King Billy's Decoration

King Billy's Decoration. 

A story told by the late Commander Edward Barrett, U. S. N., shows that plated ware when no longer useful for mess purposes on war ships can be devoted to the service of diplomacy. According to this story, some American navy officers, wishing to conciliate an African potentate named King Billy, presented him with a discarded soup ladle and a lot of gay ribbons. This so delighted the dusky sovereign that when he came aboard the ship to make a visit in state he wore the ladle tied on the front of his ample person with the variegated ribbons and also wore a dilapidated stovepipe hat.