word went through the ship that the ceremonies were to be
pretty strenuous; that no one who had not crossed the
Equator would escape.
To show how serious this was here is a copy of one of
Neptune's messages and the order that followed its reception:
/#
NOTICE.
The following wireless was received at 11 p.m., December 19, 1907:
/#
Fore Topmast, Official Representative on Board the Good Ship Louisiana
of His Majesty Neptune Rex, Ruler of the Royal Domain.
#/
At the time the Thomas W. Lawson turned turtle many of my
trusted police were on board, and as a result they were more or less
injured and all of the regulation uniforms carried by them were
lost. Therefore it will be necessary for me to designate many of
my royal subjects on board the good ship represented by you to act
in their stead, and you are authorized to make the selection from
among the most faithful of those who belong to the royal realm.
In making the appointments you will consider their qualifications
as to severity, alertness, seadogness, their knowledge as to the interior
plans of the ship and their ability to follow the trail of any
landlubber, pollywog or sea lawyer who endeavors to escape the
initiation as prescribed by me.
You will report to me by wireless the names of the subjects selected,
the position assigned and the proficiency of each in order that
I may forward their commission at once.
You will have the regulation uniforms made up at once and will
carry out all orders in this connection. Your Majesty,
/*
<sc>Neptune Rex</sc>,
Ruler of the Royal Domain.
*/
#/
/#
GENERAL ORDER NO. 3.
In view of the above I have this day, the 20th of December, 1907,
selected from among the royal subjects on board the good ship
Louisiana the trusted police as directed by his Majesty, and those
selected have been notified of their appointment, all of whom have
accepted. The attention of all the royal subjects is invited to
paragraph X, article VIIX, regulations of the royal realm, relative
to police duty and to the punishments prescribed for those who fail
#/
