry. Betired on full pay 28 Feb., 1819.

Peters, Second Lieut. William H., d. 29 Jan., 1789. Where ? What is second Christian name ?

Godfrey, Major Charles. Betired on half pay 7 May, 1811.

Lindsay, Capt. George. Betired on full pay 1 June, 1804. _ _. _ ._.

J. H. LESLIE, Major,

31, Kenwood Park Boad, Sheffield.

DR. THORPE. I am grateful for particulars concerning H. H. Beamish (ante, p. 92).

Can any one kindly supply me with the dates of the birth and death of Dr. Thorpe, a popular Evangelical preacher in the first part of last century, and sometime Chaplain to the Lock Hospital ?

G. W. E. RUSSELL.

COLONEL THE'HON. COSMO GORDON. Who was the above-named Gordon, who on 4 Sept., 1783, fought a duel with Lieut. -Col. Frederick Thomas ? The latter died the day following. According to the ' Army List ' of 1777, Thomas was commissioned lieutenant and captain in the First Regiment of Foot Guards, 3 May, 1773, and Gordon captain, lieutenant, and lieutenant-colonel in the Third Regiment of Foot Guards, ISTMay, 1773. For the duel, &c., see The Gentleman's Magazine, vol. liii. (1783), pp. 801, 805, 892. Thomas was apparently forced to the duel much against his con- science. ROBERT PIERPOINT.

" FRIGHTFULNESS." Is not the now com- mon use of this term as the method and aim in war somewhat new ? It is used apparently as a literal translation of a Ger- man word and policy. Is this so? and what is that word, and when was it first so used ? Is it an advance on 1870 ? Lucis.

HYGROMETER : MOVABLE SCALE. I have recently become possessed of a hygrometer, and should appreciate any information as to reading a movable scale attached. It consists of several vertical columns of figures marked 1 to 21 inclusive. Under the first the reference figures run from 95 downward gradually to 34 under col. 21. These are to be read in conjunction with the dry scale, and it is this information which I lack. The instrument is a good one, with a Kew certificate. I shall be much obliged if any reader will kindly give me the clue to the movable scale. PERPLEXED.

SHERBORNE, SHIREBTJRN, &c. : PLACE- NAMES. The place-name Shireburn, from which the Sherborne family of Stonyhurst derived its name, is supposed to mean " dividing brook," i.e., a brook separating territories. It should be possible to test this etymology by ascertaining whether the places of the same name in Dorset, Durham, Gloucester, Hants, Oxford, Warwick, and Yorkshire, also Shirebrook in Derby, have the necessary local conditions. Would readers of * N. & Q.' kindly assist in deter- mining this point ? LEO G.

CHILDREN'S BOOKS : AUTHORS WANTED. Can any reader supply the name of " E. S." who wrote the following popular stories : ' A Cup of Sweets,' ' Summer Rambles,' ' Short Stories.' and ' Godmother's Tales ' ? The publisher was J. Harris, at the corner of St. Paul's Churchyard, arid the dates about 1804-18.

I am also desirous of knowing the name of the writer of ' Aunt Mary's Tales,' of the same period, published by Harvey & Dartori, 55, Graceehurch Street. M.

PUNCTUATION : ITS IMPORTANCE.

(11 S. xi. 49.)

THERE are "many instances similar to the one quoted, and several columns might be filled with parallel cases.

The misplacement of a comma cost the United States about two million dollars. The blunder occurred in a Tariff Bill about thirty years ago. There was a section enumerating what articles should be ad- mitted free of duty. Among the many articles specified were " all foreign fruit - plants," meaning plants for transplanting, propagation, or experiment. A clerk in copying the Bill accidentally changed the hyphen in the compound word " fruit- plants " to a comma, making it read : " All foreign fruit, plants," &c. The conse- quence was that for a year, until Congress could remedy the blunder, all oranges, lemons, bananas, grapes, and other foreign fruits were admitted free of duty.

A rather painful blunder happened in 1891. Many readers will recall it. The Bishop of Adelaide, South Australia, found what he thought was the carcass of a sea- serpent at Avoid Point,- near Coffin Bay.