26 OCTOBER 1945, Page 14

- FIRST CATCH YOUR MAID

Sta,—Your correspondent is right about the cat-o'-nine tails, but he does not carry his correction of M. Gardner far enough. The use of the " cat " giving rise to the saying was concerned with flogging in the Navy in the bad old days. The space available for flogging between decks was often so restricted that there was often no room, literally, to swing the cat.—Yours, &c., THEODORE D. LOWE. harith, West Kilbride, Ayrshire.