Reflective, Legalistic, Historical, Ironical

This chapter discusses an old English law whereby the king claims the head and the queen the tail of every whale captured off the coast. It recounts a recent event where the Duke of Wellington, as lord warden, claimed a whale caught by mariners.

Chapter 90 explores an English legal statute dictating that the monarchy (the king and queen) are entitled to the head and tail of a whale, respectively, if caught off the coast of England. This law is paralleled to the special treatment of royalty in other English traditions, such as railways. The narrative then tells of Dover mariners who catch a whale and are forced to surrender their prize to the Duke of Wellington, invoking his legal right as the lord warden of the Cinque Ports. Although the mariners protest, the duke's claim stands. A local clergyman's attempt to appeal on the mariners' behalf is dismissed by the Duke. The chapter also touches upon the rationale for this law based on 'superior excellence' and delves into the reasons for the sovereign's right to the whale and the division of royal fish, adding a touch of humor and historical perspective.