13 MARCH 1920, Page 15

"CROSSHANDED."

[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."' SIR,—In your recent article on " Naval Language " a use of " rescrub " for "repeat" was given which showed that the word had become merely a symbol without suggestion of its origin. A good illustration of a similar kind was reported to me by a student from Newfoundland. It is customary for a man who rows alone in a big boat with long oars to row " crosshanded." From this the word comes to be used in general for " alone," and it is even possible to hear that some man along the coast "lived crosshanded all winter."—I am,