• THE WORD " BRITISHER " [To the , Editor
of T Scsexe.Toa.]...
S-M,—Many. overseas British subjects will be sorry to hear that The Spectator has decided-to use its influence against the use of the word " Britisher." Fifty years. ago, when half the shipping of the world sailed under the British Ensign, the. word_" Britisher '..' lad wpotent significance unknown to the Intensely national purists of post-War England. The ships of- • Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Natal, Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, and the country ships of India were found with their sisters of the British Isles in all the ports, flying variants of the British Ensign ; and they and their crews were known by the generic name of " Britishers." I know of no other word which expresses the same meaning. Obviously a French Canadian or Dutch Africander cannot be called a Briton. In fact, the word applies to only about five
per cent. of the British Empire. - -
The word " Britisher " is said (wrongfully, I believe) to be 4of American origin: However that may be, it has been pride- fully used for more than a century by scores of millions of Britisksubjects.—I am, Sir, Sze., 27 Montpelier. Street, Brighton.. . James WHEALEN.
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