Bartitsu

I say, you chaps!

I've just been to the most spiffing demonstration of a splendid  new form of self defence as devised by that excellent fellow Edward William Barton-Wright. He calls it Bartitsu, being a portmanteau of his own name and a fiendish system from the Orient called Ju-Jitsu. We were shown techniques too numerous to mention for striking, throwing, disabling, choking and pummelling any blackguard, ne'er do well, scoundrel or bounder who might happen to waylay a gentleman going about his business.

The only weapon needed is a common walking stick, cane or umbrella of the sort carried by any well dressed man about town. The art can equally be practiced by a lady using a parasol, and indeed my companion for the evening, the charming author Mrs Green, proved to be a dab hand at the art.

I must confess to now being a little fatigued, not to say bruised in one or two places, but it really was the most marvellous way to spend an evening and a superb introduction to a martial art.

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