b 
 
THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 PRESENTED BY 
 
 PROF. CHARLES A. KOFOID AND 
 
 MRS. PRUDENCE W. KOFOID 
 
\ 
 
HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
MACMILLAN AND CO., Limited 
 
 LONDON • BOMBAY • CALCUTTA • MADRAS 
 MELBOURNE 
 
 THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 
 
 NEW YORK • BOSTON • CHICAGO 
 DALLAS • SAN FRANCISCO 
 
 THE MACMILLAN CO. OF CANADA, Ltd. 
 
 TORONTO 
 
HAROLD TENNYSON 
 
 R.N. 
 
 THE STORY OF A YOUNG SAILOR 
 PUT TOGETHER 
 BY A FRIEND 
 
 Thy leaf has perish'd in the green, 
 
 And, while wc breathe beneath the sun, 
 The world which credits what is done 
 
 Is cold to all that might have been. 
 
 MACMILLAN AND CO., LIMITED 
 
 ST. MARTIN'S STREET, LONDON 
 
 1919 
 
 -V.i^-\vJi 
 
COPYRIGHT 
 
 First Edition 191 8 
 Reprinted 1919 
 
TO 
 
 1Rear«*at)miral Sir Milliam TReginall) Iball 
 
X)44-0 
 
 T^2 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 PART I 
 CHILDHOOD, EARLY TRAITS AND TOUCHES 
 
 I'AGE 
 
 Farringford and Australia ..... 3 
 
 Harold's Mother 12 
 
 Five Years in Australia ; Extracts from Lady 
 
 Tennyson's Letter Journal . . . .19 
 
 PART II 
 
 A SON AND SERVANT OF THE EMPIRE 
 
 Childhood and Boyhood . . . . . .81 
 
 The Navy, Special Service Cruise (aet. 16-17) . 86 
 
 PART III 
 
 H.M.S. ^UEEN MART 
 
 The Queen Mary 175 
 
 H.M.S. Viking 250 
 
 IN MEMORIAM H. C. T : 289 
 
 EPILOGUE : THE CHIVALRY OF THE SEA . 290 
 
 APPENDIX 291 
 
 vii 
 
 m31 1415 
 
PART I 
 
 ? CHILDHOOD, EARLY TRAITS AND 
 TOUCHES 
 
THE SAILOR BOY 
 
 He rose at dawn and, fired with hope, 
 Shot o'er the seething harbour-bar, 
 
 And reach'd the ship and caught the rope 
 And whistled to the morning star. 
 
 And while he whistled long and loud 
 He heard a fierce mermaiden cry, 
 
 " O boy, tho' thou art young and proud, 
 I see the place where thou wilt lie. 
 
 "The sands and yeasty surges mix 
 
 In caves about the dreary bay, 
 And on thy ribs the limpet sticks, 
 
 And in thy heart the scrawl shall play." 
 
 " Fool," he answer'd, " death is sure 
 To those that stay and those that roam, 
 
 But I will nevermore endure 
 
 To sit with empty hands at home. 
 
 " My mother clings about my neck. 
 My sisters crying, * Stay for shame ' ; 
 
 My father raves of death and wreck, 
 
 They are all to blame, they are all to blame. 
 
 " God help me ! save I take my part 
 
 Of danger on the roaring sea, 
 A devil rises in my heart. 
 
 Far worsethan any death to me." 
 
FARRINGFORD AND AUSTRALIA 
 
 Harold Courtenay Tennyson, the third son 
 of the second Lord and Lady Tennyson, was 
 born on April 27, 1896, at Farringford House, 
 Freshwater, a delightful spot for any English boy 
 to be brought up in, an ideal home for one of 
 Harold Tennyson's temperament. There, con- 
 centrated, he had everything that could appeal to 
 him most. The Isle of Wight is an island, so 
 to speak, within an island, and this western 
 portion, peninsularum ocellus y is again almost a 
 separate islet in itself. Standing some way back 
 from the road, and on a gentle rise, the beginning 
 of the high chalk down under which it nestles, 
 Farringford House is so deeply embowered in 
 its surrounding trees and boskage that it seems, 
 like some fairy palace, to disappear the moment 
 it is left in any direction. Much of the house is 
 old, and the estate, with its ancient ecclesiastical 
 names. Prior *s Field, Maiden's Croft, and the 
 like, very old. The chief view which it com- 
 mands, where the ground slopes away towards 
 the south-east, is soft and Mediterranean, in its 
 summer aspect of blue skies and of sunlight 
 sparkling on the laughing waters of the little bay. 
 But there is nothing soft or enervating about the 
 
4 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 " noble down.'* The " blast of winter " strikes 
 it fiercely, and the Channel billows have hollowed 
 deep inlets and sheer gullies in the chalk, where 
 they " boom and blanch on the precipices," while 
 the Needles themselves, those remnants of the 
 more ancient cliff that stand now like a little 
 flotilla setting sail to the western deeps, are a 
 witness to the waste of bygone ages. In 
 ** Tennyson's Lane," or on the " Primrose Path " 
 beside it, the traveller feels himself far inland. 
 On the wind-swept downs, beneath the beacon 
 monument, he feels himself well out at sea. 
 Here, in lane and on downs, and all around, 
 still more in the house, in every room, lived the 
 memories of his grandfather, whose verses he 
 early learned to love and to repeat to himself. 
 
 He also learned to scramble fearlessly about 
 the rocks, and at the age of nine took his new 
 tutor by the rugged, dangerous " Seymour Path," 
 down "Tennyson Cliff" 500 feet to the bottom. 
 
 Portsmouth and Spithead, Ryde and Cowes, 
 Southampton and Yarmouth, represent the story 
 of England's national life and lordship of the 
 sea, and all the different types of her naval, 
 merchant, fishing, and pleasure craft. It was a 
 daily experience for the child to see the ** ships 
 of battle," great or small, with which he was 
 afterwards to be so familiar, passing on their 
 various errands, or to watch the great mercantile 
 liners taking up the pilot and ** crossing the bar " 
 from the Solent out into the open ocean. 
 
 How he loved it all appears in many a passage 
 of his letters. It was amid these surroundings 
 
FARRINGFORD & AUSTRALIA 5 
 
 that he took his earliest impressions. Born some 
 three years and a half after his illustrious grand- 
 father passed away, unlike his eldest brother born 
 in 1889, who as a child of three had walked up 
 the aisle of Westminster Abbey at his funeral, 
 he had no remembrance of him. But some traits 
 he inherited, and his grandfather's poems were 
 a great influence on his short life. 
 
 The flashing dark eyes of the Tennysons, and 
 again the shapely moulding of the brow and 
 cheek, so well shown in Woolner's beardless bust, 
 were to be seen to advantage in him. 
 
 The name Courtenay he derived from his 
 mother's family, and from her side too came some 
 of that prompt determination and inborn gift of 
 ruling which displayed itself so early in him. 
 
 Both the Tennysons and the Boyles were 
 among the families which had long served in 
 Navy and Army. The poet himself just missed 
 being at the battle of Navarino. His cousin. 
 Admiral Tennyson d'Eyncourt, who served with 
 distinction in the Crimea, died in January 1903 
 at the age of eighty -nine, having entered the 
 Navy in 1826. Of Lady Tennyson's grand- 
 fathers, one was an Admiral, the other a General. 
 
 Henry Hallam, the historian, once said that 
 no mother kept a faithful, detailed journal of her 
 children's child -life. Lady Tennyson falsified 
 this statement, for she kept a simple but very 
 faithful '* log " of her boy Harold's career from 
 the day of his birth. 
 
 The picture it gives of his christening is a very 
 pretty one. From the very first he showed, it 
 
6 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 goes on to tell, a love of music, a love of his own 
 way, and a power of getting it, half winning, half 
 masterful. A merry, noisy mimic, very strong 
 in the back,* with a most determined mouth — 
 such he was even before he could speak. 
 
 When he was still quite tiny there came a 
 great experience for him. His father was ap- 
 pointed Governor of South Australia, and the 
 little boy travelled out in the Ophir^ via Marseilles, 
 to that distant colony. 
 
 This was early in 1899, when he was in his 
 third year, his third birthday occurring soon after 
 he reached Adelaide. 
 
 It was a novel sensation for three little English 
 boys and their mother to ride by lakes swarming 
 with wild swans, or through the bush alive with 
 flocks of parrots and wild turkeys, as well as hares 
 and rabbits innumerable, to see wallabies, opos- 
 sums and native bears, flying foxes, cockatoos, 
 bower-birds, which live in a bower and adorn 
 their home with bright leaves in the morning, 
 removing them at sunset, mallee-fowl that lay 
 their eggs in a mound in a mathematically accurate 
 circle, laughing jackasses, and 3-foot long lizards, 
 trees 300 feet high, ferns 10 feet long, to watch 
 at night whole mountains ablaze with forest fires, 
 or more often only the strange southern stars 
 sparkling over the vast Pacific, to ** breathe in 
 April autumns " and " walk," as their grand- 
 father's lovely liquid-sibilant line has it, 
 
 By the long wash of Australasian seas. 
 
 All this they learned to love from father and 
 
FARRINGFORD & AUSTRALIA 7 
 
 mother both, and it was from them both that 
 Harold inherited his gift of description of natural 
 sights and scenery, ordinary and extraordinary, 
 which appears so strikingly in these letters of a 
 young midshipman. 
 
 They were to witness also, and in their childish 
 fashion assist at, some of the most signal events 
 that had yet come to Australia, herself ** mewing 
 her mighty and glorious youth," moments in the 
 making of that great land and of the still greater 
 Empire of which she is an ever more and more 
 important partner : the commemoration of the 
 death of her first great Queen, Victoria, and the 
 proclamation of her son. King Edward VII., her 
 first taste of war, the Inauguration of the Federated 
 Commonwealth, the visit of the Duke and Duchess 
 of York to open the Federal Parliament, the 
 formation and departure of the first Australian 
 Expeditionary Force in the contingents sent to 
 South Africa, the reorganisation on a territorial 
 basis of the Australian Army, the Investiture 
 after the Boer War, the swearing in of the High 
 Court, the sending of a ship-of-war, the Protector^ 
 to China, and the visit of the fleet of the new 
 old Island Kingdom of the Far East. 
 
 What finer education — what object-lessons 
 more brightly coloured, vivid, and memorable — 
 could children have received } 
 
 But of course all this came gradually. At 
 the time of their arrival his mother describes 
 Harold as a most happy creature, making friends 
 with everybody and afraid of nobody. 
 
 His bent for music grew constantly. He had 
 
8 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 also a great sense of humour and readiness of 
 repartee. He put his hand in an Admiral's and 
 asked him to go up to the nursery with him 
 because he was afraid if he went alone his nurse 
 would keep him, but when told to give the same 
 hand to a strange lady, he said, " No, it might 
 come off. It's only stuck on." 
 
 He was also already very clever at botany, 
 picking up even the Latin names with great 
 quickness, and fond of birds and animals. He 
 called himself a soldier of the Queen till she died, 
 when he hoisted his little private Royal Standard 
 at half-mast on the blind cord, and said it must 
 be a soldier of the King now. 
 
 ** He looks such a duck," writes his mother 
 at this period, " in a little old brown coat with 
 fur of Aubrey's, a large red tam-o'-shanter, and 
 brown cloth gaiters. He runs immensely fast, 
 and so loves playing with his brothers. 
 
 " His love for flowers and Nature increases 
 daily, and he works most steadily and regularly 
 every day with * Horn ' (his nurse) in his gardens, 
 of which he has many — * Woodland Garden,* 
 * Windmill Garden,' * Stonybed Garden,' all in 
 different parts of the grounds, and waters them 
 from his bath. 
 
 ** Mademoiselle asked him to do something the 
 other day. 
 
 " ^ Oh no, I can't. I have so much work to 
 do. Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, every 
 day.' 
 
 ** * Oh,' said Mademoiselle, * and when do 
 you rest ? ' 
 
I FARRINGFORD & AUSTRALIA 9 
 
 " * Oh, I can't get any rest till I die/ " 
 
 He affected to look after his brothers — 
 " those boys." He was also very fond of being 
 read to. 
 
 When Mrs. Harmer, wife of the Bishop of 
 Adelaide, told him they were reading about little 
 Samuel, and said, " Do you know about Samuel, 
 Harold ? " 
 
 " Why, of course I know about Samuel," was 
 his reply. " You see IVe read all the Bible." . 
 
 He really believed he had. Mrs. Harmer 
 said she always felt he knew best about things, 
 and she felt inclined to obey him as a matter of 
 course. Yet at this time, as he skipped about 
 in his sailor suit, he looked like " a little imp on 
 springs." 
 
 The present King and Queen, as Duke and 
 Duchess of York, came out about this time on 
 a visit to Australia. Harold got on very happily 
 with them. 
 
 When his nurse and mother said, " How nice 
 it would be to have a good little boy who would 
 stay quietly in bed," " Well," he said, " it's 
 no use wishing for things you can't haye. I 
 never do. I always branch off and think of 
 something else." 
 
 He had a passion for knowledge and was 
 very eager to learn, begging to begin music with 
 Mademoiselle, and also Latin with Mr. Jose, 
 his brothers' tutor, when he was not much over 
 five (August 1 901). About the same time he 
 astonished the family by knowing who Sancho 
 Panza was. 
 
lo HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. pt. 
 
 He made friends with everybody. One day, 
 looking out of the window and seeing two engine- 
 drivers whom he knew, he said, ** I've got such 
 a lot of friends down there, Mamie, it really 
 makes it very difficult to know when people 
 touch their hats whether it is to the Governor 
 or me." 
 
 When he was only five he could shunt an 
 engine. He could also drive a pony-cart. 
 
 Soon after his sixth birthday he began the 
 violin. It was an experiment, but his teacher, 
 Mrs. Ennis, at once said she could make some- 
 thing of him, he was so attentive and had a very 
 good ear and memory. Madame Melba was 
 enchanted with his questions and answers, and 
 sang specially loud for him, because he said he 
 liked her loud notes best. 
 
 In August 1902 Lord Tennyson became 
 Governor - General of the Commonwealth, and 
 they all moved to Melbourne, where Harold made 
 more friends than ever among the gardeners, 
 policemen, and work-people about the place. 
 
 Just before he was seven, when they all saw 
 a new moon and uttered wishes, Harold said, ** I 
 have wished to be good. When I was a little 
 boy I used to wish for three things, a pony, a 
 bicycle, and a magic-lantern. Now Fve got 
 them all, so now I wish to be good." 
 
 But when his father told him not to be one 
 of the naughty boys, he said, " Do not worry, 
 father. It's the way of the world." 
 
 Like his grandfather, whose earliest verse was 
 
 I hear a voice that's calling in the wind, 
 
FARRINGFORD & AUSTRALIA ii 
 
 he used to say that he liked going down to the 
 brook in " Deep Creek " because ** it sang to 
 him." 
 
 The story in some of the most striking details 
 of the Australian time, with many mentions of 
 Harold, is perhaps best told by the series of 
 extracts from his mother's letter journal. But 
 first some brief account should be given of that 
 mother herself, whose life was so much bound up 
 with his, and who survived him not a year. 
 
HAROLD'S MOTHER 
 
 O like a queen's her happy tread, 
 And like a queen's her golden head ! 
 
 But O, at last when all is said, 
 Her woman's heart for me. 
 
 Sir William Watson. 
 
 Audrey Boyle, born in 1854, was the daughter 
 of Charles John Boyle and Zacyntha, daughter 
 of General Sir Lorenzo Moore. 
 
 Her father, a scion of the famous Irish house 
 of the Earls of Cork and Orrery, was an accom- 
 plished man. Educated at Christ Church, he 
 became in 1827 Fellow of All Souls, and held 
 the Fellowship for some twenty-two years, till 
 1849, when he married. 
 
 Audrey was the one daughter who survived 
 in a family of brothers, of whom there were no 
 less than six. Perhaps the best known was the 
 one to whom she came nearest in age, and with 
 whom she was most thrown. Captain Cecil Boyle, 
 of the Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars, a very 
 remarkable boy and man. At Clifton College, 
 where he was educated in the years 1 867-1 872, 
 he was prominent as an athlete and a scholar, 
 but was still more conspicuous as a leader, alike 
 in his House and in the School. He went up 
 
PT. 1 
 
 HAROLD'S MOTHER 13 
 
 in 1872 to Oxford, joining University College, 
 where he continued his marvellous athletic suc- 
 cesses. Want of funds, however, led him to 
 leave the University at the end of his second year, 
 and go on to the Stock Exchange. There he was 
 remarkably successful. Money - making, how- 
 ever, was not his real ruling passion, and it was 
 eminently characteristic of him that when the 
 Black Week befell, at the end of 1899, he was the 
 first yeoman to volunteer for service, as he was 
 later the first to reach South Africa, and the first 
 to fall, in a skirmish with the Boers near Boshof, 
 on April 4, 1900. He had, however, already 
 made himself notable as galloper to General 
 French, with whom he rode as part of the relieving 
 force into Kimberley, and accompanying him 
 afterward in the successful pursuit ending in the 
 capture of General Cronje at Paardeberg. 
 
 His sister. Lady Tennyson, had the same 
 vivid and individual personality, the same graceful 
 and noble carriage, a legacy from their Irish, 
 aristocratic, and soldierly ancestry. As will be 
 seen from her sons* own letters, she was to them, 
 from childhood to manhood, mother and sister 
 in one, entering into all their young life. She 
 was, too, the friend of their friends, upon whom 
 she exercised no small influence, a power for 
 good, with these as with many others, by her 
 charm, her eagerness, her generosity, her quick- 
 flashing sympathy, and the straightforward, simple 
 piety which swayed all who came within her 
 orbit. She, too, found a very special opportunity 
 when Lord Tennyson was called to go out as 
 
14 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. pt. 
 
 Governor to South Australia, still more when 
 later he became Governor - General of the 
 Commonwealth. As the mistress of Govern- 
 ment House, with her stately, gracious dignity, 
 yet warm and ever-ready kindness, she was entirely 
 in her element, and it is no exaggeration to say 
 that her presence and her influence enabled her 
 to render very real and important service to 
 Australia and to the Empire. She loved Aus- 
 tralia and the Australians. 
 
 The representative of Royalty, and a Vice- 
 Queen in position for the time being, she was 
 naturally queenly, but without the smallest 
 hauteur or superiority. 
 
 Nothing of the vulgar or vainglorious ; 
 
 All was gracious, gentle, great and queenly. 
 
 In herself she was full at all times of joie de vivre^ 
 and of love of natural beauty. ** H. went off 
 to Melbourne last night,'* she wrote one day 
 at Sydney, " and I feel rather forlorn in con- 
 sequence, but these brilliant sunny mornings day 
 after day, with the exquisite view, are a constant 
 joy, and quite prevent one from feeling anything 
 but a sense of gratitude to the Almighty for 
 making the world so beautiful, and giving to us 
 the power of enjoyment." 
 
 She did not spare herself. The titular head 
 of any movement which could benefit her sex, 
 " Mothers* Union,** " Girls* Friendly,** and the 
 like, she made her headship a reality. " I have 
 been very busy,** she wrote. May 4, 1903, ** part 
 of Saturday, yesterday and to-day, preparing an 
 
I HAROLD'S MOTHER 15 
 
 address for a Mothers' 'Union meeting, to which 
 I go this afternoon, which was called specially 
 for me to meet the members of the Committee 
 of the * M.U/ and also the * G.F.S.' ; of the 
 former I am the Commonwealth President, and 
 of the other the Commonwealth Patroness. I 
 have not had a free afternoon for I don't know 
 when, nor shall I have one for many weeks to 
 come." 
 
 She knew that the only secret of achievement 
 is taking pains, and she had her reward even 
 beyond her hopes. ** My speech, or rather 
 address," she writes, ** to the Mothers' Union 
 seems to have made quite a sensation. It was 
 quoted in most of the Australian papers appar- 
 ently, and Sir John See, the Premier here, came 
 up to me the other evening at a Charity Ball, 
 and said he had been reading it and agreed with 
 every word. But * you were a bold woman, 
 Lady Tennyson, to say all you did.' " 
 
 A little later she heard from a friend in New 
 Zealand that it had been copied into the New 
 Zealand papers, and she had several periodicals 
 sent her referring to it. 
 
 In Australian society, with her good looks and 
 natural air of command, her eager spirit, her 
 warm-hearted interest and sympathy, she was a 
 striking and also a very engaging figure, and 
 with her three bright, bold, high-spirited boys 
 clustered round her, a picture dear to the 
 Australian heart. When she left Melbourne, 
 the Lady Mayoress said, ** There goes the nicest 
 woman we have ever had in Australia." 
 
1 6 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. pt. 
 
 She was a delightful hostess and leader. She 
 made things go. Her parties, her receptions, it 
 was admitted on all hands, were a great success. 
 She enjoyed, and she set others on enjoying. 
 Her success, however, was not bought without 
 effort, for she was a martyr to severe and pro- 
 strating headaches, but she had wonderful spirit. 
 Impulsive and rapid as she seemed, she was in 
 truth extraordinarily diligent and methodical, and 
 toiled unsparingly in her affection for husband, 
 children, relatives, and friends, and for the good 
 causes of Mercy and Religion, to which she gave 
 herself. In particular she covered reams of 
 paper, note and foolscap, in a series of letters 
 which she sent to her mother during the whole 
 of their stay, written in her fine flowing hand, in 
 the intervals of social and family duty, and amid 
 endless and incessant distraction and interruption. 
 They form a complete journal of her life and that 
 of her family in Australia. It is from them that 
 the extracts, giving a narrative of Harold's child- 
 hood, are drawn. 
 
 It was the same when she came back to 
 England. Fond of society, and fitted to shine 
 in it, she devoted herself first and foremost to 
 home and duty. She gave herself to her husband 
 and his friends — before she went out she had 
 helped him greatly with the preparation of the 
 life of his father — and to her boys. She watched 
 over their education, at home and at school, at 
 Eton or Cambridge, in the Army and Navy. 
 
 But she carried on her own tasks. She was 
 a leader in the work of the Mothers' Union. 
 
HAROLD'S MOTHER 17 
 
 She was for many years Chairman of the Ladies' 
 Committee at the Workhouse. She was the head 
 of a large Clothing Club, and she started a Penny 
 Bank for children. Here too, as in Australia, 
 she was at all times a faithful daughter of the 
 Church; how faithful and helpful, successive 
 rectors of Freshwater could bear witness. 
 
 As soon as the war came, Mr. G. H. F. 
 Duncan offered his house, Afton Lodge, to Lord 
 Tennyson, to do what he thought best with it 
 in the way of serving the country. Lady 
 Tennyson at once claimed it as a military hospital, 
 to be worked under the War Office. As such 
 she used it with conspicuous success to the day 
 of her own death ; as such it has been carried on 
 since. Over 1800 patients have passed through 
 it in the four years. 
 
 She died in its service. It was the last place 
 she visited outside her home. On Tuesday, 
 December 5, she was there at work, and though 
 feeling very ill she persisted in going again on 
 Wednesday morning. In the afternoon she went 
 to bed — she did not then seem dangerously ill — 
 but the next morning she was in a state of serious 
 and high fever, and becoming unconscious during 
 the day, Thursday, December 7, sank in the 
 evening, and toward night passed away. 
 
 The swift blow of January, the death of her 
 Harold, had by December worked out its fatal 
 result. It could not deflect, but it had broken, her 
 noble spirit, and those friends who had seen her in 
 the interval had found her more and more changed 
 and crushed beneath an unceasing heartache. 
 
 c 
 
1 8 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. pt. i 
 
 About a week after she died the following 
 poem, by a very old friend, with the brief 
 touching introductory lines, appeared in Country 
 Life, 
 
 AUDREY TENNYSON 
 
 Obiit Dec. 7. " Lady Tennyson as Audrey Boyle was the 
 most lovely creature. But ah ! how many years ago " {Extract 
 from a private letter). 
 
 Alas and alas ! What word to be said 
 For beauty dying and gladness dead 
 
 And a world left grey ? 
 Every year the flowers arise, 
 Pass in a pageant before our eyes 
 
 And die, yet they 
 Come again with the same sweet face, 
 Each again in the same dear'place. 
 But ah ! her beauty and ah ! her grace 
 
 That is dead to-day ! 
 Earth shall not see it again, nor tears 
 Wash out remembrance of her bright years. 
 
 That a man might say 
 " Though she is dead there shall be her peers." 
 
 Ah nay ! Ah nay ! 
 
 F. W. BOURDILLON. 
 
FIVE YEARS IN AUSTRALIA 
 
 EXTRACTS FROM LADY TENNYSON'S 
 LETTER JOURNAL 
 
 NEARING ADELAIDE 
 
 It seems but yesterday I saw at dawn 
 The faint line of the soft Australian shores, 
 As fast we sped, borne o'er the whispering tide. 
 Within the grim heads of St. Vincent's gulf; 
 And all the sea was barr'd with purple and green 
 And dazzling sunlight, such as southern climes 
 Know only : while afar in distance shone 
 Thro' tremulous haze the scanty-scatter'd farms — 
 Homed in the quiet hollow of the hills — 
 A land, they said, of golden air, where scents 
 Of sweetest flowers float, and where the grapes 
 In honied clusters droop, a paradise 
 Of glowing blue and tranquil loveliness. 
 
 T, 
 
 1899 
 
 The Tennysons reached Adelaide early in April 
 1899, and had a great reception and as warm 
 a welcome as one could wish, the Ministers 
 saying to Lady Tennyson, ** We only want you 
 
 19 
 
20 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. pt. 
 
 and the Governor to be happy while you are with 
 us, and we hope you will be." 
 
 In July they made a long pilgrimage to 
 Oodnadatta in the centre of the Australian desert to 
 visit the aborigines there. A large " corroboree " 
 was called, and between three bonfires, under 
 the most brilliant starlight and Milky Way, the 
 naked black fellows, adorned with emu feathers 
 and painted over their bodies with white gypsum 
 in strange devices, danced their weird dances, to 
 the accompaniment of clashed boomerangs and 
 the monotonous chants of their women. They 
 are the lowest type of savage and as simple as 
 children, roaring with laughter at the least thing. 
 They believe that when they die the man's soul 
 passes into a woman, the woman's into a man, 
 and so on in perpetuity until, as some tribes 
 hold, they join the spirits of the North Wind. 
 When asked whence they came, they answered 
 that they came from Dreamland. They believe 
 in evil spirits, which they counteract by magic. 
 Very much has been done by the different State 
 Governments for the protection of the aborigines ; 
 much remains to be done. Missionaries of the 
 several denominations and the splendid body of 
 Mounted Police have been invaluable in their 
 services. 
 
 In the autumn the South African War broke 
 out, and in December of that year came the 
 never-to-be-forgotten ** Black Week." As soon 
 as war was declared Australia determined to send 
 out contingents. 
 
THE LIFE IN AUSTRALIA 21 
 First Contingent for South African War 
 
 " October 14, 1899. 
 
 "There is tremendous excitement all over 
 Australia about the war declared the day 
 before yesterday. A great deal of cabling 
 backwards and forwards to the Colonial Office. 
 A great fight in Parliament here, and in one 
 or two of the other Colonies, raised by the 
 Labour Party about the money being voted 
 and spent. Here the Prime Minister, Mr. 
 Kingston, offered a contingent to the Colonial 
 Office without asking Parliament. He is of the 
 Lbour Party himself, but had to speak and 
 act strongly, which he has done nobly. The 
 question was only carried by a majority of 
 eight after two or three days* heated discussion. 
 The Colonial Office only allow 125 men from 
 here, and I suppose we shall treat them in 
 some way at Government House before they 
 sail on the 30th, and H. will probably address 
 them. It is to be settled to-day who are 
 chosen out of all the volunteers after a very 
 strict medical examination. 
 
 " H. wants the Bishop to address our troops 
 before they sail for the Cape on Monday the 
 30th. There is tremendous excitement in the 
 whole place and all the Colonies about these 
 Australasian troops going to Africa. H. feels 
 most strongly that the Church ought to come 
 forward on such an occasion and that the men 
 would remember and carry away what the 
 Bishop said to them.** 
 
22 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 In the Country 
 
 *■'- November 12, 1899. 
 
 '^ I do so wish you could fly over here. Just 
 now the hills are lovely. You never saw any- 
 thing like the wild sweet-briar bushes up there, 
 simply enormous bushes smothered in roses, 
 and the orange-blossoms so scent the air, and 
 other sweet - smelling shrubs. Somehow all 
 your favourite scents from the flowers bring 
 you constantly into my thoughts, and I almost 
 say aloud to myself, * How I wish mother were 
 here, how she would love this scented air.* 
 There is a tree here they call * white cedar,* 
 it is more like a mountain ash, with the most 
 delicious bunches of white feathery blossom 
 which turns into yellow berries. Many of the 
 roads are planted with them in avenues, and 
 they are lovely just now. The Weigandia^ too, 
 is very handsome, a large purple - flowered 
 shrub with huge leaves, and the coral trees and 
 flame trees, great big trees covered with scarlet 
 blossoms, are out too, and the beautiful 
 bougainvillia still going on in full beauty, really 
 quite dazzling. The hills are now covered 
 with what is called the * tea tree.' It grows 
 rather like broom, but has a lovely little white 
 flower smothering the whole plant ; the 
 oleanders, too, are coming out fast in the 
 gardens. 
 
 ** Saturday we drove up to Dr. Stirling's in 
 the hills at Mount Lofty, a beautiful place 
 
THE LIFE IN AUSTRALIA 23 
 
 brilliant with rhododendrons, azaleas, and oh, 
 the trees of roses of every shade! lilies of the 
 valley, hollyhock, Michaelmas daisies, ixias, 
 one a most curious sea-green colour, and pink 
 ones. Young fresh green oak-trees with great 
 trunks and big enough for a large party to sit 
 under, and only planted when he built his house 
 sixteen years ago, lots of Japanese maples, all 
 our spring, summer, and autumn flowers out 
 together." 
 
 The Contingent for South Africa 
 
 ^'■November 1899. 
 
 " Now I must tell you about our troops going 
 off, as I hadn't time last mail. They were 
 encamped not far from Government House, 
 and H. constantly went in and saw them, and 
 I twice, once with Harold, who took his gun 
 and was firmly convinced he was going to find 
 the Boers there and would shoot one. On 
 Saturday we had the whole number to dinner 
 at one and, including officers and band, who 
 were not going to the war, we had about 150 
 to dinner in the Ball Room. They arrived 
 with the band, paraded on the front lawn, 
 and then H. and I met them at the main 
 entrance and shook hands with them all as they 
 marched in, and oh, the agony I suffered from 
 the grip and Australian squeeze from all the 
 men which made me many times almost disgrace 
 myself by screaming out. After dinner toasts 
 were drunk and cheers given for us all, but I 
 
24 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 did not hear them, and then they all came out 
 in the grounds, and sat and strolled about and 
 smoked, while the band, which had been 
 playing all the time, went in and dined, and 
 all the officers and staff and the Governor and 
 family and staff were photographed on the 
 lawn, 
 
 " Harold was keenly interested, and insisted 
 on standing by the big drum and beating his 
 own in time, and he has caught the regular 
 swing from the wrist by watching the drummers. 
 All of a sudden he came up to me and said, 
 * Mamie, the drummer doesnt wear his drum 
 with a string round his neck ; how does he } * 
 ' I advise you to look,' I said ; ' probably round 
 his waist.' Then he was all impatience till he 
 could get to the drummer and came running 
 back to me, pulled off his hat and flung it 
 down, pulled the string off his neck and made 
 me tie it round his waist, having convinced 
 himself ^rj/ that I was right. 
 
 " Before that he had seen that all the soldiers 
 wear brown boots and he had on his white, 
 so he came to me and said, * Mamie, Nana 
 won't like me to wear my white boots, I must 
 go and put on my brown.' I, not knowing 
 the reason, told him it did not matter, then he 
 went to his father saying, * I must put on my 
 brown boots, father, no^ my white ones.* It 
 ended by his insisting on going up and making 
 his Nana change them, but he only confided 
 the reason to one of his brothers. 
 
 ** We have just come back from Melbourne, 
 
THE LIFE IN AUSTRALIA 25 
 
 and when I was carrying him up to his nursery 
 and asked him if he had been good, * There's 
 plenty of naughtiness from Nana, none from 
 any one else,* he said. There has been a 
 terrific thunderstorm, Harold enchanted with 
 the thunder and lightning. 
 
 '* Well, now, to finish about our troops. 
 About 2.30 they were all paraded on the lawn, 
 and H. gave them his farewell address, which 
 I believe they liked much. Then they marched 
 off. The enthusiasm was perfectly wonderful 
 and very stirring. Then we rushed down to 
 the parade-ground to see them embark in the 
 train. The crowds everywhere were some- 
 thing beyond description. It really seemed 
 as if the whole Colony had collected in Adelaide. 
 H. and Captain Wallington were on the ground, 
 and the officers asked H. to go with them to 
 the port, so he told Bee and me to jump into 
 a carriage with him and Captain Lascelles, 
 and we went down with the troops. When 
 we got to the Port Adelaide Station we suddenly 
 found ourselves behind the band and in front 
 of all the contingent, many of whom as I 
 passed them turned and gave me a grin of re- 
 cognition. Then H. said, ' We are going with 
 them on board and are going to march with 
 them to the quay,' so Bee and I, with H. and 
 the staff, marched to the drum at the head of 
 the troops at a quick pace, and one of the 
 officers told me that the men were so delighted 
 it was all the officers could do to prevent their 
 cheering us, and that they would never forget it. 
 
26 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 "We were all packed on a Government 
 steamer, and how there was no sad accident 
 and half the crowd were not pushed headlong 
 into the sea I can't think. It was appalling 
 to see a most excited unruly mob trying 
 to get on the boat ; if it had not been for the 
 dear bluejackets who fought the crowd back 
 like tigers there would have been some awful 
 tragedy. However, we got off at last and 
 steamed down the river. A little private 
 launch accompanied us which we could get 
 on to if we liked, but we stayed with our men 
 and their friends. After a little while we got 
 on our launch again and steamed round the 
 ship, being much cheered by the Victorian and 
 Tasmanian troops. Suddenly all the members 
 of the Stock Exchange on their vessel caught 
 sight of H. and cheered him tremendously, and 
 all sang * God save the Queen ' as we passed. 
 And then we nearly had the most awful 
 accident. There were lots of excursion 
 steamers packed with hundreds of people like 
 herrings, a most awful sight — never would have 
 been allowed at home — but mercifully it was 
 very calm, and we ran into one of them and 
 damaged her a good deal, but mercifully high 
 up from the water and we were going very 
 slowly, but I saw it coming and said so, but 
 they assured me it was quite safe, and there 
 was one short minute when I expected to see 
 the whole mass of several hundred people go 
 down like a stone. Thank God no great 
 harm was done and no one hurt, but poor Bee 
 
THE LIFE IN AUSTRALIA 27 
 
 was thrown flat down with the shock of the 
 two vessels colliding, and was rather bruised. 
 Then our contingent, who were down below, 
 were ordered up to give us a parting cheer, 
 and we saw them all running up helter-skelter 
 waving their hats and cheering, and that was 
 the end. We steamed back to Larg*s Bay 
 and got back by train.** 
 
 Harold 
 
 At one dear knee we profFer'd vows, 
 
 One lesson from one book we learn'd. 
 
 ** I like to do all I can for our Church of 
 England, which is so terribly poor and has 
 such a hard time out here,'* Lady Tennyson 
 wrote, when she went to support Dr. Gilbert 
 White, the Bishop of Carpentaria. 
 
 ** Try and dwell on the best qualities of your 
 children and if possible forget their faults. 
 It is what I always try to do with mine ; one 
 only exaggerates them to oneself by dwelling 
 on them. Of course one longs for them to 
 be perfect, but they never can be.** 
 
 ** I am always regretting that you are 
 missing these nice years of his,** writes Lady 
 Tennyson to her mother. ** He would kill 
 you with laughter, and he is such a pretty boy 
 now, though his photographs don*t show it ; he 
 has such bright colouring, intensely dark eyes, 
 a mass of very fine, fluffy hair, all shades of 
 golden brown, and a great deal of expression.** 
 
28 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 ** I tell Harold stories, especially Bible 
 stories. He prayed, * Make Kruger a good 
 man, and don't let him be bad any more, and 
 if he is not good don't be pleased with him.' 
 He also prayed, * Don't let the Boers trample 
 on the British flag.' 
 
 " I do so grieve that you and his uncles miss 
 all this time. Harold would interest and amuse 
 • you immensely, he is so absolutely unself- 
 conscious — a great pickle, though, and if you 
 find fault with him he promptly changes the 
 conversation. This morning when I went in 
 to hear his prayers he had hidden under the 
 nursery table and wouldn't come out, so I left 
 the room. Later I found him sprawling on 
 the floor in the passage and Mademoiselle 
 there, so I said to her, ' Do you know a little 
 boy has not said his prayers yet ? ' ' Look, 
 Mamie,' he called out, ' this would be a very 
 good position to be photographed, it would.' 
 
 " I wish you could have heard Harold singing 
 the hymn for those at sea, * Eternal Father,' 
 and * Loving Shepherd ' just now, at our little 
 service. I really hardly know whether I shall 
 dare take him to the Cathedral Children's 
 Service, as I am afraid his voice will be above 
 the whole congregation put together ! " 
 
 " What I most enjoy is roaming about in the 
 endless woods all about us, which are delicious, 
 either alone or with Harold. He climbs the 
 hills and rocks like a little goat." 
 
 "He met Mademoiselle along the passage 
 the other day and made a hideous face. * Oh^ 
 
THE LIFE IN AUSTRALIA 29 
 
 B3ej quelle vilaine grimace ! ' * That's Mr. 
 Kruger,' he answered. He knows most of 
 the Boer generals, and H. heard him this 
 morning when he was playing with his brothers 
 say, * Now we'll march to Kimberley.' " 
 
 " 1900. 
 
 " Harold informed me that he had been to 
 see Lady Way. He likes going off to pay 
 visits to ladies. She told H. last night at 
 the Hunt Ball that she asked Harold if he 
 was coming to tea again with her. * No, 
 
 I don't think so, because went and told 
 
 that I ate fifteen cakes. Now could a little 
 boy eat fifteen cakes ? ' He always gesticu- 
 lates when he says these things, throwing his 
 hands out. 
 
 "When sent up to bring his little friend 
 Adeline Harmer down after tea, he said, * You 
 must come at once, her Ladyship's orders must 
 be obeyed.' 
 
 " He wanted to go back to England, so I 
 said, * Very well, you can go by the mail 
 to-morrow, but you won't have any one to 
 go with you.' * Yes, I shall.' * Who ? ' I 
 said. * Oh, she^' pointing to his nurse. 
 * Wherever I go, she always follows.' 
 
 ** He had been rather tiresome with Horn, 
 so I asked him if he would be good now. 
 After my having asked him two or three times 
 without an answer, * It's very hard to say,' 
 was all his reply. 
 
 ** I said, * Good-night, my pet,' and I heard 
 
30 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 him say to Lionel as he went out, * Mamie is 
 the dearest of all things, isn't she, Eila }''' 
 
 In June Lord and Lady Tennyson went with 
 their boys for a cruise on H. M.S. Protector to visit 
 the Islands and Port Augusta, where they went 
 over an ostrich farm ; down Gulf St. Vincent to 
 Edithsburg and Yorktown, then by Spencer Gulf 
 to Port Lincoln (all the places about were 
 called by Lincolnshire names because Flinders and 
 Franklin,! their discoverers, w^ere Lincolnshire 
 men), and on to Wallaroo. Some of the islands 
 have beaches of beautiful mother-of-pearl shells. 
 
 '"'• August 1900. 
 
 " Driving home after they had been seeing 
 some * living photographs,* Horn, who always 
 spoils Harold, said to the boys, * You wait and 
 you'll have your youngest brother's photo like 
 that, as a great man.' * He won't be greater 
 than us,' said Lionel. * I don't want to be 
 a great man,' said Aubrey. * I want to be a 
 Poet Laureate.' 
 
 "Yesterday we went to a Musical Festival 
 at the Cathedral in the afternoon, and took the 
 boys. Harold at luncheon asked what the 
 collection would be for, as he now has money 
 for his marks. I said for the choir -boys. 
 * Oh, I'm not going to waste my money on 
 the choir-boys,' he said. * I shall give mine 
 to the heathen.' " 
 
 " One day he asserted that * cloven tongues ' 
 
 * Lord Tennyson's great-uncle. 
 
THE LIFE IN AUSTRALIA 31 
 
 (in Acts, chap, ii.) were tongues with cloves 
 on them." 
 
 Australian Natives 
 
 ^^ August 19, 1900. 
 
 ** Here is my birthday. Little Harold woke 
 me up this morning in a wild state of delight 
 with a glass vase which he had bought * all 
 for my very own * with his mark money, with 
 some sweetpeas in it ; then a packet, all tied 
 up in silver paper most carefully, what he 
 called * some jewellery,* in which was a long 
 bead-chain he had threaded and a bead ring, 
 which of course I am wearing. 
 
 ** We entertained 60 and more blacks with 
 their various teachers, in all 73, on Thurs- 
 day. They ate enormous teas and then 
 went out on the lawn and threw some 
 boomerangs they had brought for the children. 
 It is most wonderful the way they throw them 
 towards the wind, and they go whirling about 
 in the air and then curve round and generally 
 fall at their feet again. They also ran races 
 and I gave them prizes and a bag of * lollies ' 
 to each one, men, women, and children. 
 
 " The next day the boys went to see them in 
 their camp. They made a native * whorlie ' 
 or tent of boughs to show the boys. They 
 have such melodious sounds in their language 
 and are very fond of double * 00 ' in their 
 names. We call one of our horses by a native 
 name, * Wooloomooloo.' 
 
 ** We drove to Torrens Park, belongingjto 
 
32 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Barr-Smith, such dear, nice 
 Scotch people, a very pretty, big house. They 
 took us round the orangery (in the garden), 
 where there were several hundred trees covered 
 with fruit, and all of us ate tangerines off the 
 trees. The arums here are so beautiful, great 
 clumps just like weeds." 
 
 A Squatter's Home 
 
 Later in the year they went to Mr. Gilbert at 
 Pewsey Vale, whose father was an early squatter. 
 
 ** You never saw anything like the wild white 
 irises, and a few purple, in masses along the 
 road. We drove up 2000 feet, and after 
 crossing the ridge of the hills entered the 
 park, so beautiful one might quite well have 
 been in a huge English park, exceptl for the 
 great gum trees of enormous size, all now 
 beautifully green, and the grass the same, but 
 of course in summer not a blade to be seen. 
 
 " Mr. Gilbert has about 20,000 acres. He 
 told me he had not many sheep, only 16,000. 
 They have also about 50 acres of vines for 
 making wine. The wild parrots put them to 
 a loss of 900 gallons every year. Mr. Gilbert 
 says the reason Australian wine is not better is 
 that the people will not keep it long enough. 
 His old mother, who came out when she was 
 twenty-eight, had a very rough time. She used 
 often to sit with her delicate first baby by the 
 fire holding an umbrella over them to keep 
 them both dry from the rains which beat into 
 
THE LIFE IN AUSTRALIA 33 
 
 the house, and her friends often came in to find 
 her scrubbing the floor. Her great terror at 
 first was the blacks, but she always treated 
 them kindly and gave them food, and later on 
 they came as servants and were most faithful. 
 They were horrified when they first saw her 
 putting the baby in the bath, and the first time 
 they saw her washing it they thought she was 
 killing it. We had a really lovely drive back 
 to Gawlor and saw lots of wild cockatoos and 
 pink parrots and parrakeets flying about. We 
 met a man rabbiting. He snares from 40 
 to 50 a day, sometimes 80 or 90, and sells 
 their skins for id. a piece. He also keeps 
 bees and has about 100 hives. Mr. Gilbert 
 says bees among the flowering gums are very 
 lucrative [and that in some districts carts with 
 hives on them journey from gum-grove to 
 gum-grove]. 
 
 " I read with great delight that the warm 
 clothes and tobacco we sent for our men in 
 South Africa arrived just when the water began 
 to freeze in their bottles at night, and they had 
 nothing but grass to smoke. The paper had 
 a heading, * We can hardly thank Lady 
 Tennyson enough.' 
 
 "Yesterday we had races, and I had to present 
 a cup to the winner of the Hunt Race. Six 
 hunting men rode, four or five were thrown, 
 one twice, his horse rolled within an inch of 
 him. I do detest the jumping, and never look, 
 but when one hears the crowd shriek out at a 
 fall one cannot help looking, and the black 
 
 D 
 
34 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 Ambulance Waggon, tearing about after them, 
 adds to the horror. 
 
 " Some of our troops returned. I wish you 
 could have seen your grandson driving off in 
 grandeur, with Horn, to the Town Hall, with 
 mounted escort in front and behind. Some 
 one told Lord Richard Nevill, who loves 
 Harold, that he received far more ovation than 
 the soldiers or anybody else." ^ 
 
 1901 
 
 Queen Victoria s Death 
 
 New Year's Day 1901 was the day of the 
 Inauguration of the Commonwealth. They all 
 went in state to the Cathedral for a special service 
 for which Lord Tennyson had written a prayer, 2 
 
 ^ At this time an Imperial Council of Defence was suggested. Lord 
 Tennyson wrote that " so general is the feeling that an invitation from the 
 Imperial authorities to unite in the constitution of a Council of Defence of 
 such a nature and so representative that by degrees its functions might be 
 enlarged and new duties invested in it, and so a true Council of the Empire 
 emerge, would be enthusiastically received, were it made before the present 
 sentiment wears off." The South Australian Government were anxious 
 that the British Government should utilise some of the rich tablelands in 
 the Northern Territory as breeding-grounds for the remounts required in the 
 British Army, and thought that an interchange of Home Regiments and 
 Australian Regiments would be beneficial, each part of the Empire retaining 
 absolute control over its own troops. 
 
 2 " O Lord God Almighty, high above all height. Whose lifetime is Eternity, 
 we Thine unworthy servants give Thee most humble and hearty thanks for 
 all Thy goodness and loving kindness. We glorify Thee for that Thou hast 
 been pleased in Thy providence to unite Australia in bonds of brotherly love 
 and concord, and in one Commonwealth, under our most gracious Sovereign 
 Lady, Queen Victoria. And, we beseech Thee, grant unto this union Thy 
 grace and heavenly benediction ; that a strong people may arise to hallow 
 Thy name, to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly before Thee 
 in reverence and righteousness of life. Furthermore we pray Thee to make 
 our Empire always a faithful and fearless leader among the nations in all that 
 
THE LIFE IN AUSTRALIA 35 
 
 used at the opening of the Commonwealth Parlia- 
 ment, and later to the Town Hall, where Lord 
 Tennyson made a speech, and " God save the 
 Queen," " The Old Hundredth," " Australia," 
 and " Hands all Round " were sung. 
 
 Some three weeks later came Queen Victorians 
 death. 
 
 " We received the official news of our 
 beloved Queen about 4 p.m. yesterday, January 
 23, nearly twenty-four hours after the hour 
 she passed away at home, 6.30, Jan. 22. 
 There is heartfelt grief all over the Colony. 
 H. was inundated with telegrams of condolence 
 from all parts. Dear * Mother Queen ' — it 
 is just what one feels, I think, that one has 
 lost a Mother, and as Lord Richard Nevill 
 said yesterday, it is almost as if the sun had 
 gone out. I like to think of all our happy 
 little visits to her at Osborne, Balmoral, and 
 Windsor, always received with the gentle, kind 
 welcomxC and beautiful smile, and of our last 
 visit to Windsor when she was so full of interest 
 about Australia and all, asking about the 
 children and laughing at their funny sayings 
 about coming out here, and asking what they 
 
 is good 5 and to bless our beloved Queen, and those who are put in authority 
 under her — more especially in this land. Let Thy wisdom be their guide, 
 strengthen them in uprightness, direct and rule their hearts that they may 
 govern according to Thy Holy Will ; and vouchsafe that all things may be 
 so ordered and settled upon the best and surest foundations that peace and 
 happiness, truth and justice, religion and piety may be deepened and increased 
 among us ; and that we. Thy people, may perpetually praise and magnify 
 Thee from generation to generation. Blessed be Thy Name for ever and 
 ever : through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." 
 
36 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. pt. 
 
 were going to be, and when I said, * Their 
 father wishes them to go into the Navy, Mam,* 
 she looked up at me and said, * Oh no, Lady- 
 Tennyson, not all three ; it is such a hard 
 profession ; think of their poor wives.' Then 
 at Windsor she said to H., in bidding fare- 
 well, * Good-bye, Lord Tennyson, I shall 
 miss you very much.' Before she got up 
 to leave for the night she said, * I should 
 like to say good-bye to Lady Tennyson,' 
 and she drew me to her and kissed me so 
 warmly, and I kissed her dear hand. One 
 felt sad, wondering whether we should ever 
 meet her again, but she was so well then. The 
 poor Empress too [of Germany] was at Osborne 
 that January when we were there, so well and 
 bright and kind, and told me with such delight 
 that she was a great-grandmother, or going 
 to be, I forget which it was ; now I suppose 
 she will soon join her Mother Queen. 
 
 " Most of the shops at Adelaide are draped 
 in black. Little Lionel is quite miserable at 
 my having to go into * that horrible black ' 
 again. Harold said to his father, * It's all 
 very sad, father.' Then he came to me and 
 said, * I've got the Royal Standard half-mast, 
 and now it will be King's soldiers.' The 
 other day I had gone up to tell Horn that there 
 was a slight rally and the dear Queen was a 
 little better, upon which he jumped down and 
 ran off saying, * I must run and pull the flag 
 up as the Queen is better, I've got it half-mast 
 now.' He hoists the Union Jack every 
 
THE LIFE IN AUSTRALIA 37 
 
 morning at his day-nursery window and pulls 
 it down before going to bed, and always wants 
 to know what day he can hoist the Royal 
 Standard, because up here we have no flag as 
 at Government House, which he can see from 
 his nurseries. 
 
 ** The [Funeral] Service at the Cathedral was 
 very fine. The Bishop preached a beautiful 
 sermon, beginning it by quoting my father-in- 
 law's poem on the Queen at length. H. asked 
 for * Nearer, my God, to Thee ' [the favourite 
 hymn of the Prince Consort], and it was 
 beautifully sung by the whole congregation. 
 Then we had * Crossing the Bar ' to Sir F. 
 Bridge's setting. The military band played 
 ' O God, our Help ' and the * Dead March.' 
 
 " In the afternoon we went to the other 
 service held by the * Council of Churches,' a 
 union of all the Nonconformists, at the Town 
 Hall. The Bishop again gave a beautiful 
 address, and stood out from all the others. He 
 is up here to-day and spends to-night with us. 
 H. requested him to give as a message to the 
 people some words the Queen said to him at 
 Osborne the January before the last Jubilee. 
 She said she had been making steady inquiries 
 as to whether anarchic Socialism was increasing 
 in England as was said, and that she found 
 that there was rea/Iy very little real Agnostic 
 and anarchic Socialistic feeling, and then she 
 added, * If only my people zvill go on loving God^ 
 all will he well' " 
 
38 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. pt. 
 
 Bush-fires and Harold 
 
 February 1901 brought terrific heat and 
 drought, and terrible bush-fires. 
 
 " A most wonderful sight, all the hills burst- 
 ing into great volumes of smoke, and great clouds 
 of smoke rolling along the gullies. Our own 
 gully-garden was on fire, and our men and our 
 boys with Mademoiselle rushed down to help 
 beat it out. They happily saved the cottage 
 and most of the fruit-trees. Two days before. 
 Lady Baker from the Bungalow telephoned for 
 help, as a fire was raging all along the road 
 from Norton Summit, our village. All our 
 men and the chicks and Lord Richard tore off, 
 and had to work hard to keep it off. The 
 only way is to set light to a broad patch to 
 meet the on-coming fire. I wish you could 
 have seen one of the distant hills on Thursday 
 night all blazing from end to end, miles of 
 it ... a most gorgeous sight. At a distance 
 you can see no movement of the flames, it 
 simply looks perfectly still, and like the most 
 magnificent illumination. The cool change 
 came Thursday afternoon, and Friday morn- 
 ing at 8 A.M. the thermometer, which had been 
 87 the morning before, was 57. 
 
 " Poor little Harold finds these days when 
 he cannot get out for the heat very long and 
 tedious. Yesterday, after romping, he com- 
 plained of a pain at the top of his head. He 
 is so funny when he is not well, like a man of 
 
THE LIFE IN AUSTRALIA 39 
 
 50. * I think rd better have my bath early 
 and go to bed early. It will do me good. 
 Don't fetch a chocolate. Father thinks it's 
 liver. I won't romp any more when it's hot, 
 and I'd better not have any more gingerbeer.' 
 ** Lady Clarke was much struck by him. He 
 took her to see his garden. * These are pretty 
 lilies.' * Well, they call them Belladonna, 
 but their real name is Amaryllis.' * Now,' he 
 
 said to Miss S , * I am going to tell you 
 
 a most curious thing. You see that tree over 
 there. It looks like white blossom. It is all 
 leaves dried up.' H. and I had quite thought 
 for days it was white blossom. She was 
 amused at the way he spoke to the men about 
 the place, as he was showing her round : 
 * Hullo, Mr. Mobsby, good-afternoon. Well, 
 that was a splendid mist cloud we had, hadn't 
 . we ? ' meaning for wetting his plants. It would 
 not be so funny and surprising were it not that 
 he is such an absolute baby with it all." 
 
 Harold on his pony trotting said, " This is 
 what is called * saving time,' is it not } Is it 
 because I go faster than time } " 
 
 As an excuse for hitting Lionel he observed, 
 ** You must do to others what you expect them 
 to do to you." To his father he said, " I want 
 very much to see my friend, the Sea." 
 
 The Visit of the Duke and Duchess of York 
 
 In May of that year, 1901, Lord and Lady 
 Tennyson went to Melbourne to join in the 
 
40 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 reception of the Duke and Duchess of York and 
 assist at the opening of the Commonwealth 
 Parliament. The Duke and Duchess were warmly 
 welcomed. Lord Tennyson had an LL.D. degree 
 conferred on him along with the Duke of York, 
 Barton, and others. Lord Tennyson was in- 
 terested at this time in the suggestion that the 
 Home Government might reserve places in the 
 Indian Civil Service Examinations for men from 
 the Colonies, with a qualifying examination in the 
 Colonies. Cadetships in the Navy were given 
 somewhat after this fashion. 
 
 Lady Tennyson just now succeeded, thanks 
 to the South Australian Company, and to Sir 
 Stanley Clarke in particular, in getting an excel- 
 lent site for her Maternity Home. She had seen 
 the urgent need of such a home for bush-mothers 
 and worked very hard to get it established. The 
 Adelaide people had wanted it to be called Lady 
 Tennyson's Home, but she herself wished it to 
 be in memory of Queen Victoria. She asked 
 the Duke and Duchess of York to come to the 
 laying of the foundation stone, and the Duke to 
 lay the stone. 
 
 The visit of the Duke and Duchess was the 
 greatest possible success from beginning to end, 
 the good sense and ** understandingness " of 
 their Royal Highnesses triumphing over every 
 contretemps of weather or accident, and the 
 Duchess's smiling graciousness winning all hearts. 
 Most unfortunately Lionel and Aubrey developed 
 whooping-cough just after it began and had to 
 be packed off to the seaside. But Harold was 
 
THE LIFE IN AUSTRALIA 41 
 
 more lucky and came in for it all, and had a 
 glorious time. He made his bow to the 
 Duchess and immediately said unprompted, 
 " How are your little children ? " He, also un- 
 prompted, made a presentation of his friend 
 Adeline Harmer, saying, " This is the Bishop's 
 daughter." He accompanied the Duchess on a 
 shooting expedition, seeing the shooting, the 
 sheep-shearing, the buck-jumping, the breaking- 
 in of wild horses, the bullock-riding, and then 
 drove home with the Duke and Duchess both. 
 The Duke chaffed him on the way and called 
 him ** Tommy Smith." This " drew " him for 
 the moment, only too successfully, but did not 
 prevent his waking up in the night crying because 
 he did not want them to go away. 
 
 He stood with his- mother to receive Her Royal 
 Highness at the Maternity Home. He was 
 sketched and photographed with ** Nelson," the 
 famous dog belonging to the first contingent, 
 who had been wounded and taken prisoner 
 by the Boers, and he walked about holding 
 the Duchess's hand, and talking to Nelson 
 and the veteran soldiers, and saw the whole 
 scene. 
 
 When they left, the Duchess gave him a little 
 gold tray, and he accompanied them at their 
 departure as far as Glenelg and Larg's Bay, and 
 later, when they wrote, the Duke sent his love 
 to " Tommy." 
 
 His favourite books at this time were Dot and 
 the Kangaroo^ Kingsley's JVater- Babies^ The 
 Cockyolly ; but he also read The Swiss Family 
 
42 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 Robinson and Don Quixote^ and he insisted on 
 learning by heart The Passing of Arthur, 
 
 On the River Murray {the great river of Australia) 
 Socialist and other Settlements 
 
 *' October 16, 1901. 
 
 " We are going off a trip of a week on the 
 Murray on Friday to visit the village * settle- 
 ments/ " 
 
 This trip on the Murray proved most interest- 
 ing and exciting, full of adventure and experiences 
 of nature and human nature. It had to be broken 
 owing to business at home. Many deputations 
 from the co-operative Socialist settlements begged 
 Lord Tennyson to turn them into Individualist 
 settlements, for they were sick of Socialism, 
 
 Between Morgan and Murray Bridge 
 
 ** My letter was posted early at Morgan, 
 where we were due about i a.m., but a few 
 miles above there was such a hurricane that we 
 ran ashore and were blown right into a tree 
 and made a large hole in the top deck. 
 
 ** On Tuesday we steamed from Lyrup to 
 a station called Calperum to see a squatter 
 family, the Robertsons : father and mother, 
 three girls. They have a hundred square 
 miles of property and sheared 11,000 sheep 
 this year, which is considered a mere nothing 
 out here. The station adjoining, called Cob- 
 dogla, took us 15 hours to steam past at 6 
 
THE LIFE IN AUSTRALIA 43 
 
 miles an hour. The girls help their mother 
 do all the housework and cooking, catch the 
 horses and saddle or harness them ; the 
 youngest girl of 12 gets up every morning at 
 5.30 and milks the cows and then does her 
 lessons. She has lots of pets, one a baby 
 eagle, and six dogs who will do anything she 
 likes. She keeps down the rabbits with them, 
 kills hundreds, and sells the skins to the trading 
 steamers. She rides about with her dogs for 
 miles. The other girls and mother can't make 
 the dogs look at a rabbit. They love the home 
 and hate going to Adelaide. The father's 
 recreation is to make violins. Such bright, 
 happy-looking girls. Their roses were glorious, 
 especially a giant bush of * cloth of gold.' 
 
 " At Renmark we drove round and saw all 
 the irrigation works. The settlement has been 
 started about 1 1 years, of course quite different 
 to the village settlements. All the Renmark 
 settlers are gentlemen and ladies out from 
 England, with their own gardens — very pay- 
 ing, I should think — growing lemons, oranges, 
 raisins, currants ; the great expense is the 
 water. This is pumped up from the Murray 
 to each block every six weeks or month, and 
 this pours on to the roots in channels all down 
 between the trees, and the next day the channels 
 are raked over with a horse-rake so as to cover 
 them up and keep in the moisture. One man 
 told me it makes a difference of ;/^5oo a day 
 in wet seasons. A man at Renmark last year 
 cleared ^^1500 on 10 acres with his lemons. 
 
44 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 They grow the most delicious oranges with no 
 pips, so sweet and juicy, and get 3s. or 4s. 
 a dozen at wholesale price for them. 
 
 " In the afternoon we drove to the Tennis 
 Court, right away in the bush, a space cleared 
 and wired, with a pavilion where we had a tea 
 given us, boiled in a billy-can with sticks, and 
 met all the Renmark society. They told me 
 the Club meets there every Saturday. They 
 all seem to love the life and to be very happy. 
 They gave me a lovely bunch of roses, and 
 cheered us greatly when we drove off. 
 
 ** We joined the steamer lower down the 
 river and steamed to Overland Corner. There 
 a carriage and four horses met us, and we drove 
 right through the Bush to Lake Bonny, where 
 Mr. Mcintosh (the Manager) thinks there 
 will one day be a large and prosperous settle- 
 ment, but at present there is only one very old 
 settler. 
 
 " The driver told me, seeing some kites flying 
 about, that it is most curious the way small 
 birds build in a kite's nest. He has seen as 
 many as eight small birds* nests under a kite's 
 nest. They do it for protection. The kite 
 cannot get at them underneath his big nest, 
 and his being there prevents other birds from 
 touching them. 
 
 "We saw masses of yellow and pink-crowned 
 cockatoos flying about and different kinds of 
 parrots, kites, hawks and pelicans, great 
 monsters which are found chiefly on what are 
 called billahqngs^ a sort of backwater with no 
 
1 THE LIFE IN AUSTRALIA 45 
 
 outlet at the further end. Also wild swans 
 and a little bird which torments all other birds 
 large and small, called * Minor/ If by- 
 chance they find a snake they make a noise 
 which calls all Minor birds for miles round, 
 and then they all flutter round the snake and 
 drive him into his hole. At another place a 
 little lower down, when taking a walk we came 
 upon a huge * sleeping lizard * which looked 
 like a small crocodile with a long black tongue ; 
 it lives on plants." 
 
 They called at the Socialist settlements, Pyapp, 
 Holder, Lyrup, and others. 
 
 " Mr. Mcintosh related to us a strange story 
 of a widower in one of these settlements with 
 seven children who advertised for a wife. 
 A young woman answered the advertisement 
 and was met by him in his boat at Morgan. 
 But as he was rowing her home she didn't 
 like his looks, and when he reached the place 
 said she would go back unless she found some- 
 body more suitable to marry. Two men 
 decided to ask her and played a game of cards 
 to settle it. The loser was to ask her for the 
 other. One was black, the other white. The 
 black won, and the white man had to ask her 
 for him. She agreed, and they were married 
 by Canon Bussell, the Murray clergyman who 
 has the boat Etona and works among them. 
 The marriage turned out very happily." 
 
 A black woman told Lady Tennyson that, 
 
46 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 when Englishmen on horse-back first rode through 
 her country, she and all her people thought that 
 the man on horseback and the horse were one 
 animal, and that from fear of these monsters they 
 all spent days up to their necks in the Murray 
 River. 
 
 A beautiful seaside Township 
 
 *' Grosvenor Hotel, 
 Victor Harbour, Nonj. 29, 1901. 
 
 ** We are just going out on an expedition to 
 a high hill called the Bluff, with a family who 
 live here called Cudmore, such nice, kind 
 people, who till four years ago lived on their 
 far distant station on the Darlings, which, 
 although they were 16 miles even from the 
 nearest little township, they still regret having 
 left. It is extraordinary the fascination the 
 bush life has for men, women, and children, 
 and I can myself quite understand it. 
 
 " Everybody is impressed by Harold's 
 cleverness, both the hotel people and the 
 villagers, for he always goes up and talks to 
 everybody, but in a most dignified way. He 
 allows no advances to be made to him, though 
 he is very civil. There are two Dominican 
 nuns staying in the hotel, one is the Mother 
 Prioress. The Mother Prioress knows a little 
 of the Latin names of shells and tells them to 
 Harold, and she says almost before they are 
 out of her mouth he repeats them perfectly, 
 great long names, and remembers them.** 
 
THE LIFE IN AUSTRALIA 47 
 
 While the boys were at Victor Harbour Lord 
 and Lady Tennyson went over to Tasmania, 
 where they were delighted with the scenery and 
 vegetation, tree ferns with stems 6 feet round 
 and fronds 1 5 feet long, and every kind of bush 
 and shrub, gigantic gums, huge hart's-tongues ; 
 Hobart Harbour, most beautiful, with gorgeous 
 views of Mount Wellington ; New Norfolk, 
 with its fish-breeding station, a delicious spot ; 
 Port Arthur, also lovely, but clouded by the 
 tragic memories of the convict prison described 
 in For the Term of His Natural Life?- Lord 
 Tennyson asked why the Tasmanians used 
 American axes, and the answer was because 
 the British manufacturers would not take the 
 trouble to make the axes which the Tasmanians 
 found most useful. 
 
 "Victor Harbour is, I think, the most 
 delightful seaside place I ever was in ; it is 
 very pretty, hilly country, beautiful sea, lovely 
 sands and rocks of all sizes, bathing, beautiful 
 shells, good sea-fishing ; then there is the 
 most delicious little river for boating and very 
 good fishing. We had a blissfully happy little 
 time there, the boys rowing us about on the 
 river, driving for expeditions, etc., and learning 
 to swim. 
 
 " Harold met a little girl on the shore. The 
 following conversation took place. * I am 
 going away to-day. I have to go back to the 
 hills for Fve such a lot of work to do. I have 
 
 1 A remarkable book by Marcus Clarke. 
 
48 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. pt. 
 
 to chop all the wood for the fire and do all 
 the garden. Which do you like best, chopping 
 or gardening ? ' * I don't do either.* * Well, 
 I do. I have to do all the chopping, and it's 
 very hard work.* It was all said quite seri- 
 ously. He really makes himself believe he 
 does everything in this way." 
 
 1902 
 
 The Opening of the Queen^s Maternity Home^ built 
 in Memory of Queen Victoria^ and Coronation 
 "Day 
 
 '■'■May 26, 1902. 
 
 " I want to tell you what an enormous success 
 the opening of the Queen's Home was on Satur- 
 day ; I know you will like my little speech 
 because / made it. I am thankful to say I got 
 through it without a break, having learnt it by 
 heart ; but I was trembling all over when it 
 was done, and was glad to hide my face in my 
 bouquet. People said that though they could 
 not hear most of the men, they could hear every 
 word I said, and what makes me very conceited 
 is that lots of people, I hear, told other people 
 not there, that it was a far better speech than 
 those of the statesmen who spoke. What 
 it is to be a woman, and the Governor's wife 1 
 There were some 1500 people all grouped 
 in the piece of ground in front of the building 
 outside the palings, more than inside, and piles 
 of carriages, endless flags, etc. 
 
 " The generosity of everybody and all the 
 
THE LIFE IN AUSTRALIA 49 
 
 tradespeople has been extraordinary. I feel 
 very proud of the Home, for it really is very 
 perfect. The pictures are beautiful and give 
 such a homely look to the wards, and the 
 entrance hall is really quite fine with the wide 
 staircase coming down into it. 
 
 " Still we hear nothing from Mr. Chamber- 
 lain. It is supposed that H. will have to be 
 Administrator and take Lord Hopetoun's 
 place on July 16, when the Governor-General 
 has now settled to leave Australia, but whether 
 for days, weeks, or months we know absolutely 
 nothing. 
 
 ** Another event of the week is that Harold is 
 learning the violin. Our new piano and organ 
 teacher and Director of the Conservatorium, 
 a Dr. Ennis from home, has a wife who 
 plays and teaches the violin most beautifully. 
 She is trying whether Harold is old enough 
 to learn. He takes great pains and remembers 
 what she tells him so far ; she only keeps him 
 a few minutes. He came in the other morning 
 saying, * I've eaten a big breakfast. I only 
 eat a big breakfast once a fortnight, because 
 it makes me so lazy.' Horn [his nurse] 
 teaches him English, reading, writing, and 
 sums, which I believe he does in bed before 
 he gets up. 
 
 " Life is so busy one way and another, and 
 the only thing I mind about it is that it shortens 
 my little times with the chicks, as of course 
 public duties cannot be put off, and sometimes 
 my free times do not agree with their lessons : 
 
 £ 
 
so HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 still, I always ride with the elder ones whenever 
 I can possibly manage it, and Harold I see 
 plenty of, as I can often take him about with 
 me, as he has no afternoon lessons. 
 
 " I wish you could see him riding ; of course 
 he is still led by Dow, the coachman, as he 
 has not long ridden on a proper saddle. Dow 
 is as proud as Punch of him, and wishes he 
 had just a little fear, but he has none, and likes 
 cantering and galloping any pace. He is 
 beginning to rise in his stirrups. 
 
 " The other day he suddenly said to Horn, 
 
 * I have got a word ** discipline ** in my head.* 
 He had heard his father use it in a speech. 
 
 * Can I go up to a boy and say, " How is your 
 discipHne ? " ' 
 
 " He said the other day, * I must do all 
 you want me till I am twenty-one, mustn*t 
 I ? * * Yes,' I said, * but a nice son tries 
 always to do what a mother wants. Your 
 mother will be an old woman when you are 
 twenty-one.' * Will you ? That is if you're 
 not dead. You might die to-morrow; we 
 may die any time.' 
 
 "We celebrate the Coronation Day here by 
 an Official Service at the Cathedral. Then 
 we go to a Methodist Service. Then from 
 there to a great feast, a treat to thousands of 
 children. Every child in South Australia 
 is to be treated, and all poor people to have 
 some sort of help. In the evening we have 
 an official reception for everybody who has 
 the entree^ with their wives and families. We 
 
THE LIFE IN AUSTRALIA 51 
 
 intend after receiving them and shaking 
 hands to have one of our principal singers to 
 sing * God save the King,' just at the hour 
 when the King is crowned, and the whole 
 party to sing the chorus." ^ 
 
 The Peace 
 
 ^^June 4, 1902. 
 
 ** At 8 o'clock M. came in with thejoyful news 
 in a cable from Mr. Chamberlain that Peace 
 was settled, and H. had to send down messages 
 to Lord R. to send off the news to the Premier, 
 the General, the Postmaster, the Chief-Justice, 
 and the Mayor, who was also asked to have 
 the Town Hall bells pealed. In a quarter 
 of an hour they were pealing, and by prayer- 
 time flags were flying and the news was known 
 everywhere. Then at 10.45 ^ ^'^^ ^^ drive 
 off with Mademoiselle to the Queen's Home, 
 as there was a Ladies' Committee there, and 
 we thought, as it was the first after the opening, 
 it would be nice to open it with prayers, and 
 to prevent any feeling among the various 
 sects on the Committee I read them. Then 
 I came back, and at i o'clock we drove in 
 state to the Parliament House, large escort 
 
 1 Lord Tennyson wrote a new verse for " God save the King," founded 
 on some lines by his father, instead of the " knavish tricks " verse : 
 Lord God, show forth Thy Power, 
 And guard us every hour, 
 
 God save the king. 
 Clothe him with righteousness, 
 Crown him with happiness, 
 God with Thy blessings bless 
 And save the king. 
 
52 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 of troops in uniform, servants in full livery, 
 etc. ; and it was quite wonderful the huge 
 crowd that collected in that short space of 
 time, and as we drove to the Parliament House 
 we were greatly cheered. Harold drove with 
 us ; the boys. Mademoiselle, and Mr. Jose went 
 ahead, and were waiting for us on Parliament 
 House steps with the Premier, Mayor, and 
 others. H. said a few words and then read 
 out the cablegram from Mr. Chamberlain ; 
 then the Premier, then the Mayor spoke, and 
 this short but very impressive and delightful 
 little function was over." 
 
 Governor-Generalship 
 
 '■''July 1902. 
 
 " Captain Wallington comes back as Private 
 Secretary, which will be delightful. I am 
 thankful to say (that true patriot), Mr. Deakin, 
 the Acting Federal Premier while Mr. Barton is 
 in England, has written H. two most charming 
 letters since Lord Hopetoun left Melbourne, 
 and says they feel proud to be associated with 
 the name, and that it is a curious coincidence 
 that he should be G.G. when his father and 
 mother were the first people to write out here in 
 sympathy with Federation at the time it was 
 first thought of. These letters have cheered 
 and encouraged H. a great deal, and made 
 all the difference in his entering on his new 
 duties. 
 
 "We are congratulated on all sides at 
 the high position we are entering on, and S. 
 
THE LIFE IN AUSTRALIA 53 
 
 Australia is greatly delighted that their Gover- 
 nor has been chosen, and the Government 
 are most kind in wishing us to keep this house 
 and Marble Hill in case we want at any time 
 to come here. H. has given up all his salary 
 here, and the Chief-Justice will be sworn in 
 as Acting Governor. 
 
 " I send you a nice article in connection with 
 H.*s speech at the Bishop*s Home Mission 
 Society, in which H. advocated religious 
 teaching in the schools. [The New South 
 Wales system of opening the schools to 
 ministers of different denominations had proved 
 very successful.] He has received grateful 
 and charming letters from the Bishop, and one 
 man says * that future generations of children, 
 tho* they won*t know it, will owe him a debt 
 of gratitude.* All these things are worth 
 living for and giving up one's personal wishes, 
 and longing to see you all, my dear ones. 
 
 " With God's help and blessing H. may have 
 the opportunity of doing a good work, and 
 even if he fails he will have done his best. 
 
 " Everybody here is convinced that he will 
 be offered the permanent Governor-General- 
 ship, but of course the * wish is father to the 
 thought.' " 
 
 Swearing-in of Governor-General 
 
 "Adelaide. 
 
 " Well, to-morrow we leave here for Mel- 
 bourne as Governor of South Australia, and 
 
54 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 return, if all well, on Saturday as Governor- 
 General. H. has a military guard of honour 
 to the station. All the honorary A.D.C.^s 
 have asked leave to come in uniform to the 
 station, and the naval captain sent this morning 
 to say his men want to come up from the port 
 to see him off officially, so they are to come 
 here to the house as a guard of honour — all 
 these marks of affection are very delightful, of 
 course, but terribly trying. 
 
 ''As G.G.'s wife I am afraid I shall have too 
 little to do, and I like a busy life full of interest, 
 but of course one must be careful not to clash 
 with the Governor's wife and not to do anything 
 to win popularity from her, which would be 
 very unfair. I hope we may do things to- 
 gether, and Lady Clarke is a very nice woman 
 and greatly liked." 
 
 In July 1902 came the move to Melbourne 
 to take up the Governor- Generalship. Lady 
 Tennyson's mother was very unwell, and she 
 was much tempted to go home to England. 
 But she writes, *' We both care enough for 
 Australia to be willing to undergo any incon- 
 venience if H. can help in any way," and she felt 
 she could not leave him. 
 
 South Australia regretted their going, but 
 considered it an honour that their Governor was 
 chosen. A large crowd gathered to cheer him ; 
 as he started to be sworn in, guns were fired, 
 bouquets presented. 
 
 " No Governor's wife," wrote ** Lady Kitty" 
 
THE LIFE IN AUSTRALIA 55 
 
 in the Adelaide Critic^ " has so fully gained the 
 love and respect of all classes of the community 
 as Lady Tennyson. It would take too long to 
 enumerate the many good and kindly things she 
 has done since coming to Adelaide, but the 
 Queen's Home stands for ever as a monument 
 to her always-ready sympathy for sorrowing and 
 suffering womanhood." 
 
 At Melbourne there was a great reception 
 by Sir Edward Hutton, Mr. and Mrs. Deakin, 
 and Captain Wallington, guards of honour, the 
 station decorated, etc. Lord Tennyson's little 
 speech was a great success. The gist of what 
 he said was that he would try to hold the balance 
 level between the Central Government and the 
 States. 
 
 From Melbourne on August 1 1, Lord Tenny- 
 son's fiftieth birthday, they set out for Queensland, 
 via Sydney, in bitter, freezing cold. At Sydney 
 they were entertained by Sir Harry Rawson, 
 the most popular Governor of New South Wales, 
 and then travelled on to the border station. 
 Queensland was suffering from a terrible drought, 
 which had lasted so long that some of the children 
 had never seen rain. What is wanted in Aus- 
 tralia is much more water - conservation and 
 irrigation, and closer settlement. As the train 
 wound among the hills after Toowoomba they 
 saw a kangaroo in the bush and a dingo. They 
 were much struck with the vegetation north of 
 Brisbane — sugar-cane, paddocks of pine-apples, 
 riotous sub-tropical scrub of amazing thickness, 
 with countless orchids, palms, and gums, bracken 
 
Se HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 and blackberries all growing together ; acres of 
 ** Grass Tree," colossal blocks of rock 800 feet 
 high, named by Captain Cook " the Glass 
 Houses," and cottages built on piles to baffle 
 the white ants. They admired the beautiful 
 woods, cut from the forests of Queensland — 
 beautiful for furniture and panelling. The ques- 
 tion of the hour in Queensland which Lord 
 Tennyson had gone to Brisbane to discuss was 
 the deportation of the Kanakas (mostly employed 
 in sugar plantations) to their islands in the 
 Pacific. 
 
 Marble Hill^ 1902 
 
 They went back for Christmas 1902 from 
 Melbourne to Marble Hill, South Australia. 
 ** We are all delighted," Lady Tennyson writes, 
 ** to be back again in this lovely home, with its 
 wild, fearsome hills, valleys and sea, and H. 
 asks if I would like him to buy it and come out 
 every December for two months ! 1 I of course 
 jump at the idea, loving that long voyage so 
 much." 
 
 Here Harold gave them all a terrible fright, 
 going off with his friend Tom Dow, the coach- 
 man's son, also aged six, wandering into the bush, 
 paddling in a water hole, and only at last being 
 found by a search-party, all dirty and wet, and 
 having to be sent to bed for punishment and rest. 
 Said Harold one day, ** I don't like those 
 smiling lizards," which he had seen in the bush 
 with gaping mouths. 
 
THE LIFE IN AUSTRALIA 57 
 
 " To-day we came on a new little hut, and 
 at the door two men standing in their shirts 
 and trousers, the regular bushmen's dress, 
 one eating a huge bit of cake, the other, a 
 splendid specimen, a very handsome fellow. 
 They bought a plot of twenty-five acres last 
 year, and are now working hard at digging it 
 and fencing and planting it. It's frightfully 
 hard work the clearing and digging of this 
 rough country, but you can put anything in 
 and it grows at once. The elder told me he 
 had been out to South Africa and was wounded 
 three times." 
 
 Sydney^ 1903 
 
 The Tennysons greatly enjoyed Government 
 House at Sydney, with its windows and great 
 verandah giving on the harbour, to which, the 
 gardens ran down. 
 
 " It is very fascinating looking out of the 
 window and watching all the ships and boats 
 of all kinds, sorts, shapes, and sizes, and the 
 funny little launches dashing about so full 
 of importance ; then out of the side windows 
 we look on the port where all the great mail- 
 steamers lie, each with their own wharf — 
 P. &: O., Orient, Messageries, etc. The bay 
 which makes this port is called Circular Bay. 
 There go big guns again ! Another salute, I 
 suppose. The flying-foxes swarm, and make 
 as much noise almost as cats fighting at night ; 
 poor beasts, they shoot them by hundreds ; we 
 
58 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 hear them popping away most evenings in the 
 Botanical Gardens which join these grounds, 
 but these flying-foxes are so destructive they 
 have to kill them — it is said if their wing only 
 grazes a peach it cannot be eaten, the smell is 
 so strong.'* 
 
 Investiture 
 
 "You would love all the life that goes 
 on in the harbour. Constant guns, sunrise, 
 at I o'clock, and at 9, with bugles and bands 
 and salutes when the Admiral or Governors 
 visit any of the men-of-war. Then it is 
 like a busy bee-hive, v/ith boats sailing and 
 rowing, launches, steamers, ferries, etc., all 
 puffing and steaming about right at the bottom 
 of the garden. Towards evening there is 
 a lovely view, like fairyland, the many pro- 
 montories lit up like gold from the setting 
 sun, the sea a most lovely blue, and numberless 
 yachts with white sails. 
 
 " The men-of-war, however, are really quite 
 an eye-sore now, for the new rule is to paint 
 them all iron-grey, every single inch of them, 
 funnels and all the same shade, with nothing 
 to relieve them. We have a German man-of- 
 war in now, all white, and she looks so much 
 better than our grey ships, and last week a 
 Chilian training-ship was in, also all white. 
 
 " It is a very fascinating and spoiling life, 
 every luxury, comfort, and pleasure ; a large 
 steam-launch to telephone for whenever we 
 like, and we have been on her most afternoons, 
 
THE LIFE IN AUSTRALIA 59 
 
 and take tea with us to have on board. All 
 the children thoroughly enjoy it, everybody 
 pleased to see us, or at any rate pretends to 
 be, and the slightest thing one does is thought 
 so kind and gracious it would not be human 
 not to enjoy all one's advantages, and any life 
 after it must necessarily be very tame and dull/' 
 
 Among the ships Lady Tennyson describes 
 was a huge liner about to make the " apple trip '* 
 to Tasmania to take home 30,000 cases. 
 
 "The Ball on Thursday was very brilliant," 
 she writes ; " it was a lovely warm evening, so 
 that the people could walk and sit about the 
 garden, and all the Fleet was illuminated, 
 which made a lovely scene ; it was wonderful 
 to see them all blaze out with little electric 
 lights in one moment as the 9 o'clock gun 
 went off. There were about a thousand people 
 present." 
 
 Lady Tennyson danced in the vice-regal set 
 of Lancers with the Austrian Consul-General in 
 an amazing uniform. 
 
 " I let the three boys just stay up to watch 
 this dance from the gallery behind the palms." 
 
 The next excitement was a race between 
 the English crew of the Royal Arthur and Aus- 
 tralian Naval Reserve men. The English, being 
 in more regular training, won. The Australians 
 took their beating in very good part, saying 
 they would win it back another time. 
 
6o HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 Then came the great ** Investiture '* of men 
 from the South African War, one of the most 
 beautiful and briUiant scenes, with the naval 
 and military uniforms and the resplendent dresses 
 of the ladies. The boys saw it all, sitting on 
 the dais at their mother's feet with their cousin 
 Betty. It was the first great ceremony symbolic 
 of Commonwealth Federation and of Imperial 
 Unity, attended by all the Governors except the 
 Governor of Tasmania. 
 
 All this time their mother insisted on the boys 
 playing cricket steadily every day. 
 
 Horse-racing and a Camp of the Reorganised 
 Australian Forces 
 
 " Easter Tuesday^ April 14, 1903. 
 
 " We had a very successful day yesterday. 
 
 "For the Sydney ' Cup,' the principal 
 race, one of the horses somehow threw his 
 rider the moment they started and ran the 
 whole race alone, thoroughly understanding 
 everything. Poor beast, it was so pathetic, 
 he passed all the other horses, and, having 
 done so, went to the inner ring, and just at 
 the last put on a tremendous spurt, came in 
 first, and then slowed down and turned round 
 and bolted into the paddock, through the 
 little gate, all in right order, dear beast, little 
 realising that it all meant nothing as he had 
 no rider. He, poor man, had been taken ofiF 
 in an ambulance, but I don't think he was 
 much hurt. There goes saluting again from 
 
I THE LIFE IN AUSTRALIA 6i 
 
 the flagship ! We live among salutes. I 
 think Sir Edward Hutton is paying his official 
 visit to the Admiral. I wonder these great 
 guns don^t break the windows. It is so 
 delightful to see all the men-of-war, though 
 they are such a hideous colour, lying off the 
 wall at the bottom of the grounds. 
 
 " We left the races early, had tea as we went 
 along, vSir E. Barton travelling with us to a 
 place called Richmond, where the Mayor 
 awaited us with an address ; a crowd of people 
 who cheered us both. Outside, a bigger 
 crowd, and a very smart escort of N.S.W. 
 Lancers, who escorted us to the camp about 
 a mile off. We inspected the camp, all so 
 beautifully neat and smart and trim ; the 
 men, the General told me, so excellent in 
 their conduct, and the horses really wonderful 
 when one thinks they came straight out of 
 the bush many of them. One regiment, 
 the General told me, marched 80 miles to 
 their nearest station, and then travelled 300 
 miles for this three-weeks* camp. We had 
 dinner in a beautiful Indian tent. I sat 
 between the two Generals, General Hutton ^ of 
 the Commonwealth and General Finn of the 
 State. The Austrian Consul-General, I forgot 
 
 1 While Sir John Forrest was Minister of Defence, Sir Edward Hutton 
 had reorganised all the Australian military forces on a territorial basis. 
 That his work was very successful has been proved in the Great War. 
 Lord Tennyson wrote at this time that they " could not make Australia a 
 recruiting ground for the British Army Reserve." " Australia," he said, 
 " looks upon herself as in alliance with Great Britain, and as a self-governing 
 community will not bind herself further. Thousands of volunteers would 
 anyhow be always forthcoming in any crisis to help the Mother Country." 
 
62 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 to say, was with us in the train, and changed 
 in the train into his smart uniform, and was 
 a great object of interest to the soldiers. He 
 is a nephew of Count Deym. It turned out 
 a most lovely evening, with golden clouds 
 peeping above the dark blue hills and then 
 the most beautiful moon. After dinner we 
 went into another tent, and H. held a levee. 
 Then we sat outside and the massed bands 
 played to us most beautifully, till it was time 
 to go back by train. We got home about 
 10.30 after a long but most pleasant time." 
 
 One day soon afterwards there was a sudden 
 thunder-clap, like an explosion, and then torrents 
 of rain. Harold assured his father that the head 
 of the General's wife had blown off and pierced 
 a hole in the clouds and let the rain through. 
 
 Another day came a visit of 247 bluejackets 
 to receive medals for the Chinese Expedition. 
 
 Harold's Birthday 
 
 Harold's seventh birthday, April 27, 1903, 
 was a very special and characteristic occasion. 
 
 ** Yesterday," writes his mother, **we all 
 started off, the whole party before 9 a.m. by 
 special train to the Hawkesbury River, most 
 lovely scenery, a succession of beautiful lakes 
 in every direction for hundreds of miles, 
 with high wooded hills and peaks coming 
 down to the water's edge, or delicious little 
 sandy coves where the people catch thousands 
 
THE LIFE IN AUSTRALIA 63 
 
 of prawns. A delightful family of Dangars, 
 such nice people, father and mother, six 
 daughters and four sons, have an island here, 
 and they entertained us there yesterday. We 
 had a most exquisite day.'* 
 
 A launch sent round by sea met them ; they 
 steamed about seeing bits of the river, and then 
 had a ** very merry and sumptuous " luncheon. 
 After luncheon Mr. Dangar, who knew the 
 child and had told his mother on the way that 
 Harold was a splendid little fellow and would 
 do something one day, got up and proposed 
 Harold's health, saying he hoped his life would 
 be as bright as this birthday had been to them 
 all. Harold, who had amused them by shouting 
 out " Hear, hear " to this, at the end stood up, 
 and in a most solemn voice said, ** I thank you 
 very much for proposing my health, and now I 
 propose yours." This, which took Mr. Dangar 
 quite aback, and was received with much laughter, 
 he did in the most spontaneous, unconscious 
 manner — his great charm. 
 
 After luncheon they went off in the launch 
 again and steamed to the mouth of the river, 
 where it runs into the South Pacific Ocean, and 
 then, after a merry tea, some went home by train 
 and some, keeping to the launch, round by sea. 
 
 At this time the boys were a great feature, 
 riding with their mother or attending their 
 father at many of his functions. People liked 
 to see them, and they enjoyed greatly the free, 
 while full, life. 
 
64 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. pi. 
 
 "Sydney, May 16, 1903. 
 
 "Mr. Wingfield, H.*s secretary, told 
 us yesterday afternoon that all our letters 
 must be ready by 1 1 this morning, as the 
 mails, owing to the strike in Victoria on the 
 railway, were to go by the mail-steamer from 
 here this morning. Suddenly the news was 
 carried all over the house that the strike was 
 at an end and the men surrendered uncondi- 
 tionally. Mr. Irvine, the Victorian Premier, 
 has behaved splendidly, and I only wish, and 
 it is the wish of everybody out here, that 
 Australia had a few more men as strong as he. 
 Happily for him he has the whole of Australia 
 at his back, excepting the strikers." 
 
 Sir George Clarke, now Lord Sydenham, 
 helped Mr. Irvine greatly by his wise counsel. 
 
 " Everybody has put their shoulder to the 
 wheel. It is said that Melba's father, who is 
 74, and who began life on an engine, has been 
 running an engine for several days, and the 
 shipping companies have worked splendidly, 
 facilitating transport whenever they could. 
 
 " Sydney certainly is a delicious place, and 
 the most delicious place in Sydney is this 
 Government House. We shall never think 
 any other view can come near it, I fear. Alas, 
 one might enjoy it all so much more, but evefj 
 afternoon I have to go off to visit one of the 
 many admirable * Institutions.' It is rather 
 hard work sometimes, day after day, hurrying 
 
THE LIFE IN AUSTRALIA 65 
 
 off, coming back too late for a walk or a game 
 with the boys, but still I feel it is one's duty 
 to do all one can for the short time we are here, 
 especially as it seems to give pleasure. Every 
 afternoon this week and every afternoon next 
 week are filled up except Saturday, and that 
 I do stand out about, as it is the boys' half- 
 holiday." 
 
 Reception of the Japanese Fleet - 
 
 ''Sydney, June 1903. 
 
 "The Japanese Fleet arrived, and we all 
 went out on the balcony with our glasses to 
 see them come in. They look very much like 
 our ships, all dark grey, but they only have 
 one mast in the middle and one funnel. This 
 morning the Admiral Kamimura and his three 
 Captains, Commander, etc., and the Japanese 
 Consul arrived at 10, and H. and the boys 
 and the Staff met them in the entrance hall, 
 and I and the rest met them in the drawing- 
 room, and we all went out into the verandah 
 and talked a little, and then they wrote their 
 names in my book and then went on to call 
 on the Governor. H. waited to give the 
 Admiral time to get on board his ship again, 
 and then went down to the launch and 
 on board the flagship. We watched them 
 from the terrace, and were surprised to hear 
 them play * God save the King,* as on board 
 English men-of-war they may blow a bugle 
 Royal salute, but never * God save the King ' 
 for any one but the King. 
 
 F 
 
66 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. pt. 
 
 " The harbour looked lovely when I got up 
 and threw open all my windows, as all our 
 men-of-war and the mail-steamers were decor- 
 ated, and the Japanese Fleet also. 
 
 " The Lord Mayor is giving a luncheon in 
 H.'s honour, and to the Japs and all the swells 
 of the State collected together. We are 
 going to the Gallery to hear H.'s speech, one 
 he says he feels more anxious about than any 
 he has made, because it is so difficult as G,G, 
 to say anything with any meaning in it without 
 going beyond bounds, but he is so careful 
 that I feel sure it will be all right. I am taking 
 the boys, as they may never have another 
 chance out here of hearing their father, and 
 it is an historical occasion with the great 
 Japanese Admiral Kamimura and his Staff 
 present. We have our reception for them 
 on Thursday night, and are going to have 
 * Hands all Round * sung in honour of our 
 Allies." 
 
 What Lord Tennyson did say was that if 
 he had had any measure of success in his adminis- 
 tration it was mainly due to his wife, and also 
 that he was glad to inform the people of Australia 
 that ;^ 1 0,000 a year (and the Government Houses 
 kept up by the Government) was ample for a 
 Governor-General to live on and to entertain on 
 as he ought to do. He was strongly in favour 
 of State Governors not being done away with 
 both for the sake of the connection with the 
 Mother Country and of Australia herself. Demo- 
 
THE LIFE IN AUSTRALIA 67 
 
 cratic Australia (he wrote) likes a Governor- 
 GeneraFs (or a Governor's) establishment to be 
 well found and *' turned out," but dislikes any 
 formal ostentation. 
 
 ^'■'June 28, 1903. 
 
 " I must finish about the visit of the Japanese 
 Fleet, which was a great success. We had a 
 number of the middies up one day, and they 
 gave us a fencing and wrestling performance, 
 which was most interesting and wonderfully 
 done. Then they had baths and dressed in 
 their uniforms and had tea, and then I showed 
 them the pictures in the drawing-room. My 
 father-in-law's portrait they beamed over, say- 
 ing, * Lord Tennyson — Oh, we know " Charge 
 of the Light Brigade." Oh, he taught in all 
 our schools ; we know him quite well, ha ! 
 ha !' 
 
 " They always say ha ! ha ! to everything. 
 I asked them if it means I see, or I hear, or 
 I understand. They said yes. We went on 
 board their ships, and whenever the Captain 
 spoke to any one he was answered * Ha ! * 
 meaning * Yes, sir.' They gave us lots of 
 presents and photographs, and wrote a most 
 amusing letter of thanks. The poor Admiral 
 Kamimura was so ill most of the time that he 
 could not come to our official reception for 
 him. 
 
 ** It was a most gorgeous night, and although 
 mid-winter, by great good luck so warm and 
 balmy that everybody remained outside in 
 the garden and verandah, and the rooms, after 
 
68 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 everybody had passed our door and shaken 
 hands with us, were almost empty. We had 
 all the two fleets illuminated, which was quite 
 lovely, and I do not ever remember the sky 
 at night looking such a perfect blue; there 
 was a waning moon, and the whole thing was 
 really ideal and a great success. One of the 
 little middies who was up in the afternoon for 
 the wrestling said good-bye to me, and then 
 put his head in again to say, * I very glad I 
 see you again to-night,* and as he passed in 
 the evening he beamed again and said, * I 
 very glad to see you again.' 
 
 ** When I showed one or two of the officers 
 Queen Victoria's photographs they pulled 
 themselves straight and made a bow to it. 
 One of the captains, Matsumoto, gave me a 
 funny little Japanese tree 50 years old in 
 a pot. They all went off to Townsville, 
 Queensland, at 9 o'clock on Sunday morning, 
 and we went down to the bottom of the lawn 
 and waved to them, the boys with large towels, 
 as they steamed off past the Royal Arthur amid 
 loud cheers.^ 
 
 ** And now five of our own fleet have steamed 
 for Melbourne, to be away three weeks, and 
 we have only a little gunboat, the Sparrow^ 
 lying off the bottom of the lawn to guard us, 
 and the harbour looks so empty. One misses 
 the ships very much. We can see distinctly 
 
 ^ The chief poet of Japan sent a poetical salutation to Lord Tennyson, 
 saying that, though they could not meet in the flesh, their spirits would 
 rush to meet each other in the unknown, speeding across the illimitable 
 spaces of the universe. 
 
THE LIFE IN AUSTRALIA 69 
 
 on the decks of the nearest and hear the words 
 of the hymns and the service on Sundays. 
 This morning one missed ' God save the 
 King ' and all the bugles at 8 o'clock, instead 
 of which there was only the cooing of the 
 faithful little turtle-dove that never ceases 
 for one morning, although it's mid-winter, 
 and there are still some of the sweet little 
 swallows with red breasts remaining, who sit 
 every morning on the telephone lines in front 
 of my window and clean themselves with a 
 sweet little chirp." 
 
 "Marble Hill, June 1903. 
 
 " Here is Tuesday, and we have just arrived 
 at our dear Adelaide, greeted by numbers of 
 friends, so affectionately and kindly, at the 
 station. The kind old R.C. Archbishop 
 O'Reilly said, * Why, Your Excellency, you 
 get younger and younger every day.' * Yes, 
 and we all feel younger when Lady Tennyson 
 comes among us,' said Sir Jenkin Coles, the 
 Speaker. It does touch me, their true, simple 
 affection, and it gives one regret that after 
 to-day we shall perhaps never see more of 
 them again. 
 
 ** At Government House we were received 
 by our good friends. Sir Samuel and Lady 
 Way, and it is touching the way they have 
 thought of everything — they must have brought 
 down half their household gods, all to make 
 the house pretty and comfortable for us — my 
 much -loved sitting-room all ready for me, 
 
70 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 with a photograph of my three darlings on the 
 table ! 
 
 " It seems to strike everybody as very 
 delightful *our family life/ apart from the 
 public one, and the happiness of the children, 
 and all of us together — they charm everybody, 
 men and women, young and old, by their 
 pretty m^anners and happy looks, and are so 
 un-selfconscious.'* 
 
 Sir George Reid only expressed what Aus- 
 tralians feel when he said that instead of the 
 British Squadron at Sydney *' they want to have 
 some little Naval Show of their own.'* The 
 Governor-General and Sir Harry Rawson spoke 
 and wrote strongly, advocating some sort of an 
 Australian Navy. 
 
 "Harold can generally tell what line any 
 ship belongs to and where she is going and 
 what the signals and flags mean. It is really 
 astonishing how the boy picks up his know- 
 ledge, and when he has got it remembers it. 
 
 ** We had a delightful little visit in Adelaide. 
 There was never anything like the kindness 
 and warm affection of the people. 
 
 " We are hoping that our Queen's Home 
 Nurses will always do honour and credit to 
 the Home. I just had time to rush round 
 the wards, all looking so lovely and bright and 
 peaceful, with nine babies, all but one enor- 
 mous, six boys and three girls — one or two 
 I longed to bring off. The Matron told 
 me as I was talking to one mother that she 
 
I THE LIFE IN AUSTRALIA 71 
 
 had come from Clare up country, and that 
 three of her children, the eldest aged 11, had 
 started to walk off alone, * to walk to mother,* 
 and were out three nights when they were 
 found on the road by a policeman, who took 
 them to an aunt at Adelaide, and they were sent 
 home again, alas, without seeing mother, poor 
 mites 1 I could not ask why before her, as 
 the poor soul wept as the Matron told me, 
 and I had no time after, as we had to rush off 
 and catch the train." 
 
 In another letter Lady Tennyson tells a story 
 related by the Duke of York to her of two small 
 boys in New Zealand, aged nine and seven, who 
 walked from up country 130 miles along the 
 railway lines to see the Duke. They were found 
 lying half dead on the road from exhaustion and 
 were taken to the hospital. T.R.H. went to 
 see them ; the elder was frightened, afraid he 
 was going to be scolded, but the younger was 
 very talkative. The Duke asked, *' What did 
 you eat ? " " Turnips." " And what did you 
 drink ? " " Water from the puddles." " Didn't 
 your feet get very sore ? " * * Yes, because we wore 
 out our boots the first day." " What did you do 
 it for .? " " To see the Duke and Duchess." 
 ** Well, and have you seen them ? " The little 
 fellow looked up with the most funny little 
 expression and said, " I think so." The father 
 had arrived to fetch them back, and begged that 
 there might be no fuss made or they would be 
 ruined and think themselves heroes, but T.R.H. 
 
72 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. pt. 
 
 gave them their photographs, with which they 
 were deHghted. 
 
 The National Park 
 {a Reserve of Wild Bush and Wild Animals^ 
 
 "Sydney, June 29, 1903. 
 
 " We went by special train, which they are 
 always ready to give us if the ordinary trains 
 are not at convenient hours, to the National 
 Park, a beautiful bit of bush of 30,000 acres that 
 the Government has enclosed [and reserved], 
 keeping up the roads for the public, with 
 enormous trees, the most beautiful being the 
 turpentine gums with rough bark stems, and 
 all kinds of huge palms, all growing wild- 
 such lovely varied and tangled semi-tropical 
 vegetation. Of course this is mid -winter, 
 but in the spring it is smothered with wild 
 flowers. Such splendid great rocks and 
 boulders everywhere, and it is marvellous how 
 these enormous trees grow on the rocks with- 
 out any soil. It was a most ideal day. Harold 
 and I sat on the coach-box, and he got every 
 sort of information out of the old driver. 
 There are lots of parrots, wallabies, native 
 bears and opossums, also lyre birds, but they 
 all come out more in the early morning and 
 at night. We heard the stockwhip bird 
 (with a voice like the crack of a stock-whip), 
 and down by the water saw a kingfisher with 
 the most brilliant bright-blue back and wings 
 
THE LIFE IN AUSTRALIA 73 
 
 and buff breast I ever saw. It was so tame, 
 too. The driver told us that on Bank Holidays 
 ten and twelve thousand people are here 
 picnicking, and often fourteen excursion trains 
 come in during the day, all crammed, from 
 Sydney. 
 
 " At the end of the drive we came to a little 
 village called Audley, where the fresh river 
 finishes and the salt tidal river. Hacking, 
 begins, which goes out to Port Hacking, an 
 arm of the sea running in from the Southern 
 Ocean. There we found a Government oil- 
 launch awaiting us. We steamed away to- 
 wards the Heads, the opening into the sea, and 
 saw a majestic pelican sailing along on the 
 water ; also passed a pretty little promontory 
 where several Sydney people have their summer 
 villas, and along the shore several cottages 
 belonging to the Government — any respectable 
 person can get the loan of one for fishing ; 
 also a deer-park, where the Government have 
 placed 150 rein and roe deer. On the shores 
 are oyster-beds with millions of oysters, small, 
 but very good, and anybody may go and eat 
 as many as they like on the spot, but must 
 carry none of them away." 
 
 ^^ August 26, 1903. 
 
 " Harold is tremendously keen about stamps 
 and knows every stamp he has, and it means 
 of course that he learns a great deal of geo- 
 graphy with it. Lady L. went with him to 
 
74 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 one of his stamp shops, and he knew all the 
 stamps they had. 
 
 " On Saturday Harold went an expedition 
 with Horn by train to Paramatta, and returned 
 by boat after seven, pitch-dark — and fright- 
 ened me out of my wits by saying, * What 
 do you think I have done, Mamie ? Well, 
 ril tell you. We got on the steamer, and I 
 talked to the man who manages the gangway 
 and asked him what places we should stop 
 at (and a few more questions too, poor man, 
 ril be bound), and then I asked him his 
 name, and he said " Marshall." " Oh, where 
 do you live ? '* "I live at Government House.** 
 "Are you the Governor's son } '* "No, I am 
 the Governor-GeneraFs son.'* "What's your 
 name.'^" "Harold Courtenay Tennyson." **Oh, 
 are you the Governor-General's youngest little 
 son } " (Harold is a well-known character.) 
 " Yes." *' Oh, then you would like to see the 
 engines," and he went and asked the chief 
 engineer, and he gave permission and said, " Oh 
 yes," and I went down and saw all the engines.' 
 He was beaming with pride and delight at 
 having seen them. When we got into the 
 train at Como he nodded to the engineer, 
 who was bowing and laughing as the train 
 came in, and said, * That's one of my friends,' 
 and later he rushed up to me saying, * Oh, 
 Mamie, do let me go on the engine, he wants 
 me, he is beckoning to me.' He often rode 
 on the engines of our trains and helped to 
 drive them, or else thought that he helped." 
 
I THE LIFE IN AUSTRALIA 75 
 
 Swearing-in of the High Court 
 
 " Melbourne, August 1903. 
 
 " Sir John Forrest was here the other day. 
 Speaking of H.*s work he said, ' I think 
 everything is comfortably and smoothly settled 
 and arranged, and everything will go smoothly 
 now the great machine has been set rolling.* 
 
 "The boys now often go across to the 
 Grammar School and play cricket. 
 
 "We have Mrs. Harmer staying with us 
 now for a few days, and Dr. and Mrs. Parkin, 
 delightfiil Canadians. He had been to Aid- 
 worth to see us in Jubilee year, I think it was. 
 He is now travelling to all our Colonies to 
 arrange about the Rhodes Scholarships, and 
 is a most interesting man to talk to. You 
 would like them both. 
 
 " Last night H. took the boys and most of 
 the party to the Observatory, which is just 
 outside the grounds, to see the moon and 
 Saturn and Jupiter through the telescope. 
 
 " Our garden-party was a very great success, 
 as we hear from all sides. We received them 
 in the Fountain Court, and then they went 
 into our enormous Ball Room (larger than that 
 at Buckingham Palace),^ where we had endless 
 little tables for six, beautifully decorated with 
 yellow roses and purple irises ; this was quite 
 a new plan, and the people were delighted. 
 
 ^ Government House at Melbourne is much the best of all the Govern- 
 ment houses for entertainments, as the Governor's part of the house is quite 
 distinct from the part to which the pubUc is admitted. 
 
76 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 The gardens just now, with their fresh green 
 EngHsh trees and shrubs, oaks, laburnums, 
 and lilacs, and the masses of roses every- 
 where, look lovely. 
 
 " We had the swearing-in of our High Court 
 yesterday. It was a most interesting little 
 ceremony. H. says he can feel he is probably 
 the only man living who has sworn in, on its 
 inception, a High Court of a great country — 
 Sir Samuel Griffith, a wonderfully able man, 
 former Chief-Justice and Lieutenant-Governor 
 of Queensland, Sir E. Barton and Mr. O'Con- 
 nor, both New South Wales, and very clever ; 
 all the members of the Victorian Bar, upwards 
 of 150, were present in wigs and gowns. It 
 was all extremely well done. 
 
 " Sir Edmund Barton resigned the Premier- 
 ship for a Judgeship in the High Court after 
 a great fight with himself.^ I do not suppose 
 there ever was a set of appointments (also 
 Mr. Deakin's taking the Premiership) which 
 has given such absolute satisfaction. (Mr. 
 Deakin's battle-cry was * Fiscal Peace and 
 Imperial Preference for a White Australia.') 
 
 " The boys treat me exactly like an elder 
 sister, and always want me to share in all 
 their games and amusements." 
 
 "Sydney, October 1903. 
 
 " Our visit to Ballarat was a great success. 
 We were very warmly received, the bells of 
 
 1 Unselfishly giving up the Chief- Justiceship, which he might have had, 
 to Sir Samuel Griffith. 
 
THE LIFE IN AUSTRALIA 77 
 
 the Town Hall pealing most of the day, and 
 crowds waving and hurrahing all along the 
 streets. We had a very amusing luncheon, 
 with a * killing * speech by the Mayor, simple 
 and genuine, amid roars of laughter. He said 
 he had spent many sleepless nights because 
 he had been told he could never entertain 
 a Governor-General, but he had found Lord 
 T. a man like himself, and that he and Lady 
 T. had become * quite chummy.' There 
 were shrieks of laughter at the last expression. 
 He told me all his history. He was one of 
 the very early settlers. 
 
 " I am working now to get Premiers and 
 Governors to arrange a universal close season 
 all over Australia for the native animals, 
 opossums, wallabies, platypus, kangaroos, etc., 
 which otherwise will soon be extinct. The 
 Premier here agrees with the proposition, but 
 writes that not very many skins are exported 
 from Victoria, only a few hundred thousands 
 annually ! 1 " 
 
 Some of the biggest Trees in the World 
 
 " Gracedale House, Healesville, 
 November 1903. 
 
 " We arrived yesterday with Bishop Welldon, 
 who has been staying with us. Such a glorious 
 day, hot sun and delicious air and the scenery 
 gorgeous, thousands of tree ferns and magnifi- 
 cent huge gum trees 200 to 300 feet high 
 and 50 to 60 feet round — the tree cicalas are 
 perfectly deafening. Oh, I do love all this 
 
78 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 Australian bush, and it just tears my heart 
 to think in three weeks' time I shall never see 
 it again. All the scents are so delicious, and 
 we heard the whip-bird quite close as we walked 
 along the bush track, and the beloved native 
 thrush with the most beautiful of all notes 
 woke me this morning.'* 
 
 Now at last, in December, came the taking 
 leave of Australia. They had a great send- 
 off at Melbourne, yet again at Adelaide, and 
 again at Perth. ^ 
 
 * Lord Tennyson's Farewell to Australia 
 
 "I am deeply touched by the innumerable tokens of goodwill on my 
 farewell received from yourself (the Prime Minister) and the Ministers, 
 and from all parts of Australia. Though of course, for many reasons, we 
 are glad to be going home, still Lady Tennyson and I leave with unfeigned 
 sorrow, for we have spent in your midst five most happy and interesting 
 years. We have received nothing but kindness from your hands, which we 
 shall never forget. Your affectionate leave-taking is a gratifying proof 
 that in your opinion at all events our efforts to fulfil important and responsible 
 duties have not been wholly unsuccessful. 
 
 " May I repeat what I said before — that it was my fortune to inherit a 
 strong and passionate desire to endeavour to the utmost to share in helping 
 the British Empire to realise her mighty and manifest destiny. My belief 
 is that this destiny will find its accomplishment through a closer union which, 
 while preserving, strengthening, and developing every individual part, will 
 so bind the whole together with a common loyalty and common patriotism, 
 that we shall be able fearlessly to lead the nations in the path of truth and 
 justice, righteousness and freedom, peace and progress. In the same manner 
 the more real the union of the Australian States is, the stronger the in- 
 dividuality each State retains within the limits of the Constitution ; and the 
 more keenly and the more deeply every Australian feels the personal sense of 
 responsibility in the heritage of citizenship, the greater will be the Common- 
 wealth, and the more potent your influence for good throughout the world. 
 Will you, my friends, accept our warm thanks for the kindness, courtesy, 
 thoughtfulness, and consideration shown to us since our arrival in South 
 Australia ? No one appreciates more the noble qualities of the Australians, 
 their loyalty, warm-heartedness, and true generosity. We shall ever re- 
 member your sympathy, and beg you to keep us in affectionate memory. 
 Good-bye, God prosper you ! " 
 
PART II 
 
 A SON AND SERVANT OF THE 
 EMPIRE 
 
 79 
 
Thy leaf has perish'd in the green, 
 
 And, while we breathe beneath the sun. 
 The world which credits what is done 
 
 Is cold to all that might have been. 
 
 80 
 
CHILDHOOD AND BOYHOOD 
 
 The Tennysons had been five years away from 
 England, and Harold was now approaching his 
 eighth year. The governess who now took him 
 in hand, Miss Lisle, wrote after his death : 
 ** I always longed to be able to paint a life- 
 like portrait of him, there and then, with his 
 brown eyes sparkling with happiness, and his 
 pretty, rich golden hair.** He was in that 
 delightful stage — 
 
 Ere childhood's flaxen ringlet turn'd 
 To black and brown on kindred brows. 
 
 And again : " Could one ever forget the tiny boy 
 of eight playing his fiddle with infinite enjoyment 
 and expression ? " 
 
 His great-uncle Frederick, it may be remem- 
 bered, whose strong passionate nature Edward 
 FitzGerald so greatly admired, had been a great 
 pianist, and some of his grandmother's settings 
 of the Tennyson lyrics are well known. 
 
 The tutor who succeeded Miss Lisle says : 
 " I have never met a child so loving and so 
 lovable, so responsive to every noble impulse, 
 and so quick at grasping each new thought.** 
 
 In May 1908, when he was just twelve, he 
 
 81 G 
 
82 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 went for the rest of that year to " Evelyns,'* the 
 well-known Preparatory School kept by Mr. 
 Worsley at Uxbridge. Before he went he sent 
 his mother a little poem : 
 
 FROM A CHILD 
 
 Never another 
 Can love like a mother, 
 
 Never another, 
 Be it sister or brother. 
 Wander north, wander south. 
 Roam east, or roam west, 
 Home, home, home is best ! 
 
 It was now decided that he should enter the 
 Navy. Accordingly he went to Osborne in the 
 beginning of 1909, and remained till 191 1. In 
 the September of 19 10 he wanted to go to France, 
 because he intended to compete for the French 
 Prize, which he afterwards won. He took his 
 father to Paris, arranging everything. " I often 
 think back with delight of our stay in Paris,** he 
 writes the next term. " I am longing to go again.** 
 
 In 1 9 1 1 he passed on from Osborne to Dart- 
 mouth. There he was equally successful. He 
 won the English Literature Prize, showing, so 
 the examiner said, " more mind and knowledge 
 of life than any of the other candidates.'* He 
 was still not fifteen when he entered, and not 
 seventeen when he left, but the Naval training 
 develops character and capacity very early and 
 remarkably. 
 
 Harold's character now became distinctly 
 marked. It shaped itself consciously and un- 
 
CHILDHOOD AND BOYHOOD 83 
 
 consciously, and took a very visible form, and 
 there can be little doubt that he owed much to 
 the colleges at Osborne and Dartmouth, especi- 
 ally to the latter. 
 
 The present head of Dartmouth, Mr. C. E. 
 Ashford, writing to Lord Tennyson, said, it is 
 true, that ** Harold must not be taken as typical 
 of the average Cadet, being above that average, 
 more alert mentally than most, and more capable 
 and willing to profit by the opportunities given 
 at this College than many." 
 
 But however that may have been, he was 
 certainly typical of the education given, and the 
 temper and character sought to be impressed, 
 there. 
 
 He was, it would seem, typical in particular 
 of the combination of practical and academic 
 elements laid down by practical and University 
 men in collaboration when arranging the Naval 
 training of to-day; and of the introduction of 
 humanistic studies side by side with mathematics 
 and science. 
 
 While the Dartmouth course necessarily in- 
 cludes, not only more physical and practical 
 drill and training, rnore science, and more 
 engineering than are found at a Public School, a 
 strong effort is made, not only to teach adequately 
 a modern language, such as French or German, 
 and English literature, but even, through trans- 
 lations, and by means of history, to give some 
 acquaintance with, and taste for, the thought 
 and life of Greece and Rome. 
 
 Harold Tennyson possessed naturally a strong 
 
84 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 taste for literature.^ His artistic instincts found 
 expression in his music. He had an inquiring 
 mind, a love of knowledge,^ both for purposes 
 of use and for its own sake. He had also a fine 
 physique, a keen intellect, and* well - trained 
 practical gifts. All these will appear in the 
 pages which follow. If they appear in something 
 like a due and happy blending and proportion, 
 not a little credit must be given to Dartmouth 
 College, which certainly turned him out well 
 fitted, not only for the beginning of his career in 
 the Navy, but for that career itself, and, further, for 
 life in its fullest sense and its most various aspects. 
 
 To those who cared about him it is all the 
 more satisfactory that his name, and the literary 
 tastes which go so well with it, and were so strong 
 in him, will be kept alive in the College by the 
 Prize for English Literature, which his father 
 has founded there in his memory. 
 
 He wrote, in an examination paper, an analysis, 
 very remarkable for a boy of fifteen, of character, 
 entitled, ** About Character, especially in the 
 Navy.'* For its motto he might have adopted 
 his grandfather's lines : 
 
 O well for him whose will is strong ! 
 He suffers but he will not suffer long ; 
 He suffers but he cannot suffer wrong. 
 
 It has the same terse vigour, the same resolute 
 fortitude of spirit. 
 
 ^ An incidental remark in one of his letters led Mr. Harrison (of the 
 Harrison line of steamships) to provide our battleships and battle-cruisers 
 with additional libraries (amounting to upwards of 250,000 volumes) for 
 the men. 
 
 * For instance, during his holidays at Dartmouth he called at the 
 Japanese Embassy to find out some one who could teach him Japanese. 
 
CHILDHOOD AND BOYHOOD 85 
 
 " About Character^ especially in the Navy (aet. 1 5) 
 
 " Character is built up mainly of two things 
 — heredity and environment (and then a man 
 has Free Will). He who chooses his own 
 path of life, doing what he himself thinks 
 right, never swerving to the right hand or the 
 left, living a straight life of truth and honesty, 
 sympathetic with others, is the great man. 
 He must be always cool and calm when others 
 are blaming him, in many cases for what he 
 has not really done. 
 
 " There are many tests in the service which 
 are trying for the man in the service, for 
 instance when the captain finds fault with 
 the commander — this finding fault is often 
 continued down and magnified at each step, 
 until the midshipman suffers, but supposing 
 the commander has control of himself, he 
 saves junior ranks from much unpleasantness. 
 The man of character must meet triumph and 
 disaster with the same cheerful outward look, 
 not showing to others what he feels, not blam- 
 ing his luck when another is placed over his 
 head, nor rejoicing when he triumphs over his 
 rivals or his enemies. But the hardest thing 
 of all, that requires all the grit a man possesses, 
 is to see the things of which he had a vision 
 from his youth up, for which he had slaved and 
 toiled, and perhaps given up his life for, 
 destroyed in a moment. Then the great man 
 will start without a word, and build up again 
 that which has vanished." 
 
THE NAVY, SPECIAL SERVICE 
 CRUISE (aet. 16-17) 
 
 With the beginning of the year 19 13, when 
 Harold was a little short of seventeen years of 
 age, he started on a ** special service cruise '* 
 in H.M.S. Cumberland, This lasted some six 
 months, as they dropped anchor in Plymouth on 
 their return on July 8. It was a voyage full of 
 variety, interest, and even adventure. Among 
 the midshipmen, a year or rather more older 
 than Harold Tennyson, was Prince Albert, the 
 second son of the King. Already Harold had 
 developed a very mature power of description, 
 and the main incidents are best told in his own 
 letters, which, for a boy of barely seventeen, 
 are certainly very striking. 
 
 The first letter 1 is headed H.M.S. Cumber- 
 land^ Special Service ; written Wednesday after- 
 noon, January 22 ; posted at Teneriffe. It 
 should be remembered that it was his first experi- 
 ence of the open ocean and of a real storm. 
 
 1 " I am returning Harx)ld's letters, which I fear I have kept unduly long, 
 but I found them absorbingly interesting. The extraordinary accuracy of 
 his accounts is so thoroughly in accord with the truthfulness of his nature. 
 I am so glad you are going to have them printed, as they cannot fail to inspire 
 many a lad with all that is best." (Letter from Rear-Admiral Sir W. R. 
 Hall, K.C.M.G.) 
 
 86 
 
THE NAVY 87 
 
 My darling Mamie — I am writing this 
 on our way to Teneriffe, so that I can post it 
 there. We shall get no mails there, as they 
 have all been sent to St. Lucia, so I shall not 
 hear from you for months. I am simply 
 loving every minute of my time on board, 
 although we get no spare time at all. We 
 have just come through, so to speak, the "jaws 
 of death." The weather got steadily rougher, 
 and on Monday night from 4 p.m. till 7 p.m. 
 I believe we were in considerable danger, 
 I was hanging on for dear life on the boat 
 deck, the ship simply diving and rolling in 
 the most awful manner, and seas breaking 
 right over her, when suddenly a terrific green 
 sea struck her and carried away a lot of gear. 
 The Captain flew alone up to the bridge, and 
 we altered course at once so as to get head to 
 it. It really was the most appalling time I 
 have ever been through, and you can't imagine 
 what it feels like to be in a great ship that is 
 rolling gunwale under. A few minutes later 
 a signalman came down from the bridge on 
 his way to the wireless room. It was appar- 
 ently the most terrific gale he had ever seen. 
 A little later all the officers went up on the 
 bridge. 
 
 At the same time as all this a wireless 
 message came through to say that a ship had 
 foundered between us and the land. We 
 were then twenty miles due north of Finisterre, 
 just out of the Bay, when the gale was worst. 
 
 During Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, 
 
88 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 till 4 P.M., it was bad enough, water six inches 
 deep washing all over the decks, and the 
 chest-flat where we sleep in the same condition. 
 The doctor said he had been through the 
 Bay twenty-two times and had never seen it 
 so rough. Our only chance was, when the 
 gale came on, to steam away from the land, as 
 we were off a rocky lee-shore with the gale 
 driving us on it. Before, we were going about 
 two knots the latter part of the Bay, and we 
 were rolling gunwale under nearly every 
 time, and of course this means shipping water 
 by the ton. I thought to myself, Lionel 
 complained about being wet on manoeuvres 
 this last time, and here we had water up to 
 our knees for three days in every part of the 
 ship. We got out of the gale about 70 
 miles from Finisterre due W. at midnight on 
 Monday. On Tuesday it was calm, but with 
 a tremendous swell. Anyhow, we started 
 doing duty after 9 o'clock. 
 
 We are divided into three groups. A, B, 
 and C, and the groups are each divided into 
 three ** subs," Ai, A2, and A3, consisting of 
 six cadets and a cadet-captain. I have got 
 B2 to look after. For the first month A has 
 Seamanship, B Engineering, and C Gunnery 
 and Navigation, and so you can think of me 
 keeping watch down in the engine-room all 
 day. We turn out 6 a.m., do watch from 
 6.30 to 7.30 and from 8.30 till 1 1.30 and from 
 1 till 4. All the other time we get is filled 
 up with divisions, quarter, etc. Yesterday 
 
THE NAVY 89 
 
 we did Fire Drill, and to-day " out collision 
 mats/' Our only time except meals, half 
 an hour for each, is from 7 p.m. till 9.30 p.m., 
 and we can turn in between those two when 
 we like. 
 
 Please give my fondest love to father, and 
 tell him my next letter will be to him. I have 
 lots of episodes, etc., to tell you which I have 
 logged in my diary. Everything is down in 
 it, even when a delightful goat, the ship's 
 pet, falls down the ash-hoist and a seaman 
 had his trousers pulled right off by a green 
 sea. — Ever your very loving son, 
 
 tlAROLD. 
 
 P.S. — It is quite calm to-day, Wednesday, 
 and we are going fifteen knots to make up 
 for rough weather, but as it is we shall be 
 thirty hours late at Teneriffe. 
 
 H.M.S. "Cumberland," 
 
 Special Service, 
 
 Tuesday f February 4. 
 
 I am writing on my way across the Atlantic 
 from Teneriffe to Santa Lucia. I will just 
 tell you briefly what I have been doing, as I 
 have got all the details down in my diary, 
 which I am keeping diligently. 
 
 On Sunday, January 26, the Captain asked 
 me to motor with him to Orotava. We left 
 the ship about 10 o'clock. Prince Albert and 
 Lieutenant Spencer-Cooper also going, and 
 got to Orotava about 1 1 , The country is all 
 
90 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 much the same, gaily coloured houses wherever 
 you look, but round Orotava there are large 
 banana plantations. 
 
 We went to see a certain Captain and Mrs. 
 Denny. They have a very nice bungalow 
 sort of house to which they come out every 
 year. They are extraordinarily nice people. 
 
 They have got the most lovely garden, and 
 it seemed quite like old times seeing the 
 crimson bougainvillea, the large borders of 
 maidenhair, and the bottle brush. They gave 
 us a very good lunch, and we were waited on 
 by black men in white liveries who looked 
 very smart. Orotava used to be a most 
 fashionable place for' people from England 
 for the winter, then Egypt took its place, 
 but now they have built a first-class hotel, and 
 people are beginning to come out again. 
 Lady Goodenough and two ladies, Lady 
 Vincent and her sister Mrs. Hawkshaw, were 
 staying there. We played golf croquet all 
 the afternoon on a most perfect lawn. Sir 
 William Vincent showed me what cochineal 
 is. It is a sort of maggot that lives on the 
 prickly pear leaves, and when you squash 
 it between your fingers you get a most beautiful 
 deep red stain. It is used a great deal for 
 dyeing, especially for pink coats. We got a 
 magnificent view of the Peak from their 
 garden, just the snow-cap above the other 
 ranges. It does not go down sheer into the 
 sea, but is in the middle of the island sur- 
 rounded by other ranges. There was a slight 
 
THE NAVY 91 
 
 eruption in 1909, so Captain Denny told me. 
 They felt several slight earthquakes and heard 
 rumblings for a fortnight or so, and one day 
 there was a terrific explosion, and he dashed 
 out and saw a red ball hurled up into the sky, 
 which was found the next day to be a large 
 boulder. A small hill about 100 feet high 
 was also thrown up near the foot of the Peak. 
 No one, however, was injured. 
 
 About a hundred years ago there was a 
 big eruption and lava streamed out. Their 
 garden is in the channel formed by the lava 
 on its way to the sea, and there is a lot at the 
 bottom of the garden, like rocks of pumice- 
 stone, where there was a slight stoppage. 
 
 On Monday we, the Engineering Group, 
 stayed on board to coal ship, while all the rest 
 of the term went ashore for a picnic. It 
 was really quite fun, and excellent exercise. 
 I had charge of the empties, that is, to see that 
 empty sacks were returned and evenly dis- 
 tributed to the four coal - lighters alongside, 
 two on each side. They are thrown down 
 from the deck of the ship to the Dagos in the 
 lighter underneath. I saw a good chance of 
 a little fun, and so threw down three sacks 
 one after the other on a Dagoes head, dis- 
 appearing after each shot. I got a splendid 
 volley of Spanish language, accompanied by 
 a volley of coal, from two or three of them 
 when I appeared again after about ten minutes 
 with some more sacks, and again after another 
 ten minutes when I placed another sack 
 
92 HAROLD TENNYSON, R,N. pt. 
 
 lightly on his head. The whole coaling stopped 
 abruptly, and I quickly disappeared down 
 the nearest hatch. When I came up again 
 things were going smoothly, but I heard there 
 had been a frightful row between the Spaniards 
 and the Lieutenant, he cursing them for stop- 
 ping, and neither party understanding each 
 other at all. 
 
 We steamed off at 4 o'clock, all very hot 
 and tired and dirty, and it took me three baths 
 to get clean again. 
 
 On Tuesday the sea was like a lake, and 
 the Engineering Group did a day on deck 
 just for a breather before our ten days below. 
 I kept watch on the bridge. 
 
 C3n Wednesday the Atlantic roll started, 
 and ever since then we have had the fiddles 
 on. This infernal old tub rolls when the sea 
 is quite calm. 
 
 Wednesday evening I was very liver-sick, 
 and stayed all that night and all the next day 
 in the Sick Bay. 
 
 On Friday I went back to duty, and spent 
 all my time down in the Engine- Room and 
 Boiler- Room since. My trouble is that I 
 cannot get enough exercise, but since my 
 little siesta in Sick Bay I hit upon the brilliant 
 inspiration of doing two hours' stoking a day, 
 and I am really becoming an efficient stoker, 
 so they tell me. To give the thing a good 
 start -off I volunteered to do two hours on 
 Saturday afternoon, as it was the last spare 
 time we have had except in the evenings from 
 
THE NAVY 93 
 
 7 till 9.30. (By the way, I may as well tell 
 you now that this is the only spare time we 
 get except on Sunday and Saturday after- 
 noons.) Every one thought me mad, in- 
 cluding the Engineer-Lieutenant, but I kept 
 the pressure in my boiler above that in the 
 others, with occasional helps from the stoker 
 when the engineer wasn't looking, and as a 
 result he told me I could come down whenever 
 I wanted to, and when I am on duty in the 
 Engine-Room I get leave to go in there for an 
 hour. It does not seem a popular sport, for 
 no other cadets have followed suit. 
 
 On Sunday I had a tete-a-tete lunch with 
 the Captain. He certainly is a particularly 
 nice man off duty, and has been very kind to 
 me. He told me all about how thirty years 
 ago he did the same track as we are doing 
 now in a sailing-ship, and it took him a month 
 to get across, all on salt beef. I am thankful 
 to say we are fed perfectly, and have had fresh 
 meat the whole time. The food is really 
 excellent. 
 
 As regards my violin, I play four nights 
 a week with the ship's band. They play all 
 dance-music, so it is not much practice. At 
 the same time it keeps my fingers in, other- 
 wise, as I have already told you, we are at work 
 from 6 A.M. to 7 P.M., with only time for meals 
 in between. 
 
 Ever since Monday week we have not seen 
 a single ship at all, much less land. I have 
 just come up from afternoon watch down in 
 
94 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. pt. 
 
 the Engine - Room, having spent i J hours 
 stoking myself. 
 
 That is of course optional. You are 
 simply put in charge of a stoke-hold, and are 
 responsible for the boilers and feed-pumps, 
 temperature 1 20° F., and then J hours on top 
 of the cylinders, where everything is so hot 
 that you can't touch it, and the temperature is 
 150° F., the highest they have ever known. I 
 had to take indicator diagrams, that is why I 
 had to go there. I should think it is the next 
 hottest place to the reciprocal of heaven, and I 
 should quite believe I lost six or seven pounds. 
 As to going on deck, I have not been near 
 the place, and not a chance till 7 p.m. This 
 engineering only lasts for a month, and then 
 I shall live on deck. 
 
 St. Lucia, 
 Wednesday y February 5. 
 
 We arrived here about 2.30 p.m., and 
 went right alongside the quay, where there 
 was an open-mouthed gaping crowd of niggers 
 all dressed in the most gaudy colours. St. 
 Lucia is certainly very beautiful. It is nothing 
 but valleys and hills about 2000 and 3000 feet 
 high, and all densely wooded with tropical 
 vegetation. 
 
 The harbour of Castries is beautiful, and 
 the blue of the sea lovely. Alas 1 alas ! I 
 see on a notice that there is no mail in till 
 Thursday, February 13, and none out till 
 Sunday, February 16. 
 
THE NAVY 95 
 
 At present there is a tremendous yapping 
 and squeaking of negroes gazing at the ship. 
 
 St. Lucia, 
 
 Thursday, February 13. 
 
 Hurrah ! the mails have, come at last, and 
 I have got yours and father's letters up to 
 January 25. That seems months ago, and 
 only a week after I left. I am finishing this 
 letter off in the evening at 8 o'clock, after 
 a very hot day. This place, the actual 
 harbour, which is surrounded by hills, is 
 beautiful, the islet is nothing but hills and 
 valleys, all covered with this wonderful tropical 
 vegetation, which is all so dense that no one 
 can penetrate it. Castries is the only place 
 where any one lives, except at Gros Islet and 
 Soufriere, two small villages on the other 
 side. Castries is quite the dirtiest little place 
 I have ever been in. The houses are all 
 hovels. You cannot get a decently clean glass 
 of lemon-squash. There is only one at all 
 respectable shop in the place, and that is a 
 chemist's. There is absolutely nothing to do 
 except that there is one tennis-court, always 
 monopolised by the officers, and a cricket- 
 ground, where I have played once. As a 
 matter of fact I have been very busy and very 
 happy the whole time, as we only get two 
 hours ashore, except on half-holidays, and we 
 usually go and have the most delicious surf 
 bathing, the water being like a hot bath. On 
 
96 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 half-holidays we have ** socials," which consist 
 of afternoon dances at Government House. 
 
 There is a high hill at the back of the town 
 called the Mome, where the wealthier people 
 live. Government House being right at the top. 
 From here you really do get a glorious view 
 looking right down on the harbour with its 
 lovely blue water. I have found a negro fellow, 
 who lends me a three-speed cycle of his for 
 nothing whenever I go ashore. As a matter of 
 fact I have only been on it twice. There are 
 only two places one can go to, one is to the 
 top of the hill, and the other is to a place called 
 Union, about four miles out of Castries, 
 where they experiment with plants for agri- 
 cultural purposes. It is about the only road 
 in the island, very rough, and it simply goes 
 through the tropical jungle, whose colours 
 and shadows of green are very bright and 
 beautiful. One can never realise that so many 
 different kinds of trees could be got into so 
 small a space, otherwise along the road there 
 is nothing else to see. The island is about 
 the size of the Isle of Wight, and after Union 
 there is a sort of bridle-path, very rugged, 
 to Gros Islet, where a few peasants live on 
 fishing. The people of Castries live chiefly 
 on coaling ships. Fruit grows here in abun- 
 dance, but beside the usual amount one gets 
 in England, I think all the native fruits are 
 not nearly so good as they are painted, in fact 
 I don't care for any of them, except limes, 
 which are the substitute for lemons and make 
 
THE NAVY 97 
 
 lime-squash, and grape-fruit, which is excellent. 
 I live on the latter, as the food is getting beastly 
 on board, I am sorry to say. It is no wonder, 
 as we are still living on provisions brought 
 out from England, the butter, milk, meat, 
 etc., here not being fit to eat. Everything 
 is frightfully expensive bar fruit. A bicycle 
 costs 2s. an hour and a pony 3s. an hour. I 
 can't understand this nigger lending me his, 
 as if you ask a man, woman, or child the name 
 of anything or the way or any ordinary ques- 
 tion they expect a penny. These niggers treat 
 a penny as an Englishman treats a shilling. 
 I believe ^d. a day is considered high pay. 
 The only people who make anything are the 
 little boys who dive for money when the ships 
 come in. One made 5s., a small fortune, 
 from us. They really are wonderful. One 
 went right underneath, and there was only 
 three feet between the keel and the bottom, 
 for one shilling. Never mind, with all the 
 drawbacks I am blissfully happy, as I love the 
 life on board and all the routine and discipline, 
 and we are on shore very little. 
 
 We sleep on the upper decks in our ham- 
 mocks at night, which is delicious. I finish 
 my engineering on Saturday this week, and 
 we had our first exam, this morning. On 
 Monday I start my month's seamanship, 
 which means that I shall be watch-keeping, 
 and I shall only be able to go ashore once 
 every other day at Trinidad, where I believe 
 there is lots to do, and I know Sir George Le 
 
 H 
 
98 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 Hunte. It is rather sickening, and I would 
 far rather have done my watch-keeping here. 
 We leave here on Wednesday. Will you 
 pass this on to Aubrey, and tell him I am 
 sorry I have absolutely no time to write to 
 him. 
 
 On Sunday I am going to Soufriere with 
 Prince Albert and Spencer-Cooper. 
 
 Trinidad, 
 Sunday , February 23. 
 
 The mail is leaving early this morning, 
 and I only heard last night, so this will be a 
 hurried letter. A yacht came into Castries 
 on Friday, February 14, with some very nice 
 Shropshire people called Harrison, and we 
 had a small dance on board in the evening, to 
 which they came. Four people were asked 
 over to lunch the following day, I being one, 
 and we had a most splendid time. 
 
 She is most beautifully fitted up with 
 endless bath-rooms, boudoirs, and cabins. In 
 the afternoon I went to watch a cricket-match 
 with them, "The Ship" versus "St. Lucia," 
 in which ** The Ship " were beaten by 30 
 runs, and we then went back on board again 
 to tea. 
 
 On Sunday, February 16, I had the best 
 day since I left England. The Captain, six 
 other officers. Prince Albert, and myself left 
 the ship at 8 a.m. in riding things, borrowed 
 from officers in the picket-boat, and we had 
 breakfast on board. We arrived at Soufriere, 
 
THE NAVY 99 ' 
 
 twenty miles down the coast, at 9.30 a.m., 
 where we were met by the whole nigger 
 population of the town, who closed in im- 
 mediately round Prince Albert, and howled 
 and shouted. As soon as we landed we were 
 all mounted on ponies, Spencer-Cooper and 
 myself having the best, as we proved after- 
 wards in a race. Prince Albert's having got 
 rather frightened by all the cheering and 
 yelling — it was rather nasty for him, but we 
 trotted up and soon got out of the town. 
 Ever since this ride I have completely altered 
 my opinion of the beauty of St. Lucia. 
 
 When one gets right into the interior or 
 the ** cultivated " part, as they call it, which 
 looks to me far wilder than the '* wild '* part, 
 it is really the most beautiful thing I have 
 ever seen. They call a part cultivated because 
 of the cocoa plantations, which are planted 
 pell-mell among the other trees, the wild 
 trees giving shade to the cocoa. We rode 
 through a valley circling up and up among 
 the hills, while far below us was a rushing 
 torrent, with waterfalls here and there. All 
 down the sides of the hills, and from the trees, 
 hung heavy green creepers, which also over- 
 hung a rock -wall through which the river 
 ran. All around us was cocoa, with the 
 beautiful golden bean, while upon the hills were 
 bananas and palms mingled amid the dense 
 tropical forest. The tree-ferns struck me as 
 the most beautiful, being a far more delicate 
 sort than the Australian sort. They had thin 
 
loo HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 stems, while at the top huge leaves overhung 
 most gracefully. We also saw cotton, nut- 
 meg, pine, apples, coco palms, yams, etc., 
 all growing higgledy-piggledy in wild pro- 
 fusion. After we got through the forest we 
 came out on to a beaten track leading to the 
 sea. We stopped at a Monsieur Lafitte's 
 house, who has a boy at Dartmouth, and who 
 has a lot of cocoa, and here we saw the 
 process of drying it for transhipment. The 
 big yellow or crimson pods are split up, and 
 the beans, of a sort of white sticky appearance, 
 • are put into a big bin with leaves kept at a 
 high temperature and sweated for a week. 
 Then they are taken out and are now a dark- 
 brown dull colour, and are put into great 
 trays and dried in the sun for three days. 
 They are then danced on by niggers with 
 bare feet to give the beans a polish. They 
 are then dried again in the sun and then 
 shipped in boxes. It is quite a big bean. 
 When it gets to England it is ground up, 
 mixed with arrowroot, etc., and made into 
 chocolates and cocoa. We then went on to 
 our host's house, who had provided the whole 
 expedition with horses, and whose name was 
 Mallet-Parret. His house was in a thick 
 cocoa plantation, and here we had the best 
 lunch I have ever had in my life. We sat 
 down at twenty -five minutes to 2, and got 
 up at twenty -five minutes to 4. I am 
 sending you a menu. The Ramiers are a 
 sort of wild pigeon, which is very good. 
 
THE NAVY loi 
 
 Then I had my first sucking-pig, with all 
 sorts of excellent ** Creole '* vegetables, and 
 then came the great delicacy of the day. This 
 was the Coco Cabbage. This is the cabbage 
 of the coco-nut tree, and it is the very heart 
 of the tree. It necessitates cutting down the 
 tree to get it, and as coco palms are very 
 valuable indeed, and are getting more so every 
 year, for every part of the tree has its use, it 
 is very difficult to get. Every palm does not 
 grow it, and so you have to go on cutting 
 till you find it. It is supposed to be the 
 greatest delicacy there is, and is really perfectly 
 delicious. 
 
 We then had a cream made from the raw 
 cocoa, which I liked as much as anything, and 
 also an excellent fruit salad made of all sorts 
 of Indian fruits. We left about 4.30 p.m., and 
 rode down by a shorter route into Soufri^re. 
 On the way we passed the sulphur springs, all 
 round which for several miles there is a smell 
 of rotten eggs. We got off and went and 
 looked at them. 
 
 All over the ground there are small puddles 
 which are all bubbling and boiling, and all the 
 ground underneath hisses and crackles. I 
 believe the crust is very thin, as if you make a 
 hole in the ground a little spout of steam comes 
 up. The biggest puddle has great clouds of 
 steam coming off, and if your leg sinks into 
 the mud it gets burnt off. We got a most 
 glorious view of ** Pitous " [headland] going 
 away from Soufriere. 
 
I02 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 On Wednesday Spencer-Cooper took thirty 
 of us over a sugar factory, and I drove the 
 engine of a small train which took us up 
 through the plantation. I have got every- 
 thing down in detail in my diary, and I have 
 filled up the book you gave me and started 
 another. 
 
 On Thursday we left at 6 a.m. and spent 
 the day firing off St. Lucia. I fired my first 
 i2-pounder and did a gun-layer*s test, getting 
 six hits out of six. At 7.30 p.m. we did night 
 defence, supposed to be an attack by torpedo- 
 boats. I had charge of one of the 6-inch guns, 
 and I believe my casemate did one of the best 
 runs. 
 
 On Friday morning we came through the 
 Dragon's Mouth, a narrow passage between 
 two high hills, between Trinidad and South 
 America. We are now lying in the beautiful 
 Gulf of Paria, with the Trinidad coast stretch- 
 ing round to form the Gulf and Venezuela 
 meeting it at both ends, in the distance form- 
 ing two narrow straits at both ends. There 
 were a lot of small islands off Trinidad unin- 
 habited, but very beautiful in colour. 
 
 We were all taken up on the fore bridge 
 to go through the Dragon's Mouth, as it is 
 particularly beautiful. We spent all Friday 
 afternoon firing torpedoes about 15 miles 
 off the Port of Spain, which is the town. I 
 went on shore yesterday and saw the finish of 
 the Test Match, The West Indies v, England, 
 in which the blacks beat us by an innings 
 
THE NAVY 103 
 
 and twenty-seven runs, which was pretty dis- 
 graceful. Port of Spain is a pretty big place, 
 with electric trams, etc., I should say about as 
 biff as Bournemouth, with first-class hotels, 
 a great change from dirty little Castries. As 
 regards us, they give receptions everywhere, 
 which we are not allowed to go to. The 
 Captain says he thinks the cadets have far 
 too much jollity, so he has wired to the places 
 we are going to and says he wants no more 
 " overdone receptions." I personally have 
 seen no jollity, but I must admit he has been 
 extremely nice to me, and I have nothing to 
 grumble about. Although it is very hot I do 
 not seem to mind it as much as other people. 
 
 Well, good-bye. I wish you were both 
 out here, as you would love it. 
 
 Written on the way from Trinidad to Barbadoes 
 
 March 3 and 4. 
 
 The last mail went out on Sunday, February 
 23, which I went without breakfast to catch, 
 as I didn't know it was going till then. 
 
 We left Trinidad this morning 9 a.m., 
 after a most delightful time there. It is easily 
 the best place we have been to so far. As a 
 matter of fact we are cruising about through 
 the Dragon's Mouth, a fine pass with narrow 
 wooded slopes, forming an entrance to the 
 Gulf of Paria. We are firing, etc., and are 
 going to do night defence to-night, which is 
 good fun. We have just come back from an 
 
I04 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 hour's boat-sailing, directed from the ship by 
 signals. The town of Trinidad called " Port 
 of Spain,*' which I think I just mentioned to 
 you, is quite a big town, with an enormous 
 park in the middle called the Savannah. There 
 is a race-course round it, with a golf-club in 
 the middle. 
 
 On Sunday, February 23, Sir George Le 
 Hunte came on board to church, and after 
 church gave away the prizes won at Dartmouth. 
 
 When I went up he said, " Well, we are 
 old friends, aren't we ? and I am so pleased 
 to see you again and to congratulate you on 
 winning a prize for a subject which will be 
 most useful to you throughout your career 
 in the service." I got Rose's Life of Napoleon 
 as a prize ; I am only sorry it was not in 
 French. I did not see Sir George again that 
 day, as he lunched on board with the Captain, 
 and when he sent for me at 2 p.m. I had gone 
 ashore. I went ashore with Reid and the 
 two McMasters. We hired a car and drove 
 up to the reservoirs about eight miles away, 
 a beautiful drive through far the finest tropical 
 scenery I have yet been in, far, far finer than 
 St. Lucia, as the bamboos grew wild in pro- 
 fusion and met each other, forming an arch 
 across the road. In the evening after tea we 
 went round the Savannah in a tram. It is the 
 most animated place at that time, in the cool 
 of the evening. On Monday I went up to 
 Government House to tea and tennis, and after 
 tennis had a most delicious bathe in the private 
 
THE NAVY 105 
 
 swimming-bath there. I talked with Sir George 
 here for the first time, and he asked most 
 warmly after the family, and we talked about 
 Australia, and he insisted on calling me 
 '* Harold." He certainly is a dear, and I 
 quite lost my heart to him. Captain Boyle ^ 
 is his A.D.C., and is a simply splendid fellow 
 and one of the best, and I like him immensely. 
 He is now with us here on board, as we are 
 taking him to Barbadoes, where he is to meet 
 Lady Le Hunte, who is on her way out. Sir 
 George told me he finished up next year, and 
 was going to settle in his little place in Ireland 
 and grow cattle. 
 
 Do you remember John, the second gar- 
 dener [at Adelaide], a big fellow ? He went 
 home to Ireland, but thought it a poor place 
 compared to Australia, and he is now 
 safely installed again as second gardener at 
 Adelaide. 
 
 On Tuesday and Thursday I also went up 
 to Government House to play tennis with 
 Prince Albert and Boyle. It is the most 
 magnificent building inside, with large rooms 
 and high ceilings, though not very imposing 
 from outside. They gave a Ball there on 
 Thursday night, which Sir George begged for 
 us to be allowed to go to, but it was no use. 
 The only effect it had was to make the Captain 
 say he hated all these receptions for the cadets, 
 and in future we should do much more boat- 
 sailing. And so he has wired to the other 
 
 1 Grandson of " E. V. B." 
 
io6 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. pt. 
 
 places we are going to, and has said there are 
 to be no receptions at all for the cadets. 
 
 There were twelve horses put at our dis- 
 posal here by the Mounted Police, who are 
 very smart men and have splendid horses. 
 In two hours we were ashore at the Pitch Lake, 
 which is very interesting. The Lake itself 
 is 140 acres of pure asphalt, like a big tennis- 
 court, and the pitch is dug up and put into 
 trolleys. As soon as a hole is made in it, it 
 is always filled up in a few days, and as they 
 have also sounded to a depth of 800 feet and 
 still found pitch, the supply is inexhaustible. 
 After it has been dug up it is boiled to remove 
 the impurities, especially the water, and it is 
 then poured, in a molten state, into barrels 
 for transhipment. What they have also got 
 there, and what was much more interesting 
 to me, were the oil-wells. They have only 
 started three years, and forty-nine separate 
 bores have been drilled. These bores at first 
 give from 40,000 to 60,000 barrels a day, 
 which fetches los. a barrel, and then decrease, 
 and they may stop altogether in a few weeks, 
 but they have still got some that have been 
 going three years. The amount of money 
 in the Company must be wonderful. It is 
 by far the richest in the world of its kind, as 
 not only do they get the pitch and oil-fuel, 
 but also they do all the actual paving. 
 
 They did, for instance, the Thames Em- 
 bankment. It was rather interesting that they 
 failed to meet the Admiralty^s specification 
 
THE NAVY 107 
 
 for oil-fuel by having too much sulphur by 
 2 per cent, and the day we went there Sir 
 George had heard from the Admiralty saying 
 that this had been reduced, and so he now 
 hopes that Trinidad will supply the Navy 
 with oil-fuel. There is one thing evident if 
 this is so, oil-fuel will no longer be scarce, as 
 they have great lakes and rivers of it running 
 about as reservoirs, after it has come up. 
 Directly a hole is bored, usually about 1700 
 feet deep, if there is oil there the gases formed 
 will send up clouds of oil, and no one can get 
 near it for two or three days. Channels are 
 first cut all round and laid to a big basin to 
 catch it, but even then much is lost. After 
 these gases have been exhausted, a two-inch pipe 
 and pump is fitted, and the oil is pumped up. 
 As soon as the well is dry, the period being 
 quite uncertain, as I said before, gases are 
 again formed, and all the earth and sand from 
 the bottom are blown up to a height of 200 
 feet, and smother everything all round, covering 
 up the trees and bushes. We saw one which 
 had just finished blowing sand, and even the 
 highest trees were all parched and sandy. The 
 oil comes out quite cold, and is only dangerous 
 from the fire point of view. It is of course 
 the pitch before it is solidified which is oil- 
 fuel. After the crude state it goes through 
 stages of distilling, which means that it is 
 boiled, and the vapours given off are collected 
 in retorts and condensed. The first vapour 
 given off when it is only slightly warm forms, 
 
io8 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 when it is condensed, motor petrol, the next 
 gasoline, light machine-oil, heavy cylinder-oil, 
 and so on, until at last you are left with a 
 hard residue resembling pitch. I knew all 
 this before from my engineering, but I had 
 never seen the actual process going on before. 
 The only objection to the visit was the heat. 
 The sun's rays are reflected back by the pitch, 
 and it is one of the hottest places known. 
 Here again, driving from one well to another, 
 we passed through the most beautiful wilder- 
 ness of bamboos, cocoa, rope trees, and every 
 imaginable plant growing in wild profusion. 
 
 There are no houses near except for the 
 employees for the factories, all enclosed in 
 mosquito gauze. 
 
 On Sunday Sir George Le Hunte asked 
 the Captain, Spencer-Cooper, Prince Albert, 
 Edmund Boyle and myself to luncheon, and 
 afterwards we all motored up to a lovely spot 
 in the hills called the Blue Basin, where there 
 is a lovely waterfall tumbling down into a 
 sort of basin. It is only about lOO feet high, 
 but it comes straight out of a green wall 
 of leaves and falls sheer down. We had a 
 deliciously cool bathe here, quite the most 
 refreshing and cooling since I left England. 
 When we got back we watched the iflying, 
 the first man to fly in the West Indies, and the 
 first aeroplane (a biplane) I had ever seen up 
 in the air. He flew every evening about 6 
 o'clock in the evening, and every man, woman, 
 and child turned out to see him. Another 
 
THE NAVY 109 
 
 fellow tried to fly there about two weeks* ago, 
 but he was only in the air a minute before he 
 was killed, owing to a gust up one of the 
 valleys, and his not having had time to get 
 high enough. Well, here we are anchored in 
 a small bay, with the town of Bridgetown in 
 front of us. The island is exactly like a piece 
 of England, very flat and fields, and hardly 
 any trees. All the other islands have been 
 thickly wooded everywhere. 
 
 Heaps of love to you both, and I wish you 
 were out here to enjoy all the lovely places. 
 
 Good Friday^ March 21, 191 3. 
 
 It seems simply years since I have written 
 to you, and since then we have had the most 
 interesting and beautiful part of the cruise 
 at Martinique and Dominica. My last letter 
 left on Wednesday, March 5, the day after 
 we arrived at Barbadoes, so I will go on from 
 there. Barbadoes is quite flat, and from the 
 sea looks like an English county, as there are 
 fields and hedges. 
 
 The green fields are not grass but sugar- 
 canes. 
 
 On Wednesday there was an At Home 
 and tennis at Government House. I had 
 some very good tennis with Turner, Phelips, 
 and Harrison, but as regards the social part 
 of the business I am afraid we did not do 
 our duty. I was very lucky in meeting a 
 most extraordinarily nice, genial Inspector of 
 
no HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. pt. 
 
 Police, who proved a most valuable friend, 
 and was really kindness itself. 
 
 The next day, Thursday, he took four of 
 us in his car to a place called Crane on the 
 coast, where we had tea. It is a wonderful 
 piece of coast scenery, like Australia, with 
 huge crags and boulders, lovely white sands 
 and deep blue sea. The actual countryside 
 is all the same, very flat, and roads going 
 everywhere between huge fields of sugar, 
 with little wooden huts, in which the niggers 
 live, dotted about here and there. Bridge- 
 town itself is quite a big town, and has some 
 of the best shops in the West Indies. It is 
 also much cleaner than the average place. I 
 believe in the N.E. corner there are some 
 beautiful deep canyons or gulleys, with under- 
 ground caves, and tropical forest scenery, but 
 we did not get to it. The windmills dotted 
 about are rather picturesque ; instead of grind- 
 ing corn they are crushing sugar. 
 
 On Saturday we had the most delightful 
 day. There is a lovely race-course on the 
 Savannah or park, and the Polo Club got up 
 a pony gymkhana for us and lent us their polo 
 ponies. 
 
 There really was some beautiful horse- 
 flesh knocking about, and I rode in every race 
 and had some excellent mounts. 
 
 The gymkhana was limited to cadets and 
 officers, and I think the wonderful part was 
 that they got through without the slightest 
 accident, because several people had hardly 
 
THE NAVY III 
 
 ever been on a horse before. I have cut out 
 the programme, which I have stuck in my 
 diary. 
 
 We had a perfectly excellent day, and 
 everybody loved it. It really must be great 
 fun riding in a big race, as those Two and 
 Four Furlongs were simply thrilling, riding 
 full gallop down the lines of shouting blacks, 
 and then past the stands where the white 
 people were. 
 
 On Monday the Savannah Club gave an 
 afternoon dance for us, which I much enjoyed. 
 
 I have missed out Sunday. All the people 
 with cars in the island lent them, about thirty 
 in all, and two cadets and two ladies went in 
 each, and we all went for a motor-picnic. We 
 went to a church on the top of a hill called 
 Christ Church, where there is the famous 
 Chase Vault. The following story is said to 
 be absolutely authentic, as it is in the church 
 books, and the Society of Psychical Research 
 have gone into it. The Chase family had been 
 buried in this vault for years when one day 
 they buried a stranger there. They opened 
 up the vault some months later, and this 
 stranger, who was buried in a heavy leaden 
 coffin, was found out of his coffin and the 
 coffin up-ended in a corner, and all the other 
 coffins in an awful state of chaos. They put 
 them back and shut up the vault and opened 
 it a few weeks later. Exactly the same state 
 of affairs. The authorities suspected foul 
 play or water to be the cause of this, and so, 
 
112 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. pt. 
 
 to find out what it was, they placed fine sand 
 all over the floor and shut it up for the 
 night. 
 
 The following morning it was just the same, 
 only the heavy leaden coffin, which had 
 required three men to lift, had been carried 
 far away up the steps, but the sand had no 
 footprints and no signs of water. The mystery 
 was never solved, and in 1820 the vault was 
 opened and the coffins buried in the cemetery 
 by order of the Chases, as the niggers became 
 too frightened to go to church. We went 
 down into the vault on Sunday. It is believed 
 that the Chases in their coffins objected to the 
 intrusion of a stranger, and so chivied him 
 round the vault. We left Bridgewater on 
 Tuesday and arrived at Martinique the same 
 afternoon at 4.15 p.m., but as usual we were 
 not allowed to land but sent away boat-sailing. 
 
 On Wednesday, however, we had, I think, 
 the day I most enjoyed of any so far. The 
 English Consul took forty of us in his yacht 
 to see the ruined St. Pierre (ruined by the 
 volcanic outburst). We were anchored off the 
 present capital, the Fort de France, and it is 
 , about an hour and a half by sea to St. Pierre, 
 and the coast scenery on the way is beautiful. 
 
 Martinique is very mountainous and vol- 
 canic, and these hills are covered with forest. 
 We only stayed an hour at St. Pierre. 
 
 I should have liked to stay a year. It is 
 all left exactly as it was after the disaster, and 
 untouched save for the negroes having taken 
 
THE NAVY 113 
 
 everything of value on the surface. I should 
 love to stay there for some time and dig, as 
 there has been no excavating at all. When 
 one walks along the paved streets it all sounds 
 hollow underneath, and one comes to a great 
 hole going down to the depth beneath. One 
 can only see the tops of the walls of the houses, 
 which rise to the height of about six feet, 
 except in a few cases, and it gives the city 
 an air of having been razed to the ground. 
 It was the finest in the West Indies, and 
 in one second 40,000 people were sent to 
 their doom. Only one man escaped — a 
 prisoner in the ** condemned cell " — and he 
 died two days after from his burns. There 
 was no life left at all. The eruption of Pel^ 
 (the bald mountain) occurred in the following 
 manner. The hillside of the mountain, which 
 overhangs the town, split open, and a huge 
 sheet of flame, carrying with it poisonous 
 fumes, scalding water, and boiling mud, swept 
 over the town. It even went so far as literally 
 to drive the sea in front of it, and ships ; one a 
 liner, about three miles out, cut her cable, 
 and escaped with three of her fifteen alive, 
 and reached St. Lucia terribly burnt. Mont 
 Pele stands at the back of the town, with its 
 peak enveloped in cloud, looking like a huge 
 sinister monster watching for its fallen prey. 
 
 It is not in the least volcanic, and the theory 
 of this extraordinary occurrence is that a cavity 
 must have occurred in the bed of the ocean 
 between St. Vincent and Martinique, as the 
 
114 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 Soufriere at St. Vincent belched out fire and 
 flame on the same day. 
 
 This water must have been boiled up in 
 the bowels of the earth. The pressure of 
 steam got excessive, and it consequently broke 
 out where the crust of the earth's surface was 
 weakest. The buildings whose walls are more 
 or less intact are the Cathedral and the Opera 
 House, especially a big flight of marble steps 
 leading up to it, the Prison and the Bank. 
 Here and there one saw fountains, iron gates, 
 railings, etc., twisted and torn into unrecog- 
 nisable shapes. I got a watch and chain from 
 a negro for 2s., which is, I think, the best 
 souvenir that any of the cadets or oflicers 
 found, as it is in a fairly good state of pre- 
 servation, and I am bringing it home as a 
 great treasure. When we got back we went 
 into Fort de France, the new capital, a very 
 good town for the West Indies, where I used 
 every opportunity of rubbing up my French. 
 The town band played the " Marseillaise " 
 and " God save the King " alternately all the 
 afternoon. 
 
 We left Martinique the following morning 
 and arrived at Dominica, fifty miles off, about 
 3.30 P.M. It is the most beautiful island we 
 have seen, in fact it is by far the most lovely 
 of all the West Indies by a long way. We 
 steamed all along the Southern coast and quite 
 close in shore, and the lovely blue of the water 
 with the reflections of the mountains in it 
 was beautiful. It is much higher than any- 
 
THE NAVY lis 
 
 thing we have seen so far, and these mountains 
 stretch away in ranges, and are covered with 
 the richest vegetation in the world. We 
 dropped anchor off Roseau, opposite the most 
 perfect view, looking up the lovely Roseau 
 valley right into the mountains, with palms, 
 bananas, oranges, and limes growing on either 
 side of a big mountain burn. As usual we 
 did not land first day, but went boat-sailing. 
 
 The next day a lot of us went off to Govern- 
 ment House to play tennis, and here I met 
 a very good fellow called Archer. 
 
 I always try to make a friend in every place, 
 as they are most useful, and make the whole 
 difference. This sportsman arranged to get 
 six horses for us the following afternoon, so 
 that we might ride right up into the mountain 
 and see the gorgeous vegetation and the view. 
 I asked five other fellows, and at one o'clock 
 on Saturday we started out. A gentleman 
 called Watts, son of the head of the Botanical 
 Department of the whole of the West Indies, 
 came as a guide, and pointed out all the in- 
 teresting things, knowing all the names of 
 the plants. It was quite the most beautiful 
 and wonderful scenery I have ever seen in 
 my life. 
 
 The mountain wooded to the peak, the lawns 
 And winding glades high up like ways to Heaven, 
 The slender coco's drooping crown of plumes, 
 The lightning flash of insect and of bird. 
 The lustre of the long convolvuluses 
 That coil'd around the stately stems, and ran 
 Ev'n to the limit of the land, the glows 
 
ii6 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 And glories of the broad belt of the world, 
 
 All these he saw ; but what he fain had seen 
 
 He could not see, the kindly human face. 
 
 Nor ever hear a kindly voice, but heard 
 
 The myriad shriek of wheeling ocean-fowl. 
 
 The league-long roller thundering on the reef. 
 
 The moving whisper of huge trees that branch'd 
 
 And blossom'd in the zenith, or the sweep 
 
 Of some precipitous rivulet to the wave. 
 
 As down the shore he ranged, or all day long 
 
 Sat often in the seaward-gazing gorge, 
 
 A shipwreck'd sailor, waiting for a sail : 
 
 No sail from day to day, but every day 
 
 The sunrise broken into scarlet shafts 
 
 Among the palms and ferns and precipices : 
 
 The blaze upon the waters to the east ; 
 
 The blaze upon his island overhead ; 
 
 The blaze upon the waters to the west ; 
 
 Then the great stars that globed themselves in Heaven, 
 
 The hollower-bellowing ocean, and again 
 
 The scarlet shafts of sunrise — but no sail. 
 
 Enoch Arden. 
 
 We zigzagged up the side of a mountain on a 
 little path about three feet wide, with a precipice 
 down below us and the vertical side of the 
 mountain above, and everywhere covered with 
 a huge tropical forest quite untouched by 
 man, which covers nearly the whole island, 
 the only part that is cultivated being the 
 Roseau valley. The path was completely 
 covered in at the top by the boughs of the 
 trees, and when one glanced below at the 
 thick jungle one could see tree-ferns, bamboo, 
 bananas, and wild palms of every description 
 going down hundreds of feet below one, while 
 overhead enormous bamboos of a beautiful 
 
THE NAVY 117 
 
 pale green colour formed arches for us to 
 pass underneath. Here and there we could 
 hear the sound of rushing water, though we 
 could not see it, as some rushing torrent dashed 
 down the side of the mountain. We climbed 
 up, circling round the side of the mountain, 
 and here and there, where there was a clearing, 
 we got a glorious view of the valley far below 
 us and the other hills all round, and here and 
 there, on the sides of the hills, one could see 
 a thin, white streak, which was some big 
 waterfall, two or three hundred feet in height. 
 The path towards the top got very rough, 
 far too rough for any English horse to keep 
 its feet, and here and there there was a split 
 in the path, with a sheer drop of hundreds of 
 feet. 
 
 It was distinctly nervous work. We had 
 one of the finest days that Watts had ever seen 
 up there, as being all up in the clouds you 
 get incessant tropical showers, and we got 
 more sun than rain. One is soaked through 
 in a second, and as soon as the sun comes out 
 one is dry again. 
 
 Right up on the top of the boundless hills 
 we came to a fresh-water lake, held in great 
 dread by the natives, who believe in a green- 
 eyed monster which swallows any mortal who 
 approaches his domains. We could only see 
 it through the trees, but as we got to the top 
 of the pass we looked down on it. From the 
 top of this pass we got, I should think, the 
 most wonderful view in the world. One 
 
ii8 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 looked out over these hills, over this huge 
 expanse of valleys, over deep crevasses and 
 overhanging craters, to the sea beyond, on 
 which the sun was shining. We were looking 
 right across the island to the other side, and 
 I have never seen anything so wonderful. 
 
 We rode back again and got back to the 
 ship about 8 p.m., after a most glorious ride, 
 only marred by the fact that by the time I 
 got on board I could hardly see out of either 
 eye from my hay-fever. This was the first 
 day I have had it, and that ride has more or 
 less given it a start, and now I get it slightly 
 fairly often. 
 
 The next day, Sunday, I went over the 
 Botanical Garden with Watts, where every 
 species of tropical plant is grown. 
 
 One palm, the Traveller's Palm, in the 
 shape of a huge fan, was particularly beautiful 
 and graceful. The humming-birds darting 
 about from tree to tree like flashes of fire, and 
 the little green and yellow lizards everywhere, 
 were very fascinating. I took Watts back 
 on board to tea, and at 6 o'clock we got a 
 message that a steamer had broken down 
 about sixty miles off, and, according to King's 
 Regulations, we fired a gun and hoisted a 
 *' Blue Peter " to call all men and officers 
 ashore. We left at 8 p.m., and got to her at 1 2. 
 
 Great excitement and a lot of naval jokes 
 flying about. We stood by all night and took 
 her in tow and got back to Dominica at 4 p.m. 
 on Monday, and left at 5 for Puerto Rico. 
 
THE NAVY 119 
 
 We went to an out-of-the-way bay instead of 
 the capital, St. Juan, the result being that we 
 missed our mail, which we shall not now get 
 for weeks, and arrived late at Jamaica on 
 Saturday at about 3. I have been put to 
 endless trouble trying to get to Uncle Ernest, 
 who is inaccessible, and wants four days' 
 notice at least. The Captain very kindly wired 
 to him, and asked him to come and stay on 
 board as long as he liked. I really think he 
 might come down here to Kingston to see his 
 nephew. 
 
 I of course went to Early Celebration on 
 Easter Sunday, and thought a lot of you all 
 and longed to be at home with you. 
 
 I got two letters from you both, with some 
 splendid cuttings fi-om the Spectator about 
 poor Scott from father. 
 
 By the way, these people coming into the 
 Navy over our heads from the public schools 
 is disgraceful, after all the work we have gone 
 through at Dartmouth and Osborne. 
 
 I hear we have to do two years* foreign 
 service at once as midshipmen. The Swift- 
 sure is going out as flagship to Egypt in 
 September. It is a splendid ship and a tip- 
 top station. I wonder if father could find out 
 about it and when she is going and if I could 
 go, as, after your first two years, it is not 
 advisable to go on foreign service until you 
 are a Senior Lieutenant, as you must be at 
 home to work. The only thing I have to 
 complain about this cruise is that the book 
 
I20 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 and brain work, after Dartmouth, is far too 
 little. We do not do nearly enough, and 
 there is a good deal of time wasted, and one so 
 easily gets out of practice. Well, in six weeks 
 we shall be at Portsmouth, God willing, and 
 my last word is, if we get an invitation to 
 Stratford-on-Avon from the Murray-Smiths, 
 accept it and make father go. — Ever your 
 very loving son. 
 
 On the way from Havana to Bermuda 
 
 H.M.S. "Cumberland," Jamaica, 
 Spejcial Service. 
 
 Before I do anything else, I must thank 
 you both a thousand times for your dear 
 delightful letters. I cannot tell you how one 
 longs for letters from home, and a mail day is 
 quite an event on board the ship. I have just 
 finished my month's seamanship, which in- 
 cludes watch-keeping, which I think I have 
 done well in — signals ditto, due to being friends 
 with the yeoman of signals, rule of the road, 
 and torpedo. The latter is rather hard. 
 
 The last time I wrote to you was on Monday, 
 March 24. 
 
 The next day I turned out at 4 a.m. and 
 caught a tram at 5.30 a.m., determined to 
 get to Uncle Ernest somehow. The tram 
 took me to a place called Papine, about 45 
 minutes' run right through the town of Kings- 
 ton, through the big main streets, and then 
 through the side streets and slums where the 
 
THE NAVY 121 
 
 niggers live, on past the fruit-market, where 
 crowds of old black women were clambering 
 and bustling to get rid of their produce, and 
 then on past the camp where all the officers 
 and their wives live, most of them quite nice 
 houses of the villa type. The regiments there 
 are the Royal Engineers of Port Royal, the 
 Royal Garrison Artillery, and the Royal Army 
 Medical Corps. These people gave a gym- 
 khana for us on the army polo ground. There 
 were two races, stone -throwing, and riding 
 with an envelope to a lady who draws a picture 
 of an animal, and you have to guess what it 
 is and ride back over two jumps. The other 
 events they rode in themselves. 
 
 In the big race of the day, the 8 furlongs, 
 a certain Captain Buchanan asked me to ride 
 his mare Kathleen, and he said nobody would 
 ever notice I was a cadet, so I was rigged up 
 in his colours, white with purple sleeves and 
 a jockey-cap half over my face, and weighed 
 in and got ready for the fray. I came in 
 fourth, and enjoyed it immensely. It was a 
 much bigger show than the one at Barbadoes, 
 and every one wore jockey colours. The only 
 objection is that one cannot see anything if 
 there is a horse in front, as the dust is awful, 
 and practically blinds one. Anyhow, it was 
 a very good day, and we all enjoyed it. 
 
 Now, to return to the tram. After passing 
 the camp you get out of the actual town and 
 you pass all the big gardens and pleasure 
 parks, " King's House " (Government House), 
 
122 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 and some quite nice houses. When I got to 
 Papine, which is just a cross-road with a few 
 houses, I found a nigger with a fairly respect- 
 able horse waiting for me. As the day before 
 was Easter Monday, I had not been able to 
 communicate with Uncle Ernest in any way 
 whatsoever, and so he had not the faintest idea 
 I was coming. I left Papine at 7 a.m. and 
 crossed over a huge river-bed, which was 
 dried up. I soon got to a small rugged path 
 about three feet wide, and in the wildest bush 
 imaginable. The vegetation was entirely dis- 
 tinct from any of the other islands. There was 
 much more fruit, oranges, bananas, **jack'*- 
 fruit, like big green sponges, bread-fruit, and 
 grape-fruit. It is not nearly so dense as in 
 the other islands, and therefore one can see 
 much more of it, and there is hardly any 
 undergrowth, and so one can see the stems 
 and the trees so much better. The path circles 
 round and round up into the hills, and works 
 its way up one long valley with a river in it to 
 the top of one range, and then zigzags up the 
 side of the next over some most appalling 
 places, where I should never dare to take an 
 English horse, but these West Indian ones are 
 absolutely sure-footed. The amount of rivers 
 there are is perfectly amazing ; they are all 
 very like Scotch burns with those light grey 
 boulders, only of course their banks are lined 
 with tropical forest and trees. The path con- 
 tinually crosses over these streams, and the 
 water is never very deep. The path went 
 
THE NAVY 123 
 
 up and up into the mountains, another cele- 
 brated range of " Blue Mountains," though 
 not the ones you know. I got perfectly mag- 
 nificent views the whole way up. One looks 
 back over the hills to the plains of Kingston 
 with just the end of a deep blue arm of sea 
 coming in, and in the distance are other 
 ranges of a lovely blue colour. The sides of 
 the mountains, after they reach a certain 
 height, are covered with a sort of dry grass. 
 I went on and on, asking the niggers, whenever 
 I passed them, the way. Luckily they under- 
 stood me. In no other island out in the bush 
 would they have done so. I dismounted at 
 one little log-hut and asked an old woman 
 (this was 8.30 A.M.) how far it was, and she 
 replied, " Massa, it is far, very far, across the 
 mountains." I thought, " Goodness me ! I 
 shall never get there." It seemed like a sort 
 of Napoleonic transalpine journey, and the 
 sun was getting very hot. I went on and on 
 over hill and dale, and presently, about 9.45 
 A.M., a solitary nigger with a donkey told me 
 it was *' not too far," and eventually at 10.45 
 A.M. I reached the house. It was exactly like 
 being transported back to an English house 
 and an English mode of living, with all the 
 delights of tropical scenery. Uncle Ernest 
 and Hayes came out to meet me, and I spent 
 the most delightful day up there. Although 
 I had come 22 miles instead of 12, due 
 to my not knowing the way, the ride was 
 glorious, and as I was very hot and tired at 
 
124 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 the end, the lovely coolness of the place and 
 all its delights appealed to me much more. It 
 is right at the top of a mountain 4000 feet 
 high, and one gets a glorious view of the sea 
 from it. One looks right down a long valley 
 to the sea beneath, with a silver line along 
 the coast, which is the breaking surf. On a 
 clear day the sea horizon is 50 miles. On the 
 other two sides one has a magnificent view of 
 the mountain ranges. On the west side one 
 looks down on to the plain I told you of before. 
 The house itself is delightful, and is the 
 biggest and finest house in the place. It is a 
 square stone house, and you go up some steps, 
 in through the front door into a most lovely 
 inner hall, which is the drawing-room as well. 
 Round it are hung all the old Turners which 
 I remembered so well, and which made it 
 worth while going all that way over even 
 for nothing else. On the left is the dining- 
 room, also a big room, though not so large 
 as the drawing-room. If you go straight 
 through you come to a big hall where the 
 staircase is, rather like a ship's stair, in the 
 form of a half-circle, and made of very old 
 mahogany. 
 
 Over the drawing-room half way is the 
 smoking-room, a cosy room, with some very 
 nice things in it, and a delightful balcony. I 
 spent the most happy day up there, Uncle 
 Ernest was so warm and nice and kind, and 
 it was a day of peace which I had not had 
 since I left Farringford. We lay in two long 
 
THE NAVY 125 
 
 chairs in the lovely cool, which was refreshing 
 after the hot plain, and Uncle Ernest told me 
 heaps of interesting things. It is one of the 
 old planters' houses, and is very old. The 
 old black housekeeper came in and shook 
 hands with me, and she and I talked for ten 
 minutes, neither of us understanding a word 
 the other said, but she retired curtseying and 
 beaming all over. Uncle Ernest and I both 
 decided that you, father, and Aubrey and 
 myself ought to come out there at once, as 
 soon as I get back. You would love it, and 
 it would give you such a splendid rest, besides 
 the beauty of the place and the climate. It 
 is never too hot and never too cold, always 
 between 6^° and 85°, and a gentle breeze 
 blows up there all day. I left at about 4 p.m., 
 and Hayes took me back a short cut, which 
 was like the side of a house, and I got back 
 on board at 7.30 p.m. I certainly give that 
 day 12 marks out of a possible 10, and 
 write it down as one of the happiest days of 
 my life. The rest of the week was most un- 
 interesting, as we played tennis on appallingly 
 bad grounds, except Wednesday, when I 
 went to the theatre, a matinee, and saw ^ 
 Woman's Way^ a clever play, and not badly 
 acted by an American Company. 
 
 On Saturday, March 29, I went to lun- 
 cheon with a Lieutenant and Mrs. Stringer, 
 and afterwards to the gymkhana which I have 
 told you about already. Before we got to 
 Jamaica the Captain sent a wireless message 
 
126 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 asking Uncle Ernest to come and stay on 
 board as long as he liked. As Uncle Ernest 
 cannot ride at present, he could not go, so 
 asked the Captain to go up there and stay. 
 The Captain said he would come up, a party 
 of six, on Sunday, March 30. 
 
 On Friday he sent for me and said, " I am 
 going up to see your uncle on Sunday, and I 
 suppose one can't very well go without taking 
 you." This struck me as being horribly 
 rude, and I nearly refused on the spot, 
 but it was only the Captain's way of joking. 
 Well, the Captain, Spencer-Cooper, Dr. Greig, 
 Prince Albert, Buist (a cadet) and myself 
 started off on Sunday at 6.30 a.m. I did not 
 see very much of Uncle Ernest, as I enter- 
 tained the officers and Prince Albert, while 
 Uncle Ernest tackled the Captain, and after 
 lunch we three cadets went and sat in the 
 smoking-room, while the others sat in the 
 drawing-room. Dr. Greig said when we got 
 back, ** I propose a vote of thanks to Tennyson 
 for having such a splendid uncle," and Spencer- 
 Cooper seconded it. 
 
 We left Jamaica the following morning, 
 arriving at Havana on Friday morning, a vast 
 place, really enormous. I was on watch 
 coming in, but I must say I would not have 
 taken a big ship in there for pounds. The 
 entrance is frightfully narrow, all sorts of 
 small craft dashing about. Going out I 
 was also on watch, and I think it was even 
 worse. Personally I hated the place. If you 
 
THE NAVY 127 
 
 sit down on a chair anywhere they charge you 
 a dollar (4s. 2d.). 
 
 Bermuda, Friday, April ii. 
 
 We left on Sunday morning at 6 a.m. for 
 the Bermudas, and after a calm passage, but 
 quite rough on Wednesday night as we got 
 a bad gale, arrived here on Thursday by noon. 
 The temperature at Havana is very high. By 
 Tuesday it had dropped 20° F., and I slept 
 on deck on Tuesday night with about twelve 
 others, and it was bitter, and I got a chill 
 and went sick the next morning. 
 
 I am quite all right again now, but still 
 in Sick Bay, and I am in no hurry to get out. 
 Instead of going to Hamilton, where there is 
 golf, tennis, etc., the Captain took it into his 
 head to lie off " Grassy Bay," off ** Ireland 
 Island," where there is only a naval dockyard. 
 It is quite the most desolate, barren. God- 
 forsaken place I have ever seen, without a tree 
 or a shrub, simply dockyard, warehouse, and 
 house. I am sending you a programme of the 
 next three months, which I have copied out. 
 It sounds very interesting, and I should like 
 to hear you have got this and all my letters, 
 and if you answer immediately I shall get it 
 before we leave Bermuda. 
 
 The St. Lawrence will be wonderful. 
 
 H.M.S. "Cumberland," R.N. Dockyard, 
 
 Ireland Island, Bermuda. 
 
 I have very little news. My object in 
 writing is to tell you we are going to a naval 
 
128 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 camp for a fortnight. It is run on naval 
 discipline lines, and everything, as far as I can 
 make out, is to be on service. It is to be 
 on a desert island, joined to the mainland by 
 bridges. We had our firing course there, and 
 the range is four miles off, which means a nice 
 little daily constitutional. We shall probably 
 not be able to write, as there are no comforts 
 of life there at all from what I hear, so don't 
 expect a letter till you see one. Depend 
 upon it I will write whenever I can. 
 
 On Friday everything was got ready for 
 coaling at 5 a.m., which means an awful 
 business. It was put off and off, and then 
 never took place. Naval wit ! I stayed in 
 the Sick Bay all day and finished my long 
 letter to you. 
 
 On Saturday we actually did coal. I stayed 
 in the Sick Bay in the morning and landed for 
 the first time in the afternoon and went for 
 a long walk. The Terror^ SyriuSy and Mel- 
 pomene are here, and the mere fact of being in 
 a dockyard makes everything very " servicey." 
 It is a fairly large dockyard for a place like 
 this, and used to be very important when we 
 kept a fleet out here, but now, with these 
 three obsolete old cruisers, has ceased to be 
 so. What they call the mainland is a string 
 of islands joined together by bridges with 
 ** Ireland Island," the dockyard at one end. 
 
 The other islands are dotted about, as you 
 will see. The mainland is 1 8 miles long, and 
 a beautiful, smooth, white road runs from one 
 
THE NAVY 129 
 
 end to the other. No motors are allowed. 
 On " Ireland Island '* there are two football 
 grounds, where we play ** soccer '* every day, 
 as there is no time to play anywhere else, 
 except on halves and Sundays. I went over 
 to Hamilton on Sunday. It is a large place, 
 and very bright. The islands are low and 
 covered by a very dark kind of cedar, and 
 all the houses everywhere are dazzling white. 
 The little coves and bays are delightful, 
 but we only get a sidelong glance at them 
 if we happen to be in charge of the Picket 
 Boat. Otherwise the dockyard walls are the 
 only view we get. We shall go to manoeuvres 
 on July 13, and we come on leave at any time 
 between then and July 28, that is, as soon as 
 we get put out of action. 
 
 I got another splendid letter from Aubrey. 
 He really is a good fellow the way he writes 
 to me, and I only wish I was at home with him 
 playing golf. I really have not time to write 
 to him ; what with my diary and these letters 
 home I have not written anything else. But 
 I am afraid they little make up for the dear 
 letters you and father have been writing me. 
 Father's letters are full of such splendid little 
 stories and interesting news, and you tell me 
 all the home news, and I read them over and 
 over again. Father did introduce me to Lord 
 Wolseley one day when we went to tea with 
 Lady Wantage, and Sir Evelyn Wood was there, 
 and when we came away father said, " You 
 have seen two of the greatest soldiers of to-day,*' 
 
I30 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 April 27. 
 
 Well, this camp has been the best ten days 
 of our cruise by a long, long way. We had 
 ten days' perfect rest, and we did absolutely 
 no work in any form or shape, except to-day 
 when we struck camp, and on Wednesday 
 when we pitched it, which were strenuous days. 
 I am sending you a map of the Bermudas, and 
 I have marked various things on it. 
 
 We camped at a place called Whale's Bay. 
 A dockyard tug took us round to Evan's Bay, 
 and then we had to take everything across 
 to the other side of the island. Where we 
 pitched our tents was quite one of the most 
 delightful spots I know. It is on a typical 
 piece of the low rocky Bermuda coast, with 
 great boulders going out into the light, light 
 green water. We were in a small valley and 
 the officers on a raised portion at the back 
 of the camp. It is quite a desert place, with 
 no houses near, and two thick cedar woods on 
 either side of the valley. 
 
 We had six cadets in each tent and about 
 twenty marines for servants and cooks, and 
 about five seamen for markers at the 
 butts. 
 
 I was in the tent marked X with Mack 
 and Kirkland, Roper - Curzon, Liddle and 
 Townsend. 
 
 In the morning, provided we had no firing, 
 we had absolutely nothing to do, and so we 
 used to go and bathe and bask in the sun. We 
 were not allowed to leave the camp on bicycles 
 
THE NAVY 131 
 
 till 12 o'clock, as it interfered with the range. 
 I don't think I have ever enjoyed bathing 
 more. The water is that light green which 
 one always gets with coral, and you can see 
 the bottom easily at 40 feet. The rocks, 
 coast, and water are very like bits of Australia. 
 We also fished and, what was really quite ex- 
 citing, we found boatswain birds' nests. These 
 birds are like big gulls, only they have one 
 single long tail feather about 2 feet long, and 
 they are very fierce when on their nests. We 
 got over a dozen, and there is always a tremen- 
 dous fight to get the bird off at all, as they 
 don't hesitate to fly at you. They build all 
 along the coast in the cliffs, and one gets five 
 or six in batches within five yards of each 
 other. The males are very fierce, and fly 
 round you quite close in large numbers while 
 you are at the nest, which is rather alarming. 
 The birds here are brighter than any I have 
 ever seen. There is the red or cardinal bird, 
 which is the size of a thrush, only bright 
 scarlet, the male having a red crest. There is 
 the blue bird, which is like a large robin, only 
 with a bright light-blue back and a reddy- 
 brown breast. These blue and red birds, 
 which with the sparrows are the commonest, 
 are a really wonderful sight when the sun is 
 on them. The other birds are the blackbird, 
 starling, and cap -bird. The latter are like 
 minute doves about the size of a robin, and 
 are too sweet for words. They always go 
 about in pairs, and you see them waddling 
 
132 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. pt. 
 
 along the ditches and hedge-rows. They are 
 built just like doves. 
 
 In the afternoons we always bicycle into 
 Hamilton, either to play golf or to visit people 
 or something. It is about 8 miles from the 
 camp, and a wonderfully pretty road all along 
 the islands. Coming back the sunsets were 
 perfectly glorious over the islands and the 
 water, which is usually like a mirror. 
 
 On Thursday, the day after we came to 
 camp, we had to walk into Hamilton to fetch 
 bicycles, and I didn't relish a 7-mile walk in 
 the heat, which is considerable in the middle 
 of the day, and so I got a very good sort of 
 gentleman farmer, who was going to the agri- 
 cultural show in Hamilton, to drive me in, 
 and he told me a lot of interesting things. He 
 farms nothing but onions, lilies, potatoes, and 
 celery, the latter only being grown where it 
 is marshy. One sees all these things growing 
 everywhere except here at Ireland Island, 
 where it is nearly all buildings and works. 
 The fields of lilies are glorious sights, and I 
 am sending you a typical picture of one. 
 Hamilton is a frightfully gay place in the 
 winter, a very large and wealthy place, as all 
 the rich Americans come there. They sell 
 lilies at a dollar a bloom to these Americans, 
 and before Easter they pack them off to the 
 New York churches at 5s. a bloom. They 
 sell them to Englishmen at is. a bloom. 
 There are numbers of hotels in Hamilton, 
 two enormous ones, and very swagger shops, 
 
THE NAVY 133 
 
 but they all shut to-morrow, as the season is 
 over, and oiily Cook's tourists come here in 
 the summer for two or three days. 
 
 These hotels have dances every night and 
 concerts, etc., in the season. This stops about 
 April I, and the only things that remain are 
 the high prices. As I said, celery is grown 
 here a tremendous lot, and one sees carts going 
 down with great boxes of it every day to 
 Hamilton, whence it is shipped to New York. 
 They grow three crops a year, and the ground 
 is never given a rest. Strawberries are also 
 grown to a large extent. 
 
 No fruit trees will live owing to blight. 
 It is fairly tropical, as one sees bananas, palms, 
 and paw-paw here and there. 
 
 The flowers of every description out here 
 are beautiful, and all the hedges are oleanders, 
 which flower all the year round. 
 
 The cedar woods are full of oleanders, 
 which grow to an enormous size. 
 
 On Friday the 25th there was an after- 
 noon dance, and no other men were asked 
 except Cumberlands. It was great fun, and I 
 enjoyed it. 
 
 On Sunday (not to-day) four of us had a 
 farewell luncheon on the Clementina^ and we 
 took a tender good-bye at the dance on Friday, 
 as they left for England on Saturday. They 
 really are an awfully nice family and have 
 been extremely kind to me, and I have quite 
 lost my heart to them. Ditto Spencer-Cooper. 
 
 I think I told you we are divided up into 
 
134 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 two- divisions, and Lieutenant Cowan has the 
 first and Lieutenant Gibson the second, my 
 division. Spencer- Cooper and Cowan both 
 got their 2 J rings last week, so now we have 
 four first Heutenants on board, which is rather 
 terrifying. Gibson is quite a nice chap, but 
 very young. 
 
 We got back here to the dockyard to-day, 
 as I have already told you, after easily the best 
 fortnight of the cruise. The rest of our stay 
 will be very dull. There are two football 
 grounds covered with flints, where we may 
 possibly get a game. 
 
 On Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays 
 we are all right, as we can get over to Hamilton 
 and have tennis and golf. I have completely 
 gone off my game at the latter. I think I 
 shall give it up till I get back, and can go 
 to Newbury and get put right, as I only 
 get worse. The conditions of temperature, 
 climate, etc., are so different, and all the links 
 are very bad, so I shall not miss much. I must 
 say I am rather glad we are not going to 
 Aldworth. I think I would rather stay at 
 Farringford and work up golf and sailing, 
 two essentials for the Home Fleet, but don't 
 let this influence you and father at all if you 
 would rather go away. 
 
 We have finished half the cruise, and my 
 results for the three months are in the B group, 
 as we no longer work as a whole. 
 
 Navigation . . .3 
 
 Seamanship and signals . . 2 
 
II 
 
 THE NAVY 135 
 
 Pilotage .... I 
 Torpedo . . . . i 
 
 Engineering . . .1 
 
 Gunnery . . . * ^3 
 
 I must do better in gunnery this next half. 
 I made a mess of my batt. and company drill 
 for some unearthly reason, but I did fairly 
 well in 6-inch gun drill, etc., which matters 
 most. 
 
 I am starting off the next three months 
 to-morrow in the old order, first with engineer- 
 ing, which I like as much as anything, as on 
 the upper deck one is always wondering what 
 the next thing will be, and one starts doing 
 something, and then one's boat is called away 
 or the Captain wants the midshipman of the 
 watch or something, whereas below one can 
 settle down. 
 
 The Admiralty House party are coming 
 here to-night, which means I shall have to 
 play in the band, and so I must stop. The 
 Captain always likes me to play, so he said. 
 
 May 15, 191 3. 
 
 I must first of all thank you for the delight- 
 ful little book about Scott in the Antarctic. 
 It really is splendidly written, and when Peter 
 grows up I should think he would have a good 
 cry over it. 
 
 I lent it to ** Scoop," who likes it im- 
 mensely. 
 
 Nobody knows who the author of ^^ Whereas 
 
136 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. pt. 
 
 Master ?^^ is, and I think it is certainly a woman. 
 Spencer- Cooper said he had heard it was 
 Queen Alexandra. 
 
 I must also thank you for my birthday 
 letters, which I loved getting. It is nice to 
 be able to think we are on the homeward 
 path and well on in the second three months. 
 We are also getting closer to each other, as 
 a letter only takes six days now, which seems 
 nothing after three or four weeks. This 
 Canadian trip sounds nice in a way, but it 
 will be frightfully expensive, and my funds 
 are running very low. One has to get a 
 square meal ashore occasionally. 
 
 On Monday 28 th we started off on our 
 second three months with engineering. In the 
 evening the Captain gave a dinner-party on 
 board to the Governor's party. Sir George and 
 Lady Bullock, Miss Bullock, the A.D.C., and 
 the Captain in charge of the Dockyard and 
 his wife. The band played from 8 till 11.30, 
 and so we got in a good play. 
 
 On Tuesday I played hockey, and enjoyed 
 it immensely. 
 
 On Wednesday, the one day when I could 
 get over to Hamilton and go for a picnic with 
 some people called Tucker, as I had promised, 
 of course I was running the Picket Boat. We 
 had a nice little programme, viz. : 12.30, 
 Picket Boat called away, went to Hamilton 
 with officers. 1.30, returned and did trip to 
 Dockyard, with washing. Returned and went 
 on board 1.45, hoping to get a little nap. 
 
THE NAVY 137 
 
 i.fo, "Away, Picket Boat's crew," and we 
 had to tow targets up and down, up and down, 
 up and down, and up and down in the blazing 
 sun till 4 P.M. Came on board and managed 
 with great luck to get some tea. 4.30 p.m.. 
 Picket Boat again called away, took Liberty 
 men to Dockyard, and did duty boat trip. 
 About 5.30 they condescended to let the first 
 steam-pinnace do a little work, and so I got 
 off at last. I thought you might like to see 
 what we do, and so I put in this detail. 
 
 On Saturday afternoon we gave a dance 
 on board, which was a great success. The 
 dances which these American girls all do out 
 here are really most startling, but they did 
 them at Government House. There were only 
 two waltzes on the programme, all the rest 
 were Turkey Trots, Wedding Glides, One- 
 steps, and What-nots. What with their Jimmy 
 and Dandy and Bully this, that, and the other, 
 and all their words cut off — for instance, if 
 one says, '* Do you like X. or Y. } " " Oh, so 
 fond," is usually the answer — some of them are 
 odd. I hear that in the American Navy they 
 don't say "Port" or "Starboard," but "Left" 
 and " Right," and their compass is graduated 
 into 360°, so that if you want to steer N.W. 
 you say 315°. At these dances we give on 
 board we have a rifle-range rigged up. The 
 bullet is taken out of the cartridge, and if a 
 hit is scored a small hole appears. In reality 
 there is a man behind who switches on a lamp, 
 as of course the charges are only blank. It 
 
138 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 is most amusing hearing some of these officers 
 who are crack shots talk. One officer of the 
 Queen s bet another a fiver that he would get 
 ^wc bulls out of six, and they never gave him 
 a hit at all, and of course he couldn*t make 
 it out. 
 
 On Monday we weighed at 7 a.m. and went 
 down to the other end of the island to a 
 place called Murray^s Anchorage, just off 
 St. George*s. Here we arrived with tugs and 
 targets about 8 a.m. We laid out the buoys, 
 etc., and fired one round from each gun to 
 test the mountings, and pottered around gener- 
 ally. I kept watch down below and had 
 charge of the Main Engines. It really is a 
 very fine thing having charge of a big set of 
 engines like that, and well worth four years* 
 training in the shops. One has to be pretty 
 nippy on these Gun-Layers* Tests, as one minute 
 one is going " full speed ahead " and the next 
 " full speed astern," and then ** stop," and 
 the pressure simply races up if you are not 
 smart with the drains. I have always envied 
 Railway Engine drivers, but I think working a 
 big set of Marine Engines is a much finer job. 
 
 What one has to do is to keep calm and 
 keep one's head. We returned to the Dock- 
 yard at 6 o'clock and landed Lieutenant Cowan, 
 who developed measles. He will not join us 
 again till Halifax or Quebec. 
 
 The next day, Tuesday, we weighed at 
 6 A.M. and returned to Murray's Anchorage, 
 to carry on with our g.l. tests. There are 
 
THE NAVY 139 
 
 three lines of buoys parallel to each other a 
 mile long. We steam along one of these at 
 full speed and fire at the target. 
 
 The lines of buoys are the different ranges 
 for 6-inch5 12-pr., and 3-pr. tests. The firing 
 was rather bad, as it was quite choppy. It 
 was won by a sergeant's gun-crew with four 
 hits out of six rounds in 34J seconds. The 
 target is only 2 feet 6 by i foot 6, and you 
 fire at 1200 or 1800 yards, so it is pretty 
 small. 
 
 The noise is rather dreadful, but one soon 
 gets used to it. The worst by a long way are 
 the 3-pounders. I stayed by the muzzle of 
 one of them for taking the time, and I didn't 
 like it a bit. 
 
 The 6-inch are a sort of roar, and not a 
 bit nasty. 
 
 In the evening I went ashore to a little 
 cove with Lieutenant Adams in the Whaler, 
 and six other cadets, to bathe. It was beauti- 
 fully warm, and I loved it. We swam out 
 to a couple of Bermudian fishing - smacks. 
 These smacks are quite unique and have their 
 mast-head back at a large angle, and inside 
 there is a well, connected with the sea by small 
 holes with bars across. 
 
 Inside one were two small sharks about four 
 feet long. We stirred them up with a stick, 
 and they got quite furious. Inside the other 
 were a lot of crabs and lobsters and two things 
 which looked like enormous bugs or fleas, 
 about the size of a large crab. 
 
I40 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 These things, when stirred up with a stick, 
 rush up to the surface and snap over a small 
 tail, which takes a firm hold of the stick. 
 They are most unpleasant beasts, and I should 
 think, if met with on shore by people who 
 didn't belong to a Temperance Union, would 
 give them a nasty shock. 
 
 As to drinking, we only get lime-juice or 
 water. I used to love lime-juice, but now I 
 hate the sight of it, as the stuff we get on 
 board is vile. The condensed water is nearly 
 as bad, so I drink nothing but tea. Two other 
 things which I loathe, only more so, are 
 marmalade and Golden Syrup, as we have 
 them for breakfast and tea every day of our 
 lives ; there is only enough' service jam sup- 
 plied for supper. As a midshipman you are 
 allowed to spend los. a month on drinks, 
 and no spirits are allowed. Personally, I 
 usually drink mineral waters or Pilsener when 
 I go ashore ; the ordinary beer in these hot 
 climates contains stuff to preserve it, which 
 is very bad for one. 
 
 As regards smoking, I smoke a cigarette 
 occasionally, but I am not particularly fond 
 of it. I think you will find most fellows in 
 the service do smoke. Cigars I do not smoke 
 at all, as it is too expensive, except occasion- 
 ally when I am offered one. 
 
 I tell you all this because I think father 
 wanted to knovz, from his letters, and it is 
 much better to be open about things, and now 
 I have arrived at an age when it is more or less 
 
THE NAVY 141 
 
 time to think for myself, as out here it entirely 
 rests with you what you do and what you 
 don't do. Very few fellows drink any spirituous 
 liquors. A lot smoke. 
 
 Well, to continue. On Thursday we did 
 our 6-inch gun-laying tests, when the shoot- 
 ing was bad. The after . turret won with 
 5 hits out of 6 in 50I seconds. Each size 
 of gun is allowed a certain time, and if they 
 don't get their round off in that time they 
 don't count them. If in less they gain marks. 
 I had the first dog-watch down below that 
 afternoon in the stoke-hold, and we drew fires. 
 I have never known anything so hot. After- 
 wards I had to go up on to the top of the 
 boilers and sKut all the valves, etc., and it 
 literally burnt one's feet, and you could not 
 touch anything with your hands. It was 
 1 84° F. BoiHng-point is 2 1 2 ° F. We stopped 
 the night there, and then on Friday morning 
 we returned to Graspe Bay and anchored off 
 the dockyard. We played ** rugger " in the 
 afternoon in the boiling sun, which was hot 
 work. 
 
 On Monday, May 12, we left Graspe 
 Bay at 7 a.m., and again went to Murray's 
 Anchorage for the cadets to do their 1 2-pounder 
 gun-laying tests. I got three hits out of six 
 in 50 seconds. I fired first of our lot, and 
 had to find the range and deflection with my 
 first two shots, which was annoying. It is 
 good fun firing a gun, but one funks a bit the 
 first shot one fires, although there is no need 
 
142 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 for it. After a bit you don't think anything 
 about it. I sent most of the servants post- 
 cards, as I thought they would like them. As 
 the mothers (of Freshwater) appear to be 
 interested, I wonder whether you would send 
 me some names and addresses. Mrs. Lock, 
 Mrs. Gale, etc., used to be very kind to me, 
 and I think it might please them. 
 
 We passed out through the narrows about 
 4. It is a very narrow channel and a very 
 easy one, as you simply have to go between 
 two rows of buoys. Outside this channel 
 there are most awful rocks and reefs, and 
 you pass quite close to some. They had 
 an anchor ready on the fo'c'sle to let go 
 if we got out of the channel. We did 
 i2-pounder and 3-pounder night defence at 
 8 P.M., with all the search-lights on and the 
 ship darkened. 
 
 When I have not been on watch down 
 below I have slept. They talk about seeing 
 whales and icebergs, but I don't think there 
 is much chance. 
 
 Now, at 8 P.M., it is 45° F., as we have left 
 the Gulf Stream. It is wonderful how it 
 alters. In these two hours the thermometer 
 has dropped from 65° to 50°. It is a change 
 after Bermuda, which, except for the first 
 few days, kept at about 80° F. I have been 
 reading In Memoriam lately and a little book 
 given me by father. Tales from Wagner, The 
 former is really marvellous, and I think inspires 
 one enormously. That verse — 
 
II THE NAVY 143 
 
 O mother, praying God will save 
 
 Thy sailor, — while thy head is bow'd. 
 His heavy-shotted hammock-shroud 
 
 Drops in his vast and w^andering grave, 
 
 appeals to me immensely. It is so true how 
 quickly it is all over and the sailor left there 
 right away in mid-ocean, while those at home 
 are none the wiser for days. We have one poor 
 fellow, a chief mechanician, who has gone off 
 his head, and I was unfortunate enough to see 
 him having a fight with a sick berth's steward 
 while he was trying to escape from a casemate 
 where they had put him. I had never seen 
 a more awful sight, as he was in a terrible 
 state. I will not describe it. It will haunt 
 me for days. I have never seen any one so 
 changed. They have put him in a padded 
 cell to-day, and they think he will soon die. 
 
 Halifax, Thursday, May 15. 
 
 We arrived this morning at 12. I slept 
 on deck through the night, and the tempera- 
 ture dropped to 45° F. Halifax is a large, 
 smoky town, with a big harbour and a lot of 
 docks. I am so cold I can hardly write. 
 
 Halifax, May 27. 
 
 Cheer up about the scolding-sheet, as you 
 call it. The day I wrote everything seemed 
 to go wrong. We steamed up the estuary here 
 about noon, with a bitterly cold north wind 
 blowing, and I happened to be seeing about 
 the cables that day, and so was on the fo'c'sle. 
 
144 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 It really was the coldest thing I have ever felt 
 in my life, and the wretched men could hardly 
 •touch the cable. 
 
 I have sketched the shape of the harbour 
 for you on the other side. 
 
 When you land here you have to go up a 
 big railway goods -yard and a street I have 
 labelled the slums. You go down this for 
 about a mile and a half, and then you come 
 to the main street and a respectable part of 
 the town. As luck would have it, the very 
 first day we arrived the trams went on strike. 
 I landed not knowing this, and walked down 
 this slum street, and it really was an amus- 
 ing sight. Barrels, blocks of wood, bricks, 
 tables and chairs were littered over the tram- 
 lines. 
 
 The main streets, Barrington Street and 
 George Street, are the only respectable streets. 
 It is really quite a small town, only 60,000 
 inhabitants, and a fellow told me that in no 
 other town in Canada or America did the 
 same slums exist. You see, Halifax is entirely 
 isolated from any other place, and there are 
 no industries. In the last 25 years the 
 population has not increased by a thousand. 
 I wandered about the town all the afternoon, 
 but there is nothing of any interest to see, no 
 museum or picture-gallery. However, I had 
 quite enough excitement, and it happened 
 like this. When there is a strike out here the 
 employers get Strike-Breakers, who are men 
 who travel about from place to place doing 
 
THE NAVY 145 
 
 nothing else but break strikes. The public 
 feeling against these fellows is enormous. 
 
 The employers had got wind of this strike, 
 so on Friday, the day the men went out, 
 about 100 Strike-Breakers arrived from Mon- 
 treal about 5 o*clock. While I was walking 
 about I saw a huge crowd in one street, and 
 found a perfect riot going on. These Strike- 
 Breakers, or scabs as they call them' out here, 
 were trying to drive the cars along, and there 
 had been a block and the three cars jammed 
 up together. The mob, who were really 
 angered, were smashing these trams up, throw- 
 ing bricks, etc., at the windows, and also at 
 the Strike-Breakers. I never realised before 
 what a nasty and completely uncontrollable 
 thing a big crowd is when it begins to get 
 angered. The police were absolutely power- 
 less, and I should imagine in a funk of their 
 lives, but one of the Strike-Breakers who was 
 driving a car got a smack in the face, upon 
 which he whipped out a revolver, and the 
 police arrested him on the spot for carrying 
 firearms. This caused an outburst of en- 
 thusiasm for the police, as every one was 
 yelling, ** Down with the scabs,** ** Kill them 
 if you can," etc. One car just began to move 
 when some sportsman climbed up on top and 
 pulled away the trolley-pole, but didn*t quite 
 succeed, and so left it with a spark about one 
 foot long, hissing and cracking. I thought 
 it very lucky that the whole of the wires didn*t 
 fuse, and I also began to think of getting out 
 
 L 
 
146 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 of it to catch my boat. It took ten of us 
 twenty minutes to fight our way out. 
 
 The next day, Saturday, about thirty of us 
 went to a Music Hall. It was quite a change, 
 as we had not seen a stage since we left 
 England. It is the only place with a stage 
 in the town, and the entrance is ten cents (five- 
 pence), so you may imagine it is not very 
 high-class. All the other places of amusement 
 here are cinemas, three of which take place 
 in churches. It seems a dreadful come-down, 
 but most of the houses are wooden, and I 
 suppose they have built stone churches to 
 take the place of wooden ones, which have 
 been given up to this wretched form of amuse- 
 ment. We really saw quite a good show at 
 the Music Hall, and most respectable. They 
 have always two policemen outside, and if 
 any one even shouts he gets turned out. You 
 are only allowed to clap and stamp with your 
 feet. We all shouted encore after one song, 
 and were almost expelled. Would you believe 
 it ? the manager had never heard the word 
 before, and didn't know what it meant. 
 
 You really can have no idea how wretched 
 it is when you are in a place like this where 
 there is nothing to do, except a mild walk 
 through the slums. If the trams had been 
 running one might have seen a little of the 
 country. 
 
 On Tuesday we left the ship at 7.15 a.m., 
 with the band and two companies of sailors, 
 and were towed down the estuary to Bedford. 
 
II 
 
 THE NAVY 147 
 
 After you go through the narrows you get into 
 Bedford Basin. This is like an enormous 
 lake, and all the ships in the world could 
 anchor in it, as it is very deep. I should 
 think it is the most wonderful natural harbour 
 in the world, but there is no use for it out here. 
 So far I have seen nothing of the actual country, 
 except the edge of this basin, which is all 
 surrounded with Scotch fir and birch, the silver 
 stems of the birch looking really lovely against 
 the dark background. Well, we landed at 
 Bedford, and marched through these woods 
 by byways to Dartmouth, about ten miles, and 
 got back to the ship at i p.m. 
 
 On Wednesday we managed to get a foot- 
 ball ground, and B group played A group, 
 and we beat them 6 points to 3. I guess we 
 can play some, yessir, as they say out here. 
 It really is awful the way they talk, and in the 
 papers ** through " is spelt " thru," and all 
 that sort of nonsense. 
 
 On Thursday the trams started running 
 again. " Great event in history ! ! '* 
 
 On Saturday we went to Government 
 House, where we danced from 4.30 till 7 p.m. 
 It was a most formal affair. All the captains 
 and commanders of the ship here were in full 
 uniform frock coats, and the soldiers in their 
 tunics, etc. We had some tip-top dances out 
 o^ Fire-Fly and Red Rose^ the two latest American 
 musical comedies. As regards the Governor, 
 he never allows an intoxicant inside the house, 
 and proposes the King's health in lemonade. 
 
148 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 We are having a sing-song on Wednesday, at 
 which I am going to sing ** Hitchy-coo.** 
 The Captain asked Reid and myself to go to 
 the Cathedral with him on Sunday, and come 
 on to luncheon afterwards. He was most 
 nice and kind the whole time, and after lun- 
 cheon told us some quite interesting yarns. 
 Well, we went to the Cathedral, the Captain 
 in full-dress uniform, likewise we. It is a 
 very long church, and we stamped the whole 
 way up the nave to the front pew, which was 
 roped off for us. It really was an awful 
 performance, as Prince Albert was to come, 
 but didn't, so they took one of us to be him, 
 and every one stared. Then the man gave 
 out from the pulpit that two verses of ** God 
 save the King " would be sung, and it was done 
 then and there. I can't tell you how nice 
 it was being in church again after four months, 
 though the music and singing were not very 
 good. It is the oldest cathedral in Canada, 
 which is not saying much, as it looks twenty- 
 five years old at the most. 
 
 The sing-song last night went off quite 
 well, again rather nervous work, but as the 
 ship's company sing ** Roll on September," 
 which is when they re-commission, so I will 
 sing ** Roll on July lo," which is not far off. 
 
 Now to get to work, or revenons a nos 
 moutons^ as the French say. 
 
 On Friday, May 30, we put to sea from 
 Halifax at 5.30 a.m. It was blowing pretty 
 hard inside the harbour, but when we got 
 
THE NAVY 149 
 
 outside it was blowing a regular gale, and a 
 terrific sea running on the beam. I have 
 never seen anything like the way the old tub 
 rolled. It was 2° more than in the Bay, and 
 one of the boats was completely stove in and 
 smashed to bits by a wave. I got wet through 
 by 8.30 A.M. by a wave which came on board 
 as we rolled gunwale under, and there was 
 water up to our waist when she came over 
 that way again. Some most exciting episodes 
 took place during the day, as people were 
 washed across from one side to the other, and 
 I was standing on deck and a big wave came, 
 and I saw a fellow, a cadet called Roome, 
 who was standing next to me between a gun 
 and the ship's side, up to his neck in water 
 nearly. He got quite a nasty fright. I was 
 lying on my chest, and in a big roll the whole 
 thing capsized and was completely telescoped, 
 and I have kept it as a keepsake of what one 
 of my legs might have been. I think every 
 one had exciting moments that day, and there 
 were some very amusing ones, especially once 
 when a ten-foot table got on the loose and 
 waltzed about the half-deck, and most of us 
 were able to make a lot of fun out of things, as 
 we did not feel in the least ill, and so on the 
 whole it was more cheerful than the Bay. 
 
 That evening we got into the Gut of Canso, 
 where peace and calm reigned once more, 
 and we steamed the next morning up the 
 Northumberland Strait and arrived at Charlotte 
 Town about noon. 
 
I50 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. pt. 
 
 It is a town of 6000 inhabitants. There is 
 absolutely nothing to do in the whole island. 
 Prince Edward Island generally is very flat, 
 never rising above 500 feet, and on the grey 
 day on which we arrived looked very desolate 
 and barren. The inhabitants, what there are, 
 fish a little, farm, and keep live-stock. The 
 whole island is sparsely covered with a sort 
 of cypress, and the fields are a lovely fresh 
 green, so that on a bright sunny day, with 
 the bright blue of the three rivers, wide 
 estuaries at first until they narrow down, 
 the green fields and the dark firs, which con- 
 trasted well with the red clayey cliffs, quite 
 like the Devonshire soil, it was a lovely picture 
 of a desolate kind which grew on one, and 
 I thought it beautiful by the time we left. 
 There was a Garden Party at Government 
 House and a dance. I danced the lancers 
 with a girl to whom I could not think of 
 anything to say. About half way through 
 she asked me if I was a mystic, to which I 
 repHed, " Yes." 
 
 Tuesday morning at 3 a.m. we left, on a 
 glorious day with lovely sunshine. As we 
 steamed along, with Prince Edward Island 
 on our starboard and the mainland New 
 Brunswick on our port side, it was perfectly 
 delicious, enough to make anybody happy 
 and contented. 
 
 About 4 P.M. we passed through hundreds 
 of small fishing-boats, fishing for cod on the 
 banks. There was not a breath of wind, 
 
THE NAVY 151 
 
 and there was a slight mist over the sea from 
 the setting sun, and these little white sails 
 looked like phantoms dotted about on the 
 glas'sy sea. It was like a little basin, with 
 toy yachts on it. We entered the mouth of 
 the mighty St. Lawrence about 9.30 p.m., and 
 that night there was an extraordinary after- 
 glow, quite a sort of Aurora Borealis, The 
 black outlines of the headlands and mountains 
 stood out in relief against the red sky, with 
 the lighthouses, which are very numerous all 
 the way down, like stars twinkling in the 
 darkness, making a really perfect picture, and 
 I stayed and watched it for a long time. We 
 kept close in to the left bank the whole way 
 down, and we did not sight the right till 12.30 
 on Thursday. 
 
 The St. Lawrence scenery is nothing 
 wonderful. On the left bank runs a low sort 
 of hilly range, which one just cannot see over, 
 about 100 feet high, until we get near Quebec. 
 There are little white hamlets all the way along 
 nestling at the foot of these hills, and between 
 these hills and the water on the left side there 
 are about four miles of fields or woods. 
 
 We got into Quebec about 7 a.m., and we 
 packed our bags and started off from the ship 
 at 12.30. Quebec is built on the side of a 
 hill, with the Citadel at the top. On a level 
 with this Citadel, and running down the river 
 for about a mile, are the Heights of Abraham. 
 They are distinctly disappointing, 
 
 I had expected to see a wall of rock 300 or 
 
152 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. pt. 
 
 400 feet high, looking practically inaccessible 
 and going sheer down into the river, instead 
 of which, from the Citadel onwards for a mile 
 or two miles, there is a grassy slope going up 
 to a height of 200 feet, on the top of which are 
 the plains. This slope looks as if one could 
 make its ascent with the greatest ease. The 
 country round Quebec and the view from the 
 Citadel, with the blue Laurentian range in 
 the distance, which I will describe later, is one 
 of the most lovely views I have ever seen and 
 more than makes up for the other. Quebec 
 is divided into more or less two halves, the 
 lower^city or old part, and the upper city or 
 modern part, where all the shops and hotels 
 are. The lower city is full of funny little old 
 streets, filthily dirty, and slums most of them, 
 but very quaint and interesting, and like a bit 
 of the old world of the Middle Ages, and the 
 only bit of old world in the whole of Canada 
 or America. Of course we landed in the 
 lower city, which is the part nearest the water. 
 We got into a tram in the old market-place 
 and went up a lot of little old streets — passed 
 the canal to the Canadian Pacific Railway 
 Station. 
 
 I do not know why, but it has always been 
 a wish of mine to go in one of the big trans- 
 atlantic railways of America. Of course every- 
 thing is done on a much bigger scale than with 
 us. The rolling stock and engines are much 
 bigger and heavier and everything rather 
 interesting. We got three sleeping - coaches 
 
THE NAVY 153 
 
 at the end of the 1.30 p.m. express for Mon- 
 treal, and the last one was reserved by the 
 officials for Prince Albert, for they thought, 
 as most people do out here, that he would go 
 about in state. He went with a party in one 
 of the front two carriages. We stepped up 
 into the last carriage and the conductor said, 
 " For the Prince." 
 
 I said, *' Yes, all right." So I got in and 
 the other fellows I was going with, Kirkland, 
 Mack, Harrison, and Liddle. The coaches 
 have a drawing-room, smoking-room, and 
 lavatory at either end, and a saloon in the 
 middle in which the bunks let down at night. 
 
 The officers who came with us, the First 
 Lieutenants, Spencer- Cooper, Deacon, Mr. 
 Percy, and the Fleet Surgeon, had the flat at 
 the front end. The conductor went up and 
 told Spencer- Cooper that he had got the 
 Prince at the back. I had already told S.-C. 
 about the mistake. He kept up the joke, and 
 told the conductor to keep an eye on him, so 
 we got no end of attention. The conductor, 
 with many touches of the cap and *' Your 
 Highness," got some camp stools for each of 
 us, and made us very comfortable. It was 
 very nice sitting at the back in a sort of glass 
 case and watching the line stretching away 
 behind one and all the country. We passed 
 through absolutely nothing all the way to 
 Montreal except green fields and green woods 
 of maple, elm, or silver birch with their lovely 
 white stems. The green of the grass out here 
 
154 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 is really wonderful, much fresher and greener 
 than in England. I don't know that it was 
 because we had come from the West Indies 
 where everything is burnt up, and after being 
 on a ship and now being more or less free 
 again, that the sight of this freshness of spring 
 seemed to me one of the happiest of things. 
 I sat there from i to 6, when we got into 
 Montreal, loving every minute of it. After 
 being cooped up in a ship and subject to the 
 strictest discipline one loves these times and 
 learns their real value. It is extraordinary 
 that I didn't see a single field, of roots or corn 
 or maize or anything, just these vast meadow 
 fields and the cattle,, with their little white 
 log-cabins dotted about here and there. We 
 got to Montreal about 6.30 p.m. and had 
 dinner at the big hotel with everything of 
 the best. One thing made the whole differ- 
 ence, that the officers left us entirely to our- 
 selves, allowed us to go where and do what we 
 liked, and we had mufti food, as we called it. 
 In fact, but for the uniform, it was just as if 
 we were on leave, only, instead of paying for 
 things, the bill was sent in to the First Lieu- 
 tenant. Our party stuck together and had 
 meals everywhere together the whole time, and 
 when there was something to see we had some 
 quite amusing times. I rushed round the 
 place in a motor with Algernon Percy, a very 
 good fellow whom we took on board at 
 Trinidad, a friend of the Captain's. I expect 
 you know who he is better than I do, some 
 
THE NAVY iss 
 
 relation to the Duke of Northumberland or 
 some other Duke. We only had half-an-hour. 
 We managed to see the interior of the Cathedral, 
 which was fine, and all the principal buildings, 
 of which the Bank, G.P.O., and Parliament 
 Houses are magnificent. It is a magnificent, 
 great big place, and wide streets, and I only- 
 wish we could have seen more of the capital 
 of Canada. We got into our three coaches 
 again at 8 p.m., and from now onwards we 
 had a special. I spent a most comfortable 
 night, and we arrived at Toronto the next 
 day at 7 a.m. on the wharf alongside the 
 steamer at which we started off at 7.30. 
 
 From Toronto we crossed the bottom 
 corner of Lake Ontario to a place called 
 Niagara on the Lake, being out of sight of 
 land the whole time, and then entered the 
 Niagara river, which is about two miles wide, 
 with orchards on either side, the right bank 
 Canada, the left America. It is one of the 
 greatest fruit-growing districts of Canada, 
 and pears, peaches, grapes, plums and apples 
 grow out in the open in abundance. We went 
 up the Niagara river about 20 miles to a place 
 called Louistown. Here the Niagara Belt 
 line starts, and we got into a special tram to 
 go up the Niagara gorge, one of the most 
 wonderful bits of scenery I have ever seen. 
 One feature of the trip was that the arrange- 
 ments and connections were perfectly excellent 
 and there were no waits anywhere. It was 
 all done by the C.P.R. As one goes up, the 
 
156 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 gorge gets deeper and deeper and the water 
 faster and faster until it becomes a rushing 
 torrent, with seething, rushing rapids at the 
 Devil's Hole. As you go on farther up the 
 gorge the tram lines run on a ledge between 
 a perpendicular face of the gorge and the 
 rushing water underneath, about ten feet above 
 the water, so that if a rock came down from 
 above or anything happened which made you 
 fall into the water it would mean instant 
 death. Next you come to a round basin with 
 sheer sides, covered with rich green foliage, 
 a lovely sight, with the river rushing in at 
 one end and out at the other, while the 
 water in the middle is whirling round and 
 round, the basin being about 2 J miles wide. 
 This is where Webb's body was found. You 
 go on again and come to the finest rapids 
 of the lot, the whirling rapids. I have never 
 seen any rapids before. It is a most fascinating 
 sight. The river comes rushing down at a 
 tremendous pace, all bubbling and boiling, 
 and then is lashed into great waves and clouds 
 of spray as it comes to the drop, which you 
 can see distinctly, and then between the spray 
 you could catch a glimpse of the water slipping 
 and sliding down over a submerged rock at 
 some 50 or 60 miles an hour. 
 
 I have taken photos of all these things and 
 have got postcards in my book, which I am 
 longing to show you. We went on for another 
 mile, the gorge being seven miles in all, 
 and then branched up the side of the gorge 
 
THE NAVY 157 
 
 into the town of Niagara, the province of New 
 York. There are two towns of 50,000 in- 
 habitants each on either side of the gorge, on 
 the American side " Niagara New York," on 
 the Canadian side " Niagara Ontario/' Luckily 
 there are masses of trees everywhere, and from 
 the Falls, and their surroundings, one cannot 
 see either. Going up the side of the gorge 
 we got our first glimpse of the Falls, and I 
 think one of the finest, as one sees them there 
 away in the distance enveloped in a misty 
 spray, looking more like some far-off phantom 
 Falls, through a frame formed by the big 
 bridge which joins the two towns. After 
 going through the town we got out and walked 
 to Point Prospect, where we had the first view 
 of the Canadian Falls. 
 
 It really is a wonderful sight watching this 
 water getting faster and faster as it nears 
 the top, and then tumbling over with a roar 
 as it leaps and thunders down into the river 
 beneath. As the face of the American Fall 
 is much more jagged than the Canadian or 
 Horse- Shoe Falls, the water is much whiter 
 and sprayed out, and the sunshine on this 
 water makes it sparkle and glisten like snow, 
 while the mist-like spray covers the bottom 
 part in hues and forms a rainbow suspended 
 in mid-air. It is the most beautiful thing 
 I have ever seen, and I do so wish you and 
 father could have been there, as you would 
 have loved it so, and I should have liked it 
 a thousand times more. Thank goodness ! 
 
158 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. pt. 
 
 I went about all day with a fellow who really 
 did enjoy it to the full. After going out 
 on Prospect Point we crossed over to Goat 
 Island and looked at the American Falls from 
 that side. We also from here went under- 
 neath the Falls. We all got into sweaters 
 and oilskins and then went right down to the 
 river's edge. From there you clamber over 
 the rocks on the wooden bridge arrangement 
 which stretches from rock to rock, and by 
 degrees work round until you could get 
 underneath the Falls to the ** Cave of the 
 Winds," as they call it. 
 
 Now comes the real part of the business. 
 The spray is simply blinding, and it is like 
 going through a terrific blizzard. You hang 
 on the rails for dear life, as you cannot see a 
 thing, with your breath taken away at in- 
 tervals, wondering how long it will last and 
 thinking was it really worth coming after all, 
 but you eventually get through it, and then 
 it is simply splendid watching this great 
 cataract of water shooting out from the face 
 of the rock above you in a compact mass, and 
 spraying out in all directions as it comes down. 
 
 We then climbed up to the top again, got 
 out of our oilskins, and walked back to the 
 town and across the bridge to the Canadian 
 side, where we had luncheon at an enormous 
 and perfectly ruinous hotel called the Clifton. 
 After this Kirkland and I went and made 
 friends with the Captain of the Maid of the 
 Mist^ who gave us a free trip up to the foot of 
 
THE NAVY 159 
 
 both Falls, which otherwise would have cost 
 us 4s. each. You go right into the spray 
 and foam and get some magnificent views, I 
 think about the best of any. We were very 
 lucky, as we had a lovely sunny day when 
 everything looked at its best. The Canadian 
 or Horse-Shoe Falls have not such a jagged 
 face as the American ones, and so the water 
 goes over in a sort of blue wall, which is lovely. 
 After the Maid of the Mist I went in a tram up 
 the river to Chippewa, where one has a view 
 right across Lake Erie, with all the chimneys 
 of the great Power Houses on the far side and 
 Buffalo in the distance. Going up to Chip- 
 pewa one passes all the big Canadian Power 
 Houses and a big sea of rapids above the Falls, 
 where the two branches of the river join above 
 Goat Island. We spent from 11 a.m. till 5 
 P.M. there, and then came back to Louistown 
 in the tram, only this time on the Canadian 
 side and at the top of the gorge. We stopped 
 half-an-hour at Brock^s Monument in some 
 huge public gardens, which, like everything else 
 out here, are beautifully kept, with ** No walking 
 on the grass " freely distributed everywhere. 
 This monument marks the spot where Brock 
 is buried who won the battle of the Queens- 
 town Heights between the Canadians and the 
 Americans, when the Americans rose against 
 the English for searching and pressing ships 
 in 18 12 to 1 8 14. We made friends with 
 the Director, and were the only people who 
 went up to the top of the monument, as the 
 
i6o HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 others thought it too expensive. We also 
 kept the special tram waiting, much to the 
 annoyance of the people who were in it, but 
 we were determined to see everything. Harri- 
 son and I had even got up at 7 that morning 
 and rushed round Toronto, and just caught the 
 boat at 7.30. The view from Brock*s Monu- 
 ment is wonderful, where you can see miles, 
 as the country is so flat. In front lies the 
 Niagara river leading to Lake Ontario whose 
 opposite bank we could not see. Behind 
 stretched away the Niagara gorge leading to 
 Lake Erie, and on either side miles and miles 
 of orchards with their rich green. They have 
 no oaks or anything tending to darken the green 
 at this time of year. We got back to Toronto 
 at about 9 p.m. after a terrific thunder-storm. 
 Once there was a huge flash and all the lights 
 went out, and we had to wait till they went on 
 again to pick up our steering-points. It was 
 blowing hard, too, and the boat was packed 
 with trippers and a lot of Methodist Congress 
 people, who all started singing hymns, the 
 women shrieking, although there was not a 
 ripple on the water. . We got up a rival chorus 
 of Dixie popular rag-time, probably unknown 
 to you, and they thought it terrible. One old 
 chap told us we should never go to Heaven if 
 we did such a dreadful thing. We left in 
 our special train for Kingstown, turned out 
 there, and went by boat for Montreal and 
 Quebec, passing through the same field and 
 wood scenery as before. 
 
THE NAVY i6i 
 
 We got back to Quebec on Sunday. I 
 have written a huge description of Niagara in 
 my diary and have stayed on board to write 
 this. I am posting it from Gaspe Bay, a lovely 
 spot, and a nice rest after our busy life at 
 Quebec, as on Monday, Tuesday, and Wed- 
 nesday we had dances. 
 
 St. George's Bay, June 21. 
 
 The next time I write will be from Ply- 
 mouth's sunny shores. We get home on 
 July 10, re-provision and coal, and leave on 
 July 1 3 for manoeuvres, which, it is rumoured, 
 are going to last till August 3. Such is life, 
 and we must make the best of it. I hear we 
 are going to guard trade routes, which means 
 that we shall cruise up and down probably off 
 Ushant, and not touch land anywhere between 
 July 13 and August 3. 
 
 I stopped my last letter with our arrival on 
 board on Sunday, June 8, after returning from 
 Niagara. That afternoon we again got on 
 the move at 3 p.m., and on our landing were 
 met by the Chief of Police in full uniform and 
 very important, a typical Frenchman, with a 
 little black fiery moustache. During the after- 
 noon I made great friends with him, thanks 
 to being able to talk a certain amount of 
 French, and he insisted on showing me off 
 to the populace as Prince Albert, he being 
 really at Government House. 
 
 It seemed to cause him vast amusement, 
 chiefly because it gave him a chance of talking 
 
 M 
 
1 62 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 to the mob, I think, but I managed to give him 
 the sHp after this performance had been re- 
 peated twice. He escorted us from the land- 
 ing-place to a special tram, which took us 
 through the little old-fashioned streets, with 
 everything written up in French, to Victoria 
 Park. 
 
 Here we all got out. He placed himself 
 at our head, with me on his left and some one 
 else on his right, and proceeded to march us 
 across the park to Queen Victorians statue. I 
 have never seen anything like the way the crowd 
 behaved. They stared at us as if we were 
 wild animals and, one might say, pinched us 
 to see if we were stuffed. Monsieur the Chief 
 of Police was in all his glory, and we were 
 kept here for about five minutes completely 
 hemmed in while the mob gazed at us. It 
 was a wonderful proceeding. After this we 
 moved on about 50 yards to a tree planted by 
 King Edward, where the whole process was 
 repeated. We then went back to our tram, 
 followed by the crowd, and drove to the station, 
 from where electric trains start for Mont- 
 morency. It is a 7 -mile run and you 
 cross over the St. Charles, go through the 
 Quebec suburbs, and follow the left bank of 
 St. Lawrence. From the station at Mont- 
 morency we got out into a huge sort of park, 
 with a fair going on and a tremendous crowd 
 of riff-raff, merry-go-rounds, booths, swings, 
 etc., all in full go on Sunday. In the middle 
 of this park, with 30 motors drawn up in front, 
 
THE NAVY 163 
 
 was an hotel called the Kept House, and a 
 verandah on the ground level running round 
 the bottom with a railing round it. In this 
 verandah we had our tea at enormous tables, 
 and on the railing a crowd at least 20 deep 
 watched us eat our tea, which consisted of 
 one plate of toast and one of biscuits, for which 
 they charged the city 2s. 6d. per head. After 
 tea, when I asked to see the Falls, they seemed 
 quite surprised. 
 
 These are about a quarter of a mile from 
 the back of the hotel, and one watches them 
 from a little look-out about half-way down. 
 The surroundings of course are not to be 
 compared with Niagara and the Rapids, but 
 I must say I think the actual Falls are finer. 
 They are of course nearly 100 feet higher, but 
 one doesn't get a quarter of the volume of 
 water going over, still, there is plenty, so as 
 not to make it look the least thin. The way 
 it comes tumbling down and adapts itself to 
 the curve of the rock and then splashes into 
 the St. Lawrence beneath is very fine, and I 
 stood and watched it for a long time. I don't 
 know whether it is the novelty or what, but a 
 waterfall has a great attraction for me. After 
 this I went and saw the moose, cariboo, ermine, 
 beaver, etc., belonging to a great fur company, 
 who have two huge places in Quebec, called 
 Holt & Renfrew. They keep this small 
 Zoo to show the people what the beasts are 
 like before the fur is taken. The little beaver 
 had a most piteous expression and looked as 
 
1 64 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. pt. 
 
 if he were going to cry. I don*t know if this 
 is a common trait of the genus, but I have never 
 seen one before. 
 
 Also, a big wild cat was most ferocious, 
 and spat at me forcibly for a long time after 
 I had insulted his cage by throwing in a pebble. 
 
 The next day we had a dance up at the Citadel, 
 given by the officers of the Canadian Garrison 
 Artillery. It was the best dance we have 
 been to so far. They had an absolutely lovely 
 band of about 40, which played outside the 
 ball-room window, and the floor was perfection. 
 The Citadel is right up at the top of the hill, 
 above the town, on the original site of the old 
 one of Wolfe's day. The actual battlefield is 
 about a quarter of a mile farther along at 
 the top of this hill. The present Citadel and 
 the Barracks were built in 1806, and cost so 
 much that a question was asked in the House 
 at home whether it was true that the Citadel 
 of Quebec had been built of solid gold. 
 
 One door of the ball-room led out on to a 
 long terrace running the length of the battle- 
 ments, from which one is supposed to get one 
 of the finest views in the world. The pano- 
 rama is certainly wonderful. Directly beneath 
 is the Chateau de Frontenac and the Dufferin 
 Terrace, with the old lower city below, while 
 beneath all runs the mighty St. Lawrence. 
 Away to the left are the docks and the St. 
 Charles, with its large green fertile valley, 
 while beyond are the blue, blue hills of the 
 Laurentian range. The day we were up there 
 
THE NAVY 165 
 
 it wa§ perfectly gorgeous ; the blue of those 
 hills was exactly like the blue of those Italian 
 hills which we have got in some water-colours 
 at home. 
 
 To the right stretched away the great valley 
 of the St. Lawrence, with the low Notre Dame 
 range in the distance. I wish you could have 
 been there, as it was really beautiful. 
 
 The next day we had a half-holiday, and 
 our old friend, the Chief of Police, met us 
 as before in the market-place with a special 
 tram, only this time, instead of having an 
 ordinary tram, we had a great huge open thing 
 with gold lines painted on it, and a man with 
 a megaphone up in front. We went on a 
 tour of the town. Nothing struck me par- 
 ticularly except Wolfe's headquarters, a little 
 house now used by an enterprising barber, and 
 the Parliament Buildings, an extraordinarily 
 fine block. 
 
 The interior of the Roman Catholic Cathe- 
 dral is rather fine, built in a handsome sort of 
 white stone. 
 
 We finished up at Government House, 
 where we had another dance, with the splendid 
 band, which I much enjoyed. 
 
 Next day, Wednesday, we had a tennis- 
 party at the Quebec Tennis Club. I played 
 one set, but I was determined to see the 
 Heights of Abraham and Wolfe's Monument 
 before I left, so I went off there with a Miss 
 Hewstiss. The plains have narrowed down 
 considerably now, and there is only about a 
 
1 66 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 quarter of a mile between the bank of St. 
 Lawrence and the first row of houses at the 
 edge of the town. They are building over 
 them more and more. The plains are just 
 undulating ground with Wolfe's Monument 
 where he fell, with his helmet cased in bronze 
 at the top. There are a golf-links and base- 
 ball ground, a football ground, and a cricket- 
 ground on them at present. They have begun 
 making an enormous park on a very big scale, 
 which is to enclose the whole thing, and will 
 not be completed till 191 8. I came back 
 and walked along the Dufferin Terrace, which 
 runs along in front of the huge Chateau de 
 Frontenac^ the most expensive hotel in the 
 world. 
 
 From here you look down on to the old 
 market-place and the lower city, a fascinating 
 view. 
 
 We left next morning for Gaspe, one of the 
 most lovely places I have ever seen. On the 
 day we arrived it was rainy and misty, but the 
 other two days we were there were lovely, and 
 it looked perfectly beautiful. You enter be- 
 tween two headlands about 10 miles apart 
 into a large bay, at the end of which stretches 
 across a long sandy spit. You squeeze round 
 the end of this and then come into the lovely 
 Gasp^ Basin, surrounded on all sides by high 
 hills, which stretch away range upon range. 
 It is completely landlocked, except for this 
 entrance round the spit. 
 
 The following day, when we had brilliant 
 
THE NAVY 167 
 
 sunshine and blue sky, the surrounding pano- 
 rama was glorious — the lovely dark blue of the 
 water, the ranges of hills all round, their sides 
 densely covered with pine woods, with here 
 and there splashes of light green from the 
 silver birches, the two seeming- always to 
 grow together out here. Two arms of the 
 basin stretch away at the end, one forming 
 the mouth of the Dartmouth river, and the 
 other the inner harbour. All was so still, 
 perfect, and fresh, a great change after our 
 busy week at Quebec, and every one was glad 
 of the rest. There is only a very small fish- 
 ing village and nothing to do except go for 
 walks, and as we only land for two hours on 
 ordinary days we cannot get far. 
 
 On Sunday, however, a party of us went 
 and fished for sea-trout in the St. John^s river 
 at the mouth, but you fish with a worm, so it 
 is not real trout-fishing. We got 23 between 
 us, I getting 7. They are delicious eating, 
 some of the best fish I have ever tasted. Their 
 flesh is pink like a salmon and very fresh and 
 sweet. 
 
 We left on Monday at 6 a.m. and arrived 
 at Sydney on Tuesday evening. 
 
 On Wednesday we coaled ship, and left 
 again that night. The cadets did not coal, 
 but got a day off. In the morning we all 
 went over a great Steel Works. It was the 
 most interesting piece of engineering I have 
 seen, and I have written a full account in my 
 diary, which I must explain to you when I 
 
1 68 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 get back. I made friends with the manager, 
 who got me permission to go down the biggest 
 coal-mine in Canada, 14 miles away, at a 
 place called Glace Bay. I have always wanted 
 to do this all my life, and I loved it. 
 
 St. George's Bay, Saturday, June 21. 
 
 P,S. — I went ashore at 1.30 p.m. and I got 
 in nine holes, and was playing better than I 
 have played on this cruise, but it came on to 
 rain and blow very hard, so I came back by 
 the 3.30 P.M. boat wet through, and after I 
 had changed rescued this from the letter-box, 
 so I can write some more. I will go on from 
 Sydney. We went over the Steel Works, 
 which took us about 2\ hours, as we saw the 
 iron ore go in in its rough state, when it is 
 just like a piece of red sandstone, and come 
 out as nails, railway lines, wire stanchions, etc. 
 It really was most interesting. We sketched 
 a lot of the appliances and went into it all 
 thoroughly at Dartmouth in our engineering, 
 but we never saw it working on a big scale, and 
 so that made it doubly interesting knowing all 
 about it beforehand. 
 
 They make 100 miles of railway lines a 
 week and 1000 barrels of nails a day, and 
 what was extraordinary is that human hands 
 don't touch it from the time it goes in as stone 
 and comes out as nails, railway lines, etc. 
 Steel arms come out from travelling cranes 
 and pick two or three tons up and push it 
 
THE NAVY 169 
 
 about, and do what they like with it, as a 
 human hand does with a piece of sugar. 
 
 The coal-mines belong to the same Com- 
 pany, the Dominion Steel and Iron Company, 
 and there are sixteen shafts out at Glace 
 Bay. 
 
 I made friends with the manager. He 
 telephoned over there, and one of his officials 
 met the electric train which goes out there 
 14 miles and took a fellow called Roome and 
 myself to Number 2 shaft, the largest and 
 most up-to-date mine in the whole of Canada. 
 It was a terrific rush, as we had to be on board 
 at 6 P.M., because the ship was under saiHng 
 orders. This meant going without luncheon, 
 and I asked if any one else wanted to go, and 
 nobody thought it was good enough to go 
 without luncheon and with such a rush except 
 Roome. 
 
 When we reached there we went to the 
 Davy-lamp room and changed into overalls and 
 got out lamps, and then, under the charge of a 
 great burly miner about 6 feet 6, the under- 
 ground manager, we went to the shaft. There 
 are four shafts, the man-shaft, the coal-shaft, 
 an air-supply shaft, and an air-exhaust shaft. 
 You go down in the lift or tank, as they call it, 
 1000 feet, and most of the time at a terrific 
 pace of 40 miles per hour. It beats any lift 
 hollow, and the air sings in your ears owing 
 to the high pressure. Half-way down, when 
 . you are going fastest, it feels exactly as if you 
 were going up slowly owing to the pressure or 
 
I70 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 something that I can't quite make out. It is 
 probably due to the fact that you are sort of 
 compressing the air, which acts as a kind of 
 buffer underneath, and you feel this, but your 
 eyes cannot help you, as you are going so fast 
 that you cannot see the sides of the shaft. 
 When you get down below a man seizes your 
 Davy-lamp and blows all round and shakes 
 it to see that it is all right. Near the bottom 
 of the man -shaft is the coal -shaft, which is 
 in the main gallery, and makes an awful noise. 
 The stables for the few ponies they have are 
 also here, and sidings for all the spare trucks, 
 etc. — in fact there is plenty of room and space. 
 The main gallery, which is about lo feet high 
 and 20 feet wide, with a double rail laid in it, 
 runs the length of the mine north and south, 
 and another smaller one east and west. Along 
 these lines runs a compressed-air locomotive, 
 no other being safe owing to sparks, which 
 pulls along a train of 25 trucks, each truck 
 containing about 5 tons. The trucks are 
 brought to the lift and hoisted up bodily. 
 Along these main galleries run hundreds of 
 other galleries, which are, so to speak, main 
 side-galleries. 
 
 These are laid with rails, which have a wire 
 running along the middle wound on a drum 
 rotated by a compressed-air engine in the 
 main gallery, which thus pulls a train of trucks 
 along. These side-galleries are about 6 feet 
 high and 6 feet wide, and from them branch 
 off the working galleries. We were lucky, as 
 
THE NAVY 171 
 
 there was a working gallery about 2 miles 
 away from the shaft bottom, most of the others 
 being 5 or 6 miles away. To get to it we 
 walked down the main gallery for a bit, which 
 has its sides and top and bottom cemented, 
 and then we branched off into a " Deep '* 
 {i,e. side-gallery), with its walls of solid coal 
 with log-props supporting log-beams overhead, 
 which give a certain amount of support to the 
 top of the gallery. How on earth our friend 
 the underground manager found his way to 
 the place where the men were working I can't 
 imagine, as it is a regular network of galleries. 
 There were two miners there, and they cut a 
 gallery about 5 feet high and 4 feet wide as 
 they go, and a man comes along behind and 
 lays a rail and puts up the birch log-props. 
 It is along these rails that the ponies are used. 
 The two men were using an automatic pick, 
 which is worked by compressed air, and which 
 you ride like a motor-bike, and a more un- 
 pleasant contrivance one could not easily devise. 
 They jerk, jar, and throw the man about like 
 a cork, but 50 tons are obtained a day to an 
 ordinary hand-pick's 8 tons, and of course in this 
 up-to-date country they are used universally. 
 The men dig along for about 6 feet and to a 
 height of 2 feet at the bottom, and then they 
 blast the chunk out with a special sort of 
 powder after carefully testing for gases. The 
 whole mine gives from 3500 to 4000 tons a 
 day. 
 
172 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. pi. n 
 
 Plymouth, Tuesday, July 8. 
 
 We dropped anchor in Plymouth Sound 
 this evening at 7 p.m. and the mail goes at once. 
 We have had a splendid trip across, and very 
 quick — only 6 days. ... I am longing for 
 home . . . still, I have had the best six 
 months (away from home) of my life, and I 
 shall never get it again nowadays in the Navy. 
 
PART III 
 
 H.M.S. QUEEN MART 
 
 I?3 
 
THE QUEEN MART 
 
 In September 191 3 Harold joined the Queen 
 Mary, He left Farringford for this ship on 
 September 13, and wrote the first of his letters 
 home from the historic ** KeppeFs Head " Hotel, 
 Portsmouth. On the 30th he sent for his dance- 
 music and songs, and shortly after they left 
 Portsmouth, and steamed out, with the band, as 
 he says, ** playing cheerful music,** for Portland. 
 He was now Assistant to the Navigating Officer, 
 or " Tanky." 
 
 On October i they sailed with the Lion 
 (Flag) and Princess Royal for Cromarty, which 
 was reached on October 3 at 6 a.m. From 
 Cromarty he visited Strathpeffer and Inver- 
 gordon, and then returned via Bantry to Port- 
 land. 
 
 From Portland he went over to Bourne- 
 mouth to see his great-aunt. Miss Matilda 
 Tennyson, ** Aunt Tilly," now ninety-six years of 
 age, the last survivor of his grandfather's large 
 and long-lived family of brothers and sisters. 
 It was she who more than eighty years before, 
 as a child, with her elder sister Mary, had seen 
 the phantasm of Arthur Hallam in the lane at 
 
 175 
 
176 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 Somersby in that memorable September of 1833, 
 when 
 
 Within Vienna's fatal walls 
 God's finger touch'd him, and he slept. 
 
 Cheerful to the last, her young great-nephew 
 found her much pleased to see him. " She 
 seemed very happy,'* he writes, ** and told me I 
 was not nearly so dark-skinned as father, who 
 always looked like a thunder-clap when he came 
 into the room.'* 
 
 Portland. 
 
 I have read all the Spectator articles. 
 
 On Wednesday, when the ship went to 
 sea at 6.15 a.m., I took the umpire to the Her- 
 culeSy the postman into Weymouth, the butcher 
 into Portland, and then I went and lay along- 
 side the Achilles till 12.30 p.m. The ship 
 came into harbour at 1.30. 
 
 I started off, brought off butcher and launch 
 in tow with provisions, got alongside ship at 
 2 o'clock, went to Monarchy returned to ship, 
 off again to Hercules and Assistance^ back to 
 ship, off to Lion with immediate letter, in to 
 Weymouth with stewards, back to Portland 
 for postman, and so on till 10.30 p.m., from 
 12.30 one continuous run. I slept on the 
 floor of the cabin till 5 a.m., when we went off 
 on an immediate letter trip to the 6"/. Vincent^ 
 and then back to the ship to fetch the postman, 
 and so on till 11.30 p.m. Last night to 
 Weymouth for Naval Patrol. Yesterday, as 
 we were Duty Steamboat for the Fleet, we did 
 
THE QUEEN MJRT 177 
 
 a continuous run from 5.30 a.m. till 8 a.m., 
 from 9.30 A.M. till 12.30, from 1.30 p.m. till 
 6.30 P.M., from 7.30 till 11.30, but to-day 
 we shall have a little less work. 
 
 That is our life on board. I must say this 
 life of rush is quite fun in a way, and reminds 
 me of London, though at times it is hard to 
 keep awake. 
 
 Next they went to Brest, where they arrived 
 on February 10. 
 
 " We formed rather an imposing sight,*' 
 he writes, " leaving Portland and steaming out 
 of the breakwater, the Lion leading, followed 
 by the Queen Mary^ Princess Royal^ and New 
 Zealand^ and leaving the harbour deserted. 
 It was a lovely moonlight night when we left, 
 but when I went up on watch at 4 a.m. on 
 Wednesday morning it was blowing very hard 
 and raining in heavy squalls. I literally at 
 one time got blown back down the ladder 
 while trying to get up to the compass platform. 
 It was a head sea, and the ship was as steady 
 as a rock, pushing through it at 15 knots, 
 and every time sending up a huge cloud of 
 white spray and wave over the fo'c^sle, a very 
 fine sight when looked down on from the 
 compass platform. The seas were breaking 
 right up to the turrets, like waves against a 
 breakwater. 
 
 ** They say that with these long ships a 
 head sea is the most dangerous, as they may 
 break their backs, being so long, and reach 
 
 N 
 
178 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 over the waves. Two things occur, * hog- 
 ging * and ' sagging,' but I don't think we 
 need worry about them in the Queen Mary. I 
 was only telling you as a matter of interest. 
 
 " We sighted Ushant at 7 a.m., and then 
 altered course and steamed down along an 
 awful coast strewn with hungry-looking rocks 
 and boulders, many of them far- out at sea. 
 We arrived in about 10.30 a.m. You steam 
 in between two heads and go through a channel 
 with hills on either side, about 3 miles long 
 and i\ miles wide. This channel comes out 
 into an enormous bay, which looked like a 
 lake, and beautiful in the bright sunlight. 
 I went ashore about 4 o'clock, wandered about 
 with McMaster, talked French to everybody 
 I "saw, and then came off again at 6.30. It 
 had just begun to blow, and the wind was 
 rapidly getting up. We were all lying at 
 single anchor, and of course when these 
 squalls come on one is liable to drag, and it 
 means no end of what I call * flap.' On 
 Friday night I spent the whole of my watch 
 upon the bridge taking anchor-bearings to see 
 if the ship was dragging, and all sorts of things 
 going on the whole time which is not what 
 one expects when one is in harbour. 
 
 ** On Thursday I dined in the Ward-room 
 with the Commander, and sat between him 
 and the gunnery-lieutenant. I think the gun- 
 nery-lieutenant one of the finest officers and 
 nicest men I have ever met. He takes so 
 much interest in everything, and knows about 
 
THE QUEEN MART 179 
 
 everything from Aeroplaning down to Naval 
 History and Greek Sculpture. I have made 
 friends with him, and he has made me Range- 
 finder operator, which is the most interesting 
 position in the ship when firing. 
 
 " They say that when the Orion did her 
 battle practice her good firing was entirely 
 due to the lieutenant operating the Range- 
 finder, and so you see a good deal depends on 
 it. There is much rivalry about the business, 
 which makes me all the more pleased to have 
 got it." 
 
 The next letter is written from the harbour 
 of Vigo. It describes how he met a very nice 
 French cadet belonging to some of the " nuts '* 
 in Paris, who took him and his friend McMaster 
 to the theatre at Brest. The theatre was a very 
 fine one and the orchestra really magnificent. 
 They saw the Rot d'Ts, The music in parts was 
 very fine, the French acting " marvellous,*' and 
 the staging good also. " We sat," he writes, 
 " in a funny little box, of which there are many, 
 going round the back of the theatre underneath 
 the dress-circle. I enjoyed it enormously, especi- 
 ally the music." 
 
 "The next day, during the morning, we 
 got our torpedo-nets out, which we have not 
 done since we were commissioned. The Com- 
 mander sent me out to the far end of the lower 
 boom, which is a long pole sticking out from 
 the ship's side about 60 feet from the water- 
 line, over which the boats' crews go out, slide 
 
i8o HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 down a rope, and man their boats. The 
 object of my being out there was that I could 
 watch the whole length of the ship to see if 
 everything was clear, and to work flags direct- 
 ing the motion, heaving up the nets. Instead 
 of taking half an hour it took three hours, 
 and as one cannot move and has to hang on 
 by the skin of one's teeth, I was very glad to 
 get inboard again. It was nearly as bad as 
 being mastheaded ! Getting out nets is a 
 dangerous evolution, and people often are 
 hurt, but we got through without a mishap." 
 
 " In the afternoon the midshipmen of the 
 Squadron played the French cadets at * Rug- 
 ger,* 1 and we got beaten, sad to say. They 
 have 1 60 to pick from up to the age of 20 
 and we have about 30 up to the age of 19 
 to pick from. They played a wonderful 
 passing game and their forwards flick the 
 ball back to their three-quarters the whole 
 time. Their three-quarters are marvellous, 
 some of the best I have ever seen. We had 
 to go and eat cakes with them after the game, 
 which was an extraordinary proceeding. We 
 left Brest at 5 p.m. and went to Night-defence 
 station all night. I control two 4-inch guns 
 in the port battery. Next day, Wednesday, 
 it came on to blow, and it was pretty rough 
 all day, with pouring rain and a gale blowing, 
 which has continued ever since until this 
 morning. 
 
 " Vigo looks lovely through the fog all 
 
 1 Rugby football. 
 
THE QUEEN MART i8i 
 
 surrounded with mountains, with the papier- 
 mache multi-coloured town with its high 
 citadel close to us. 
 
 " Owing to stormy weather we had to spend 
 the night in Vigo. On Sunday morning it 
 w^as blowing very hard, but we managed to 
 go off to the ship after a very rough passage, 
 and we got on board over the lower boom as 
 it was too rough for any gangways to be 
 lowered. It was very funny to see some of 
 the older officers trying to get in over the 
 boom in a funk of their lives. It is really 
 nothing very terrifying, and I am used to 
 anything now after my 3-hour stunts at * out 
 nets.' 
 
 " On Monday it rained and blew all day. 
 Ditto Tuesday, except after 3 p.m., when it 
 cleared up. Six of us go away every day in a 
 gig, in which we are practising for the June 
 regatta. 
 
 " It is excellent exercise and I like it very 
 much, after which we do gymnastics over a 
 horse, which I also enjoy. We do these in 
 the dog-watches, i.e, 4 to 6, when work is 
 finished. On Wednesday we had general 
 drill, which is one evolution after another, 
 all ships of a squadron racing against each 
 other, a most dangerous operation. We did 
 
 * Out all wire -hawsers,* Queen Mary ist; 
 
 * Away all boats, pull round the Fleet,' 
 Queen Mary 2nd ; * Out nets ' and * In 
 nets.' This last the Queen Mary has never 
 excelled at, as I told you before, and our nets 
 
1 82 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. pt. 
 
 are not all in yet ! Yesterday was the first 
 fine day we have had, and it was perfectly 
 glorious. Brilliant sunshine, clear blue sky, 
 very warm, and the sea like a lake. The 
 harbour looked gorgeous surrounded by low 
 hills, dotted about with little villages nestling 
 in the valleys. 
 
 " At the entrance are two curiously shaped 
 islands, while the harbour at the back merges 
 into the Minho River and goes curling away 
 among the hills.*' 
 
 H.M.S. "Queen Mary," Home Fleet, 
 Arosa Bay, Friday, March 3. 
 
 I got two delightful letters from father 
 with some amusing stories and a splendid long 
 one from you. . . . 
 
 On Sunday it was a moderately nice day 
 and McMaster, Slayter, Aitchison, the nice 
 sub - lieutenant and myself all went for a 
 picnic. We had a tremendous stone fight 
 with the natives of the land, who persisted 
 in molesting us while we had tea. We put 
 one fellow into the sea, and he lost his temper 
 and whipped out a knife, so we held him under 
 until he regained his temper again. On 
 Monday, after work was over, we went away 
 pulling in the gig and played stump-cricket ; 
 likewise on Tuesday. To tell the truth, 
 except for week-ends we get very little time 
 off, and as for doing any lectures, there is 
 far too much seamanship and upper -deck 
 work going on. Tuesday afternoon we had 
 
THE QUEEN MART 183 
 
 a Fleet sailing race. I was the only midship- 
 man from the Queen Mary^ and went in the 
 Commander's gig with a crew of boys, one of 
 whom had been in a gig before. It was 
 blowing like smoke, and only six boats finished 
 the course. Two of our cutters and the pin- 
 nace broke their masts. We got on famously 
 until we were full up to the brim, and then the 
 boat refused to go anywhere near the wind, 
 and as all the other gigs, bar one, had given 
 up, I thought we had better get back, especi- 
 ally as some of the boys were rather dicky. 
 Wednesday General Drill came along, and 
 we did very well. All our gear is much 
 heavier than the other ships, and consequently 
 we are bound to take longer over it. 
 
 The general-drill days take about 6 years 
 off every one's life, and how on earth more 
 people are not killed heaven only knows. 
 
 I went to early service last Sunday. Our 
 Chapel makes a great difference. 
 
 About six weeks later, on April 18, 19 14, 
 they were home again, and once more up at 
 Cromarty, which " was looking lovely with the 
 snow-clad hills and peaks at the back of the long 
 stretch of water forming Cromarty Firth." 
 
 "We arrived at 1.30 p.m., a glorious day, 
 warm as summer, with no wind, in fact 
 the most gorgeous day we have had this year. 
 We left Portland on Friday morning at 6.30 
 A.M., and we had a glorious race, we four, 
 thq LioUy Princess Royal^ New Zealand^ and 
 
1 84 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 ourselves, up Channel, the Queen Mary just 
 touching 30 knots. It was the finest sight 
 I have ever seen in my life, these four ships 
 racing along, with a continual cloud of spray- 
 coming high up over the fo^c'sle, at over 30 
 miles an hour, as a knot is more than a mile. 
 ** After two hours the New Zealand was 
 completely out of sight and the Queen Mary 
 about 1 miles ahead. I was on watch all 
 day, and so had a splendid insight into the 
 whole thing. The Captain said to me, ' Why 
 did you not bring your father up with us } * 
 and so I murmured something, and he said, 
 ' Why did you not ask ? I should have been 
 delighted to have him as a guest on board. 
 Do you think he would have come ? ' and 
 so I said Yes, I thought you would have 
 liked it enormously, and so he said, ' Well, 
 ask him if he will come and join us here.' 
 Perhaps you might like to come up here and 
 come down with us, as it will be very in- 
 teresting, for we shall do a lot of experimental 
 firing ; all this next month our days are full 
 up with it. I do wish you could have seen 
 our full-speed trial, as it really was an extra- 
 ordinary sight. We kept it up for 8 hours, 
 and we walked away from the other ships, 
 after which we finished at 23 knots, doing the 
 whole distance of 612 miles in 30 hours. 
 They simply got our contractors* horse-power, 
 75,000, without the least trouble, and they say 
 with forcing they could have got 120,000 and 
 beaten all records." 
 
m THE QUEEN MJRT 185 
 
 Home again 
 
 Farringford, Freshwater, 
 Sunday, May 24, 19 14. 
 
 I arrived here safely by the 7.50 boat 
 on Friday night. It is too lovely for words. 
 The last time I left here, if you remember, 
 nothing was out. Now everything is a mass 
 of beautiful fresh green. The blackthorn on 
 the left as you come in at the gate is one mass 
 of white petals, and the may tree on the right, 
 opposite the mulberry tree, I have never seen 
 anything so lovely. It is absolutely one mass 
 of pink blossoms from top to bottom. The 
 park and lawns are smothered in little white 
 daisies, and the old rhododendron is still 
 covered with blossoms. I longed for you 
 both all the time, and it seemed quite strange 
 in church without you this morning. We 
 coaled ship on Monday, and on Tuesday and 
 Wednesday we were out range-keeping with 
 the Centurion all day from 6 a.m. till 7 p.m. ; 
 no dinner, no tea. I was up in the control 
 tower all three days (as on Thursday), the 
 1 3-5- inch guns all those hours taking 
 ranges continuously, and in between Aitchison 
 and I read each other a story alternately, for 
 we were the only two people up there. We 
 have had Committees, Admiralty officials, 
 and Admirals on all day, as we have been 
 doing all experimental firing with all the 
 different apparatus we have got. The Captain 
 is splendid with them. He locked Aitchison 
 and myself in the control tower, so that they 
 
1 86 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 could not come in and worry us and ask 
 questions. It is most amusing to hear them 
 come up on the bridge and ask the Captain 
 questions, which he always answers in the 
 most courteous manner. 
 
 I think you will understand my not coming 
 to London, as we have the most strenuous 
 programme next week, and besides the joy 
 of being out all day. The beauty of spring 
 and the exercise are worth 15 Londons, and 
 I can*t tell you how I have enjoyed it, the 
 only thing missing to make it perfect being 
 your presence. 
 
 About three weeks later he was in Russia. 
 He writes on Friday, June 19, from Reval : 
 
 "We left Portland on Friday morning a 
 week ago to-day and steamed up the Channel, 
 and thus across the North Sea and round the 
 top of Jutland. We had the most glorious 
 weather the whole way. We sighted land 
 again on Monday morning. After we had 
 rounded Jutland we went through the Skag- 
 gerack and Kattegat, and then through the 
 Belts, the Little Belt and the Great Belt. We 
 did not go through the Sund or Sound, which 
 is the passage father spoke about, past Copen- 
 hagen, as we draw too much water. All 
 through the Belts the sea was like a glass and 
 the sun beat down fiercely on the decks. I 
 spent all my time off watch asleep in the fresh 
 air on deck, which is what one misses so much 
 being down below. 
 
Ill THE QUEEN MJRT 187 
 
 " The land on either side of these Belts is 
 exactly like England except for the great 
 wooden windmills flapping lazily round, and 
 innumerable lighthouses, as, although they 
 are pretty wide, the channel is very narrow. 
 There are low-lying pasturage, green fields, 
 and woods sloping back into low hills, just 
 like England. We got through by Tuesday 
 night and set out to make our way across 
 the Baltic, and so into the Gulf of Finland, 
 near the mouth of which Reval is. We 
 arrived here- on Wednesday afternoon in 
 glowing conditions. It is a very fine city 
 from the sea, there being innumerable church 
 spires everywhere. The whole is surmounted 
 by a citadel on the top of which is the Russian 
 Church, like a big mosque, with five colossal 
 gold balls on pinnacles at the top. Away to 
 the right of the city is the manufacturing part, 
 with swarms of chimneys, and to the left is 
 the dockyard. The Russian Fleet is here 
 with their latest Dreadnought ship the Rurik^ 
 and she looks too tiny beside us. The Rus- 
 sians say they are perfectly astounded at the 
 size of our ships. Three of their ships which 
 were badly damaged in the war are here. On 
 Wednesday afternoon all the English * nuts ' 
 went to see the Russian * nuts,' and then vice 
 versay salutes being fired continually by every 
 ship. Yesterday there was a dinner on board 
 given by the Commander-in-Chief, at which 
 the Admiral (Beatty) and all Captains attended. 
 From 3 P.M. to 6 there was a reception on 
 
1 88 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. pt. 
 
 board the Rurik. Needless to say, I did not 
 go ; I hate all these dinners and receptions, 
 for they are nothing but drinking-matches. I 
 went ashore at 1.30 p.m. and started a round 
 of churches. The first we went into was a 
 German church, I imagine Lutheran, as there 
 was no stained glass and bare white walls. 
 Then into another German church, very old 
 indeed, dull and very dark. The walls were 
 hung everywhere with enormous shields and 
 coats-of-arms, and there are a lot of solid 
 square tombs dotted about. We then walked 
 round the citadel, which has a very fine massive 
 old wall, by a zigzag path, eventually getting 
 to the top, where the Russian Church is, that 
 is, the church with the huge golden emblems 
 on the top which blaze and glitter in the sun. 
 It has some very fine and magnificently carved 
 doors, and inside is exactly like a hall in a 
 picture-gallery. There is a highly polished 
 parquet floor, and all round the walls are 
 pictures of the Madonna, Christ, etc. At the 
 end, in front of a frescoed wall, is a raised stone 
 level, on which there are two brass lecterns, 
 these being the only articles of furniture in 
 the church, no altar-table, chairs, or anything. 
 Round the sides there are a few little tables, 
 with some solid gold or silver erections 
 about 1 6 inches high in a glass case, and in one 
 corner an enormous glass case with a marble 
 coffin inside, supposed to be the coffin of 
 Christ. There is no stained glass, the light 
 simply flooding in through skylights ; as I 
 
Ill THE QUEEN MART 189 
 
 say, you would think you were in a picture- 
 gallery. Behind the altar in the frescoed 
 wall there are two doors cut, leading into 
 what I suppose are chapels, anyhow there are 
 small rooms with pictures and a thing looking 
 like a glorified gold salt-cellar under a glass 
 case in the centre. In the left-hand one 
 there is a strip of carpet in front of the glass 
 case, and a priest with long hair half-way down 
 his back and a long black beard, who had 
 taken me behind the scenes, as it were, as a 
 great honour, nearly had a fit. I walked 
 across this carpet to look at a picture on the 
 opposite wall, and, when half-way, he caught 
 hold of me by the back of the neck and hurled 
 me back. I nearly landed him one, but he 
 then threw himself down on the carpet and 
 started praying and wailing. Apparently this 
 is a piece of sacred carpet that had not been 
 walked on for over a hundred years. After 
 about five minutes he recovered, and took me 
 into the vestry and opened two great cup- 
 boards. Never have I seen such vestments. 
 You must have seen the pictures of the 
 Russian priests with their long purple upright 
 hats. Well, there were rows of these, and 
 huge, great vestments of white satin, inlaid 
 with solid gold and silver, a green velvet cloak 
 emblazoned with gold and black, and crimson 
 satin ones all heavily inlaid with gold and 
 silver, there being about 6 of each sort. 
 Apparently they put on about 4 of these 
 every time they conduct a service, and they 
 
I90 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. pt. 
 
 must weigh pounds. I made another 
 * floater/ by touching one of them, from the 
 antics the priest went through. It is a fairly 
 large town, full of smells, narrow streets, and 
 dirty shops, while there are innumerable 
 gardens, squares, and boulevards with chest- 
 nuts and planes. Not a soul speaks a word of 
 English or French, but they nearly all speak 
 German. I went to the English Consulate to 
 change some money, and do you know that 
 the six clerks were every one of them Germans ? 
 which seems to me pretty disgraceful. The 
 streets are all cobbled, making it very un- 
 pleasant to walk on and most exciting to 
 drive on. 
 
 " Two striking features of the Russians are 
 firstly their hats, and secondly their cabs. 
 Nearly every one you meet is in a uniform of 
 som'e sort, and those who are not wear these 
 caps and long flowing beards. The cabs are 
 very low and very rickety, with barely room 
 for two in the back, and you go along * hell 
 for leather,' bumping over the cobbles. There 
 is no law and order in the streets as regards 
 the traffic, and everything makes a headlong 
 rush for the inside in going round a corner, 
 with a result that one has the most exciting 
 moments, and two or three times a shaft of 
 another vehicle hit me in the back. There 
 are many deep holes in the streets, and these 
 rickety * droskys,' as they are called, nearly 
 upset every time. The postcards I enclose 
 make it look much cleaner and better than it 
 
Ill THE QUEEN MART 191 
 
 really is, but the offices, buildings, and churches 
 are certainly very fine, also the view of the 
 city from the * rade,* where we are lying in 
 the midst of the Russian Fleet. The Governor 
 of Esthonia gave a luncheon party to the 
 *nuts* to-day, and to-night we are dining 
 our opposite ships. There is also a dance at 
 the summer club at 10 p.m., which nothing 
 would have induced me to go to, but Mrs. 
 Beatty has asked a lieutenant and myself to 
 dine on board the Sheila and then go on to 
 the dance, so I suppose I shall have to go. 
 Our sailors and marines are being entertained 
 on board the Tzarevitch this afternoon, and 
 we are inundated all day by a continual stream 
 of officers and men to see over the ship. 
 The aristocracy talk French, so I shall be 
 all right when we get to Petersburg. We 
 leave here on Sunday and arrive at Cronstadt 
 the same day. There is an enormous pro- 
 gramme of dinners arranged, but as far as I can 
 make out they drink a lot, which I can't stick, 
 and the dinners last for hours. The weather 
 is delightfully warm and delicious, but I am 
 longing to be back in England. I have just 
 got a delightful long letter from father. I do 
 so hope Lionel will do well for the Army, 
 I have a dreadful piece of news, and that is 
 that the Captain is leaving the ship to go to 
 the Admiralty as soon as we get back. It 
 really is too sad, as he is the finest Captain 
 in the Navy, and I have more admiration for 
 that man than any other naval officer I know. 
 
192 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. pt. 
 
 I believe we are getting a first-rate fellow, 
 called Philpotts, in his stead ; the Commander 
 told me he is worth serving under. I have 
 just heard something rather interesting about 
 this place. It belonged to the Germans until 
 200 years ago, when it was captured by Peter 
 the Great. Before this it was one of the 
 towns of the Hanseatic League, and these 
 burghers built the old walls, which one sees, 
 with a round watch-tower every 200 yards, 
 and also the massive wall of the citadel. The 
 old church with the shields I told you about 
 was their church, and the flags were the flags 
 used by Peter the Great when he took it." 
 
 H.M.S. "Queen Mary," Home Fleet, 
 Cronstadt, Petrograd, 
 Saturday^ June 27, 19 14. 
 
 I have never had such a week in my life. 
 I will leave out the sight-seeing part in St. 
 Petersburg and write it to-morrow or Monday, 
 when we are at sea, and send it on from Biorco 
 Sound. Well, my last letter ended when I 
 was just off to the ball at Reval. I had a very 
 amusing dinner on the Sheila^ Lady Randolph 
 Churchill being there, as well as two lieu- 
 tenants. We all went to the dance after- 
 wards, and I left there at 2 a.m. ; it went on 
 till 6 A.M. It was frightfully crowded. The 
 nights here are perfectly lovely, the sun shining 
 all the time, except from midnight to 1.30 
 A.M., and it is deliciously cool. The whole 
 night long the colouring of the sky is perfectly 
 
m THE QUEEN MJRT 193 
 
 magnificent. The next day the Lion gave a 
 reception on board in the afternoon and a 
 dance. In the evening Hall gave a dance 
 on board, which every one said was much 
 better done than the Lions show. We left 
 the next day, Sunday, at 6 p.m., with the 
 ships ** manned," i.e. sailors posted all the way 
 round the rails. It was a very fine sight, the 
 whole fleet formed up in line ahead and shot 
 out at 20 knots, and the Russian ships cheered 
 us as we went out. One Russian naval officer 
 told me he had never seen an evolution so well 
 done in his life, that they never dared leave 
 harbour at more than 8 knots. We arrived 
 here Monday morning at 8.30 a.m., the 
 youngest captain in the Russian Navy, who 
 was promoted from a lieutenant in the war, 
 being on board as our pilot. We were met 
 by Russian destroyers and thousands of 
 pleasure-boats with flags flying and bands 
 playing, also by an aeroplane and an eagle, 
 the latter not having been seen here since the 
 arrival of Peter the Great. Cronstadt itself 
 is some way up the Neva and consists of 
 nothing but docks and one magnificent church, 
 as fine as any I have seen out here. The 
 streets are small and dirty, and the town itself 
 is nothing. There are many forts on islands 
 dotted about at the entrance, but for present- 
 day warfare a stone fort is useless. In olden 
 days I can imagine its being very strong, 
 but now its only strength depends on the 
 channel, which is only 150 yards wide. We 
 
194 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. pt. 
 
 are all anchored in a line, tied up to buoys 
 head and stern, a stone's throw from the wall 
 of the basin, and we look perfectly enormous. 
 There were the usual exchanges of visits and 
 salutes and a dinner to the captains, etc., on 
 the Minister of Marine's magnificent yacht 
 the Neva, I pulled round the docks, both 
 merchant and naval, in a skiff with McMaster, 
 and nearly all the merchant shipping was 
 English. 
 
 On Thursday morning at 8 a.m. ioo officers 
 from the fleet went up in the Marine Yacht 
 to Peterhof, the Tzar's summer palace. Per- 
 sonally I think it is far more beautiful than 
 Versailles ; the fountains beat anything I have 
 ever seen. There were about six officers of 
 La Garde, which is the crack cavalry regiment 
 of Russia, and is the Tzarina's own regiment. 
 I had the luck to take a bag, as I was going on 
 to St. Petersburg from Peterhof, all the other 
 officers returning to Cronstadt. I asked one 
 of the Russian officers with aiguillettes where I 
 could put it, and he said in French, ** Oh, 
 you come along in my carriage " (he was the 
 General's aide-de-camp), and so there I was 
 with one of these guard officers, the other five 
 of them showing round captains, etc., in their 
 carriages, and the other 94 officers having 
 to walk ! ! ! We first of all drove round the 
 lovely grounds and saw the fountains and 
 the small palace in which Catharine the Great 
 lived. She was very fond of practical jokes, 
 and there is a monster mushroom with seats 
 
m THE QUEEN MART 195 
 
 underneath next the stalk. We were un- 
 knowingly asked to sit here, and then water 
 is turned on and you are kept prisoner by a 
 wall of water flowing down from the outside 
 edge of the top of the mushroom. She used 
 to do this to people who bored her and then 
 leave them there. Another one is a seat 
 which you sit on, and then water comes up 
 through the bottom and from behind, so that 
 you get drenched. We then went on to see 
 the big palace. Peter the Great and Catharine 
 II. laid the whole place out and built it to- 
 gether. It is an enormous place with a 
 great fountain with a huge golden statue of 
 Samson. We walked through room after 
 room in the palace, all being splendidly got 
 up and all smothered in gilt, which I always 
 think looks rather tawdry. The Tzar never 
 lives there, but his guests always do. He 
 lives in a small palace about one mile away, in 
 which he receives no one. He holds recep- 
 tions at the big palace and entertains the guard 
 here once a year. We saw the magnificent 
 suite of rooms prepared for Poincare, who 
 comes here next week, also a splendid satin 
 bed, all magnificently done. The whole thing, 
 gardens, grounds, and palaces, give one an 
 idea of colossal luxury. The other officers, 
 except two Queen Mary's and myself, then went 
 back in the yacht to Cronstadt, but this ex- 
 cellent fellow who had showed me round and 
 driven my bag round after me asked me to 
 luncheon at the barracks, a great honour, as 
 
196 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. pt. 
 
 they are the crack regiment. His name was 
 Baron Tiesenhausen (he is aide-de-camp to the 
 General), looks exactly like an Englishman, and 
 is one of the best. I had the best time of any 
 one, as he let me choose the band programme, 
 and took me out to see the instruments and 
 everything, being the aide-de-camp. In Russia 
 you first start off with cocktails and hors 
 d^ceuvres of every description, caviare of all 
 sorts, and lots of little delicacies ; you then 
 go on into another room and start the proper 
 show. We had an enormous brass band who 
 played magnificently, and then a band of 
 ** balalaykas,*' the Russian national instrument, 
 accompanied with tambourines and wooden 
 spoons, etc., and really a very pretty effect. 
 It is an instrument like a guitar and has 
 no twang. I gave Tiesenhausen an English 
 cigarette to smoke, the first one he had ever had, 
 and he liked it so much I have sent him loo. 
 After lunch there were toasts and speeches 
 addressed to us three, to which Llewelyn re- 
 sponded in remarkably bad French, and we 
 asked them all on board the Queen Mary, 
 After luncheon we went on to their parade- 
 ground, where we saw them carry out their 
 drill. I have never seen a finer sight in my 
 life than these looo horses and men doing 
 their drill at full gallop, wheeling round, 
 making charges and attacks, and not a horse 
 out of line, all the horses the same colour 
 (chestnut) and the same size. The band, also 
 on horses, played a march to the parade-ground 
 
m THE QUEEN MART 197 
 
 and back, and then played in the middle of 
 the ground. After the drill one company 
 rode at full gallop and cut stakes in half with 
 the sword, while others picked up dummy 
 figures off the ground with their lances. 
 They are the Tzarina's own lancers. After 
 this we had tea at their luxurious barracks, 
 and Tiesenhausen drove me to the station. 
 I arrived at Petersburg at 5 p.m., Peterhof 
 being 15 miles off, and I met Aitchison and 
 McMaster. We had obtained leave to go to 
 Moscow, and I had set my heart on it, but, 
 alas, the station-master would not give us 
 free tickets without a pass from the Admiralty, 
 where we found the offices closed at 4 p.m. 
 It really was too sickening, but as it happens, 
 had I gone, I should not have had the chance 
 of showing the Tzar's daughters round the ship. 
 We three stopped the night in St. Petersburg 
 and were given a slap-up time by some Russian 
 naval ofiicers, who insisted on paying for 
 everything. They really are first-class fellows 
 and most generous. I came down to Cron- 
 stadt yesterday in the afternoon, and helped 
 to entertain the lancers on board. To-day 
 at 10 A.M. the Captain sent for me and told 
 me I had been one of the four midshipmen 
 selected by the Admiral to show the Princesses 
 round the Lion^ there being one " snotty " 
 from each ship. I went on board the Lion 
 at 10.30 A.M. and helped the Tzar, Tzarina, 
 four Princesses, two Grand -Dukes, and two 
 Grand-Duchesses out of the Imperial launch, 
 
198 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. pt. 
 
 which brought them from the yacht. I have 
 never seen such launches, all the boiler casing, 
 fittings, and cylinders silver-plated ! At the 
 top of the ladder we were all introduced, and 
 we proceeded to inspect the ship, the four 
 midshipmen showing the girls round. I 
 showed round Princess Olga, who is extra- 
 ordinarily pretty and most amusing. They 
 were the most cheery and pretty quartette I 
 have met for some time, and roared with 
 laughter and made jokes the whole time. 
 We left them for luncheon, as there was not 
 room for every one, and the Flag-Lieutenant 
 told me they wanted to stop on after luncheon 
 and go round the ship again with the mid- 
 shipmen. If only they were "not Princesses 
 I should not mind getting off with one I 
 The Tzar was in splendid spirits, and the 
 aide-de-camp said he had not seen him like 
 that for months. The yacht went back to 
 Peterhof at 4 p.m., and I must rush off now 
 for the Fleet Ball. 
 
 H.M.S. *^ Queen Mary," 
 
 1ST Battle Cruiser Squadron, 
 
 Cronstadt, June 29, 19 14. 
 
 We start to-day for Biorco Sound, 
 about 50 miles off, where we coal, and leave 
 on Thursday. On Friday we are going to 
 do a full -speed trial and manoeuvres before 
 the Tzar in his yacht. (I hope Princess 
 Olga will come down to the engine-rooms !) 
 On Tuesday morning loo officers in uniform 
 
m THE QUEEN MART 199 
 
 from the fleet left Cronstadt at 8 a.m. for 
 Petersburg in a magnificent steam yacht, called 
 the Strella^ belonging to the Admiralty. Cron- 
 stadt is, as you probably know, an island, and 
 you steam up the Neva, which is about 15 
 miles wide, with low wooded banks. The 
 channel is only about 200 yards wide, having 
 been dredged, and runs close to the right 
 bank. It is about 20 miles by water from 
 Petersburg. You enter a canal and then 
 steam up past a mile or so of mercantile 
 docks, and then past the Admiralty docks, 
 where they have 4 huge Dreadnoughts com- 
 pleting and 4 battle-cruisers building on the 
 slips. There is by this time town on both 
 sides of the river. You turn a sharp bend and 
 then you come to a very fine view, looking 
 right up the Neva. There we changed over 
 into small boats and went on under the " Pont 
 Nicolas *' and past the big yellow dome, which 
 is the great Cathedral of St. Isaac, till we 
 came to the huge terracotta-coloured building 
 on the extreme left of the picture. This is 
 the famous Winter Palace, a splendid building, 
 with a frieze of great statues round the out- 
 side, its colour being its only drawback. 
 Here we were met by Russian naval oflicers 
 and taken over the palace. First you pass 
 through a great hall, where there are two 
 bisons shot by the Tzar. (There is only one 
 small part of Russia where they now exist, 
 and that is preserved for the Tzar only.) 
 You pass on up a great flight of marble 
 
200 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. pt. 
 
 stairs to a suite of rooms running along the 
 front and looking on the river. These 
 are the rooms of Alexander II., left exactly 
 as he left them. It is rather pathetic to see 
 his writing-table with his little photos, letters, 
 pens and pencils, etc., all lying about. The 
 rooms are got up in the most costly manner 
 with in many cases a lovely frieze round the 
 top and full of lovely things. The palace 
 was built in 1764 by Rastrelli, partially burnt 
 in 1837, but rebuilt again. We first went 
 through the rooms of Catharine II., with a 
 lovely bedroom and bed upholstered in blue 
 silk. We walked for miles through splendid 
 great halls with parquet floors, long picture- 
 galleries, room after room, all showing the 
 most costly wealth. In the apartments of 
 Alexander I., Napoleon's adversary, all the 
 war is depicted by room after room of great 
 pictures, some by the famous Veretzschagin, 
 who was killed in the Russo-Japanese war. 
 I remember one in particular where they are 
 dragging the guns over the snow, and in a 
 ditch which they had to cross eight Russian 
 soldiers lay down voluntarily and let the wheels 
 of the gun-carriage pass over them. On the 
 walls of one of the great halls were hung an 
 array of gold and silver salvers and salt-cellars 
 by each. On the accession of any Tzar every 
 town or borough presents him with a loaf of 
 bread and some salt, which is the Russian 
 token for friendship and fidelity. The Ad- 
 miral had this honour done to him several 
 
Ill THE QUEEN MART 201 
 
 times at dinners, etc. Another great hall is 
 the George hall, the throne-room where the 
 Tzar holds his receptions and where the first 
 Russian parliament met in 1906. The Tzar 
 never uses this palace except for receptions. 
 The Palace Chapel has a glass case containing 
 the hand of John the Baptist, another saint's 
 hand (both considered genuine), and a little 
 chapel opening out of it is hung with ikons, 
 all presented to the Tzars on their accessions 
 by the Russian churches. There is a solid 
 slab of topaz about 6 inches square with two 
 embossed figures on it, which took ten years to 
 chisel, and was presented to the present Tzar. 
 We then went round the Hermitage, a museum 
 built by order of Catharine II. adjoining the 
 palace. The ground-floor is all old sculpture, 
 etc., but nothing to be compared with the 
 Elgin marbles or the Louvre. There is the 
 largest collection of sculpture b.c. in the world, 
 but it is all so black and broken that it is 
 not interesting unless you know much about 
 it. There is also an enormous armoury with 
 arms from all parts of the world and all dates, 
 rooms and rooms of it, but there again not 
 very interesting after about two rooms. Up- 
 stairs is the Louvre of Russia. They have the 
 finest collection of Rembrandts in the world, 
 perfectly lovely, " The Holy Family '* and 
 ** Sobieski '' being the finest out of the 42 
 it contains. I could have stopped here for 
 hours; all the world's famous painters are 
 here, and I have not been to a good picture- 
 
202 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 gallery for years. We next went into a room 
 where the Tzar has put all his wedding 
 presents. Never in my life have I seen such 
 wealth, jewels of enormous size, wonderful 
 jewelled -handled swords, wonderful jewelled 
 watches, and I should not think that there is 
 as much wealth amassed in any other room 
 in the world. No one is allowed to see the 
 palace, and we were greatly honoured, as we 
 had luncheon in the Great White Hall, the 
 dining-room where no one has dined for a 
 hundred years, after we had seen the museum. 
 I have never had such a luncheon. At 2.30 
 P.M. the yacht returned to Cronstadt, but 
 Aitchison and I stopped up in St. Peters- 
 burg. At the back of the Winter Palace is 
 the large military square, of which I send you 
 a postcard ; in the middle of this there is a 
 great archway, through which you pass into 
 the Nevsky Prospect, the great main street 
 which runs straight for 3 miles, and is the 
 finest street, next to Princes Street, I have 
 ever seen. It is the only street that is wooden- 
 paved, all the others being wide and clean, 
 but cobbled and horribly bumpy to drive and 
 walk on. This is the one drawback to the 
 fineness of the town, all these cobbles which 
 sink into great holes in places, the only things 
 they can use on account of the ice in winter. 
 The Russian cab, the drosky, with its padded 
 driver, of which I send you a picture, is even 
 more exciting to drive in at St. Petersburg 
 than in Reval. I think St. Petersburg from 
 
Ill THE QUEEN MART 203 
 
 a tower or any point of vantage looks the 
 grandest city I have ever seen, as every church 
 (of which there are 600) has a gilded dome, 
 one of them with an enormous blue dome and 
 golden stars over it. Towers and spires rise 
 everywhere, and the buildings and streets are all 
 very splendid. Aitchison and I hired an English 
 guide for los. for the afternoon, as there are 
 only Russian guide-books. We went to see 
 the palace of Alexander III., which is now a 
 gallery for modern Russian art. (The majority 
 of pictures is poor, but there are four halls where 
 there are works which surpass those of our 
 English modern painters.) I saw the most 
 wonderful sea-pictures by Aivasovsky, especi- 
 ally one of a colossal wave engulfing a sailing- 
 ship, also some fine paintings by MakarofF. 
 From here we went on to the church built over 
 the spot where Alexander II. was murdered. He 
 was the most popular Tzar that there has ever 
 been, and he was murdered on a Sunday by the 
 two sons of his private priest. The church inside 
 is all mosaic, with a magnificent ceiling. The 
 floor is marble except for a little piece, covered 
 by a canopy of Jasper, of the cobble street 
 with a splintered cobble where the fatal bomb 
 struck. It is like all these Russian churches, 
 full of the most priceless jewels, chiefly set 
 on ikons and chalices under glass cases — no 
 chairs or anything. We then walked to the 
 Cathedral of Kazan, built to the Lady of 
 Kazan, the splendid doors being an exact copy 
 of St. Peter's. Here are hung the flags and 
 
204 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 eagles of Napoleon and the keys of the 25 
 pillaged towns (Hamburg, Leipzig, etc.). We 
 came in for their evensong. The priest, a 
 fine old man in his great hat and magnificent 
 robes, drones out a long thing in a tremendous 
 deep-toned voice, with his back to the people 
 and his face to the big silver doors. Now 
 and again the choir, consisting of three men, 
 tenor, bass, and alto, join in. They spent the 
 rest of the time cracking jokes as far as I could 
 see. Next to them is the paid reader, who 
 reads the Bible and has on robes. Walking 
 about all the time is a sort of porter, who gets 
 candles from the congregation and goes and 
 sticks them up on sort of lecterns on the raised 
 altar platform, which he walks about on during 
 the service most irreverently ; once we saw 
 him pass the priest, and they both smiled. 
 The congregation meanwhile spend their time 
 kneeling and making the sign of the cross as 
 hard as they can go, and bobbing down until 
 their heads touch the ground about every 
 minute or after every ten crosses. I am sure 
 they can't understand anything the priest is 
 saying. Towards the end the priest and 
 congregation go at it harder than ever, and the 
 climax is reached when a voice is heard from 
 inside, the great silver doors are thrown open, 
 showing the Holy of Holies, and another 
 priest advances and leads the priest who has 
 been conducting the service up into the H. 
 of H. to the altar ; the great doors then close 
 and the service is over. After this all the 
 
m THE QUEEN MART 205 
 
 congregation go up the altar steps and kiss 
 the Virgin Ikon, all set in old precious stones, 
 to the left of the great doors. It is a strange 
 sight to see beggars and women holding up 
 their babies, all kissing the glass over it. The 
 porter again stands to the fore with a rag, 
 and when a ** nut *' comes along who drops a 
 tip into his hand he wipes the glass. In 
 this church is the tomb of Prince Kutuzov, 
 the only tomb allowed in any Russian church, 
 all being buried outside. From here we went 
 on to the fortress of St. Peter and Paul, which 
 is the Petersburg side of the river, that is the 
 other side corresponding to our south side in 
 London. In olden days it used to be one of 
 the strongest fortresses in the world, and in 
 one of its bastions, under the level of the 
 Neva, was imprisoned the only son of Peter 
 the Great, who soon died there. Here also 
 are the Mint, the Artillery Barracks, and 
 Museum, the interior of which we could 
 not see. Here also is the cathedral of the 
 two St. P.*s, where all the Tzars are buried. 
 Here are the tombs of all the famous Russian 
 emperors (guarded by soldier sentries), be- 
 ginning with Peter the Great, who founded 
 St. Petersburg in 1703. On the graves of 
 Alexander II. and Peter the Great there were 
 lots of fresh flowers, and people came and 
 placed some while we were there. Adjoining 
 this church by a passage is another church, in 
 which all the Grand Dukes lie, and when the 
 other is full the Tzars will go to the Grand- 
 
2o6 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. pt. 
 
 Ducal Mausoleum. Only two Tzars since 
 1703 have died a natural death, and Alexander 
 II., their longest ruler, only reigned 24 years. 
 The guide told us that there might be a 
 revolution any day now, as the people all 
 wanted a constitutional two-chamber govern- 
 ment. The ** Duma " is a name only, and 
 is utterly powerless to act, all the power 
 resting with the Tzar and the Grand-Dukes, 
 the latter at the present time having all the 
 power, but the most powerful of all being the 
 old Dowager Empress. We then went back 
 to the Hotel de France, where we were staying. 
 There was a dance and dinner given by the 
 English colonists to the officers, but only two 
 from the gun-room went and I drew a blank. 
 About six of us joined up for dinner, and we 
 met a splendid American fellow, who took 
 us round after dinner. We started off (in 
 uniform of course, as we always had to wear it 
 here) to do a round of the cafes chantants at 
 II P.M. We first went to the Aquarium, 
 which is an enormous place, with three variety 
 shows going on at once. When we came in 
 everybody cheered and clapped, and the band 
 started playing English one-steps and other 
 things, and they brought us free champagne, 
 and we were treated royally. One girl sang 
 ** Put me amongst the girls," being the only 
 English girl there, and we joined in in the 
 chorus, with the American playing the kettle- 
 drum, which he borrowed from the band, 
 and it brought the whole house down. All 
 
THE QUEEN MART 207 
 
 the people at the tables cheered and clapped 
 and encored it three times. After this the 
 American hired the band, and they cleared 
 away the tables and we had a dance, which 
 they never usually have there. We moved 
 on from here to another cafe at about 2 a.m., the 
 bill coming to 250 roubles, one rouble being 
 equal to 2s., and the American insisted on 
 paying the whole thing. We never went to 
 bed at all and got in to breakfast at 7.30 a.m. 
 All these cafes stay open till 7 a.m., and at 
 every one lots of fellows who knew a little 
 English would come up and order a bottle 
 of champagne. I poured most of mine under 
 the table, and so did most of us, otherwise 
 if we had drunk what was pressed on us we 
 should have been logs under the table. In 
 driving through the streets on top of a taxi 
 from one caf(6 to another, nearly every one we 
 passed waved their hats and shouted " Vive 
 l*Angleterre,*' and all the policemen saluted. 
 I have never seen such generous people in my 
 life, and all the bluejackets were treated just 
 the same, everything paid for them. I went 
 back to Cronstadt by the 9 a.m. boat on 
 Wednesday morning, as I had a day on. 
 
 On Saturday night after I wrote to you I 
 changed and went off at 9 p.m. to the ball on 
 board the Lion and New Zealand, I couldn't 
 have imagined anything got up so perfectly ; 
 the vast clear deck of the New Zealand 
 divided in two by the turret formed two 
 spacious ball-rooms, all lit up with brilliant 
 
2o8 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 coloured lights. Broad gangways went across 
 to the Lion^ where there were supper tables 
 and refreshment tables in every direction. On 
 the side of the Lion adjoining the New Zealand 
 was built the Royal box, with sofas and easy- 
 chairs, where the Admiral entertained the 
 various Grand-Dukes and Duchesses. There 
 were over 2000 guests on board. There was a 
 Countess R., famed for her beauty, who goes to 
 London every season. I only danced the first 
 six dances the whole evening — two with her, 
 two with Lady B., and two with Lady G. C. I 
 got hold of Tiesenhausen, that first-rate fellow 
 whom I had luncheon with in La Garde, and 
 I talked to him till i, when his boat left for 
 Petersburg, and I came back to the ship, the 
 whole show stopping at 5 a.m. He gave me the 
 most lovely Russian wood cigarette-case ; these 
 cigarette-cases are the most expensive things 
 out here, as the wood is very valuable. During 
 the evening Flags (the Flag-Lieutenant) told 
 me the Grand-Duke Cyril wished me to be 
 presented to him, ditto the other three mid- 
 shipmen, and he thanked us for showing 
 the Princesses round, and said it was their 
 wish that we should be each presented with 
 a signed photo, which is very nice I The 
 next day, Sunday, I went up with Wilton 
 to Petersburg at 10 a.m. and had luncheon 
 with some people called Hill, who are very 
 rich and have a house opposite the Great 
 Theatre Marinski, where the Russian ballet 
 is. It is a fine building, and stands alone 
 
in THE QUEEN MART 209 
 
 in a great square. In the afternoon we 
 drove down to Peterhof and round the lakes 
 and gardens, and then came back and had a 
 tremendous dinner at the Astoria, the Ritz of 
 St. Petersburg. They want me to go and 
 stay out there for Christmas for the Winter 
 Sports. At 10 P.M. the Strella left the -Pont 
 Nicolas for the last time with English officers, 
 and it was too sad for words. All the em- 
 bankment was lined by crowds, who gave us 
 a great send-off, and we steamed slowly off 
 back to Cronstadt. It is easily the best week 
 I have ever had in my life, and St. Petersburg 
 and the Russians will live long in my memory. 
 All our mails have been lost, and I have not 
 heard from either of you. 
 
 H.M.S. "Queen Mary," 
 
 1ST Battle Cruiser Squadron, 
 
 Portland, July 8, 1914. 
 
 Friday, — It may seem strange, but I have 
 not received a single letter from either of you 
 since I left England on June 12. I am sure 
 you have written, but these wretched Russian 
 mails are so erratic. We left Cronstadt on 
 Monday at 10 a.m. and arrived at Biorco 
 Sound at noon, it only being a distance of 
 40 miles. On Wednesday we started off, 
 about eight of us, at 8.30 a.m. in a Russian 
 destroyer for Viborg, the commercial capital 
 of Finland. It is about 30 miles off, and you 
 pass through these lovely Sounds, which have 
 pine woods sloping right down to the water*s 
 
2IO HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 edge all round. Unfortunately the land is 
 very flat. On the shores I noticed several 
 large schooners being built, and we passed 
 countless steamers loading up with wood. It 
 gives one a very good idea of where all these 
 ships one so constantly passes at sea get 
 their cargo from. Viborg is quite a large 
 town, very clean, with wide streets and electric 
 trams, much nicer than any Russian town. 
 We had about an hour to spend there before 
 we caught the train for Imatra, the distance 
 being about 40 miles, and taking 2| hours ! ! 
 It was very hot and very dusty, and I was very 
 glad indeed when we got there. At Imatra 
 are some fairly big rapids, but I am afraid 
 Niagara has spoilt me for most things. The 
 next day we coaled 1400 tons, and at 4 p.m. 
 nearly all the officers went ashore for a bathing 
 picnic for tea and dinner. We had great 
 fun, and I wandered through the lovely forest 
 amongst magnificent trees. I have never 
 seen such lovely birches, great white stems, 
 with here and there the sunlight stealing 
 through the thick branches of the taller pines, 
 playing on them with a tinge of red light. 
 These pines grow to an enormous height (a 
 sort of Scotch fir), as straight as a die, and I 
 can see now where they get these great high 
 yachts' masts from. The next day Onslow 
 and I walked for miles through the woods with 
 guns, and shot an enormous heron between 
 us, quite the largest bird I have ever seen. 
 We are bringing him home in the ice-room to 
 
Ill THE QUEEN MJRT 211 
 
 have him stuffed. You have no idea what 
 lovely weather we have had since we have 
 been out here, day after day with a clear blue 
 sky and brilliant sun, and very hot too. We 
 left this morning at 10 a.m. and carried out 
 manoeuvres at 27 knots before the Tzar in 
 his yacht. 
 
 Review of the Fleet at Spithead 
 
 H.M.S. "Queen Mary," 
 1ST Battle Cruiser Squadron, 
 Portland, Friday, July 24, 19 h* 
 
 My dear Father — I wish you would have 
 stayed a little longer the other day, as the 
 Royal Salute fired by all the forts and all the 
 ships together was a grand sight ; perhaps you 
 saw it from Ryde. 
 
 You know the man I was sitting next to, 
 the one who bought your tickets — that was 
 Captain Phillpotts, the new Captain, and I had 
 not the foggiest idea who it was, and told him 
 the names of several of the ships for which he 
 asked ! We went out on Monday, every ship 
 cheering as they passed the Royal yacht. The 
 Lion led the line and we came second. On 
 Sunday the King inspected us and said we 
 were the cleanest and smartest ship he had 
 seen in the Navy, and he would tell the Queen 
 what a splendid ship her namesake is. Sunday 
 night I dined in the Clementina with the 
 Harrisons. On Monday we did manoeuvres 
 all day and came into Cowes at 7 a.m. and 
 landed our Cadets. Tuesday morning we 
 
212 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 went out again at 6 a.m., and we got to Port- 
 land yesterday afternoon, where we remain 
 till Monday. I do wish you could have seen 
 us, the 1st Battle Cruiser Squadron, on Tuesday 
 morning as we went past Yarmouth for the 
 first time this commission at 20 knots, a fine 
 sight. I shall be home either Monday night 
 or Tuesday, it depends how long the New 
 Zealand takes over her firing. The gunnery 
 staff find they can't do without their Range- 
 finder, and so the Captain has given orders that 
 I am to come up from down below for the day 
 when we do gunnery. I should like a little 
 time alone with you both. 
 
 Extracts from Log 
 
 July 28. — Austria declared war on Serbia. 
 
 July 29. — The whole fleet put to sea for 
 unknown destination at 7 a.m., except Iron 
 Duke^ which waited behind for the C.-in-C. 
 We steamed West until out of sight of land, 
 and then did a 16 -point turn, hands em- 
 ployed during forenoon preparing ship for 
 war, lashing down all booms, derricks, etc., 
 and frapping all boats. 
 
 2.10 P.M. — Sighted one of the new Italian 
 battleships hurrying off to the Mediterranean. 
 Prepared for night defence. From the very 
 first we adopted the utmost precautionary 
 measures, as we strongly suspected Germany 
 of firing before war was declared. 
 
 9 P.M. — Darkened ship. We had waited 
 all day to pass through the straits at night. 
 
Ill THE Q UEEN MAR T 213 
 
 I had the ist watch at the guns, and it was 
 quite exciting feeling that you were there for 
 the real thing and might be attacked at any 
 minute. 
 
 July 30, 6.45. — Came to with starboard 
 anchor in 16 fathoms at Scapa Flow. (The 
 whole fleet was here I) 
 
 Aug, I J 8 P.M. — Got out net-defence and 
 darkened ship. It was a very foggy night. 
 The fog-bells rang. 
 
 Aug, 2. — Held Divine Service on upper 
 deck. Midnight '* Alarm." The ist Battle 
 Squadron were the outside ships, and so we 
 were responsible for the guarding of the 
 harbour. Boadicea arrived, bringing Sir John 
 Jellicoe, who hoisted his flag in Centurion as 
 2nd in Command. 
 
 Aug, 3. — I tested Range-finder all the fore- 
 noon. 6.30 A.M. we were under banked 
 fires with steam for full speed at two hours' 
 notice. Signal came through. Steam for full 
 speed, 2.45 P.M. 
 
 I P.M. — Vice-Admiral Beatty (made Vice 
 to-day) came on board and made a very fine 
 speech to the Officers and Ship's Company, in 
 which he said we had all been waiting for this 
 great opportunity, and that it had come at 
 -last. It was up to us to uphold the great 
 tradition of the British Navy and to defend 
 Great Britain and the Empire. The people 
 who had devoted their lives to building up 
 the British Navy during the last sixty years 
 were now to see their dreams realised. We 
 
214 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. pt. 
 
 were to reap where they had sown, and we 
 must reap what they had sown, and reap 
 it to the full, so that not a blade was left 
 standing. He then wished us the best of 
 luck, reminded us of our battle practice, and 
 told us we must make the honoured name 
 of Queen Mary doubly honoured and grave 
 it in the annals of history. With that he said 
 ** Good-bye," and I have not heard such 
 cheers as the Ship's Company gave him. 
 
 7.15 P.M. — We heard firing going on 
 outside, and so we weighed and went out 
 at full speed, a splendid sight. Sounded off 
 " General Quarters.'* 
 
 H.M.S. "Queen Mary," 
 
 1ST Battle Cruiser Squadron, 
 
 Portland, July 28, 19 14. 
 
 My darling Mamie and Father — I thank 
 God that at last our chance has come of showing 
 and proving the strength of the British Navy. 
 All yesterday we coaled hard, and to-day and 
 all to-night every ship in the fleet is drawing 
 stores, ammunition, etc., and we leave to- 
 morrow morning at 7.30 a.m. I am writing 
 this little line off to you at i a.m., as I have got 
 an hour's "stand off" while another watch 
 is working. To-morrow, if there is no change 
 in the situation, we shall throw over all our 
 woodwork and prepare for war. 
 
 You were wrong in saying you were afraid 
 England was in an awful state of unprepared- 
 ness ; it could not have come at a better 
 moment for the Fleet. We are all ready to 
 
Ill THY. QUEEN MART 215 
 
 fight and we have not been caught napping. 
 You may rest assured that I am fighting in the 
 best ship and under the best captain and with 
 the best guns, but we can only trust in God, 
 and with His help we shan't have much to 
 fear. I have come up from the engine-room 
 for gunnery purposes, and the others are still 
 below. Russia has put out all lights on her 
 coasts. Germany has refused to negotiate 
 with any other power, and by to-morrow 
 night we may be at it. If war is declared, 
 please be sensible and move up to London. 
 Farringford there on the coast of the Isle of 
 Wight is in a very dangerous position if things 
 go badly. Well, good-bye, don't be anxious, 
 the Queen Mary, will be all right. I shall often 
 think of you both, and I send you both my 
 best love. Good night. — Ever and always 
 your very loving son, Harold. 
 
 Sunday, August 3, 19 14. 
 
 I went to Holy Communion to-day, which 
 I enjoyed, and we also had a short stand-up 
 service on the upper deck. I am really looking 
 forward to fighting, as it is with a feeling of 
 fighting for one's God, one's King, and for 
 those one loves that I shall go into action. 
 For the lucky ones who get through it will 
 mean certain promotion, three months' leave, 
 and a rattling good time. For the others, well, 
 after all, one has got to die some time, and what 
 more glorious way of dying } 
 
2i6 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. pt. 
 
 August 1 8, 1 9 14. 
 
 My darling Mamie — This is to wish you 
 very, very many happy returns of your birthday, 
 and this is the proudest birthday of your life, 
 when you have three sons fighting for their 
 country. I congratulate you from the bottom 
 of my heart. I got your fifth letter this 
 morning. They have been a joy to me, and 
 I have so far received every one. Did father 
 get the pipe I sent him } I have only received 
 one letter from him, a very fine one, which I 
 keep always about me. I cannot say anything 
 I want to, as all one's letters are read by officers 
 of the ship (the chaplain, surgeons, etc.) as 
 censors. Oh, I do wish those Germans would 
 come out of their beastly harbours and let us 
 get at them. They write a lot of insulting 
 stuff about our Navy in their papers, and call 
 it " the self-confident Armada," and yet they 
 are afraid to come out and fight, and, by Jove, 
 if they do we will give them something they 
 won't forget. I honestly should not be a bit 
 surprised if we did not fire a single shot the 
 whole war. I don't (for certain reasons I can't 
 express) have any fear about submarines at 
 all. The people who are going to bear the 
 brunt are the Expeditionary Force. The only 
 thing that troubles me is the cold. I give the 
 war till Christmas, in fact I hope to be at 
 home at Christmas. You know I have never 
 missed one yet, and I cannot afford to break 
 my record. I shall have lots of interesting 
 things to tell you all when I get back. I had 
 
Ill THE QUEEN MART 217 
 
 such a dear letter from Aubrey. We certainly 
 have been a most happy family, and I pray 
 God that we may all be spared. 
 
 Lord, while their darts envenomed they are hurling. 
 Thou canst preserve us. 
 
 Hymn 214. 
 
 I read this every day and put my trust in the 
 God of Battles. One does not know what 
 the next hour may bring. I always hope an 
 action, but it seems a myth. I like to think 
 that I am fighting for you both. " Greater 
 love hath no man than this, that a man lay 
 down his life for his friends,'* and I thank 
 God that I am your son and an Englishman. — 
 Your very loving son, Harold. 
 
 Battle of Heligoland 
 
 Wednesday^ August 26. — It looks as if 
 something was in the air. Anyhow, we all 
 hope so. 
 
 Thursday^ August 27. — A glorious day. We 
 steamed along at 19 knots for Heligoland, 
 with the light cruisers and destroyers ahead. 
 We got a signal to say no shaded light-signals 
 were to be made at all during the night, as it 
 is of the utmost importance that the Germans 
 should not find out our position. 
 
 At 5 P.M. the had all the officers, 
 
 turret gun-layers, and trainers in, and explained 
 to them the plan of attack. We were to 
 steam S.S.E. for Heligoland ; when within 15 
 
21 8 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 miles of it (i,e, at 8 a.m.) turn up and steam 
 parallel to the German coast. Meanwhile the 
 submarines, followed by our latest and fastest 
 
 destroyers, were to go up the , and try 
 
 to draw out their cruisers toward us, our light 
 cruisers being lo miles ahead of us. It really 
 looks at last as if we are going to get some fun, 
 
 Friday y August 28, 5 a.m. — Invincible ^ New 
 Zealand^ and submarines joined up. 
 
 8 A.M. — I went on watch at the fore 
 control. It was a lovely day, and now that 
 our line has been made up to ^vq we ought 
 to be able to settle anything except mines. 
 Piped ** Hands clean into fighting rig." 10 
 A.M. — Sounded off " Action." New Zealand 
 and Invincible sighted submarines. We were 
 apparently among a hotbed of them, and we 
 increased to full speed. Periscopes were being 
 seen all over the place. They fired torpedoes, 
 and I saw one break surface and float on our 
 port hand. The destroyers were chasing them 
 like rabbits, the Lion firing a 4-inch at one. 
 We got news that our destroyers ahead were 
 engaged in a destroyer action. 10.30 a.m. — 
 Got clear of submarines, secured turrets, and 
 manned 4-inch. Kept a sharp look-out for 
 submarines and mines. 10.40 a.m. — Firing 
 ahead, sounded off ** Action." A thick haze 
 seemed to close in all round, and we lost sight 
 of our light cruisers ahead. 
 
 Most sickening luck this haze and fog 
 coming on. We steamed at full speed in their 
 direction, and soon a hull of some sort loomed 
 
m THE QUEEN MART 219 
 
 on the starboard side. She was a two-funnel 
 German of the Eclipse class, her mainmast 
 and her after-funnel had gone, and she was 
 belching with flames amidships. The light 
 cruisers had settled her. She had surrendered. 
 We could scarcely see 4000 yards, but we 
 trained on the port bow, and I saw one of our 
 cruisers fighting the enemy, so I imagined, as 
 I saw the flashes of two ships firing at each 
 other. Soon there were two lots of flashes 
 coming in our direction. A ship was chasing 
 three of our destroyers, who were leading her 
 on to us. I could see no ship but just flashes 
 through the range-finder, as it was so hazy. 
 
 12 A.M. — We fired our first salvo with a 
 range of 8000 yards, and a cheer went up with 
 our first gun. One seemed to take it in the 
 spirit of a football match. We never saw 
 that salvo fall. It must have gone over the 
 German coast somewhere. All the time she (the 
 enemy) was firing at a tremendous pace, flash 
 upon flash, with her quick-firing guns. Before 
 our next salvo I got a range out 6000 yards, 
 and we came down 2000. She kept on firing, 
 but I saw none of her shots fall. We were 
 now going full speed, and we checked fire 
 until we could see and I could get another 
 range, and I got one 5000 yards. Then we 
 let drive. The guns went off practically as 
 one, and we heard a sort of deep thud as the 
 whole lot hit her amidships. 
 
 God knows what they must have suffered, 
 .poor devils, at that range getting a broadside 
 
220 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 of 13.5. It must have gone half through 
 them. Before this, when I got my range out, 
 I saw her distinctly. She looked like a Drake 
 class, only with three funnels, but she may have 
 had four to start with. After this she only 
 had two, and the fourth turret, I believe, was 
 knocked right out of her. I was surprised to 
 see her still going on firing with ^we. or six 
 guns. I got a range, and we opened another 
 salvo. 
 
 The third salvo landed on her fo'c'sle and 
 enveloped it in flames as they burst. Bridge 
 and conning-tower had ceased to exist. She 
 was steaming now straight for us instead of 
 running away as at first (and the range was 
 about 3600), as her steering-gear had evidently 
 gone. Her shells were whistling over our 
 heads, and seemed to pass about a foot off the 
 control tower, while several quick-firing guns 
 
 dropped short. One pitched short of 
 
 and seemed as if it must hit. But it ricochetted 
 straight over us. Her fire had now ceased, 
 and her colours were invisible, and so we got 
 on a ship the Lion was engaging. We did 
 not open fire, as she burst into flame. We 
 were ordered to turn round, and we heard the 
 Lion fire. It was our old enemy. We were 
 now within 3000 yards. She had one gun 
 left and she had fired it, and her colours were 
 there nailed to the mast. 
 
 The Lion gave her three shots. They 
 were quite enough. The foremast slowly fell 
 over. She seemed to ** yaw '* over by the 
 
Ill THE QUEEN MJRT 221 
 
 foremast, as the decks must have been cleft 
 open to let the mast go from the step as it did. 
 Her bows got lower and lower, and then she 
 slid forward and gradually disappeared, her 
 colours still flying. Her stern remained above 
 water a few seconds, with the propellers still 
 going round. There were a lot of bubbles 
 as she disappeared. She was a second Re- 
 venge. They could have surrendered without 
 firing that last taunting shot at the Lion and 
 hoisted her colours again at the main with 
 ^vc battle-cruisers round her. She sank in 
 less than two minutes after the Lions third 
 shot, and I could never have believed a ship 
 of 10,000 tons could sink so quickly. I 
 watched her go down, and it was a most awful 
 sight. Those brave, brave fellows ! Their 
 name should live for ever. 
 
 As she sank, the turret reported a sub- 
 marine on the Port quarter, and we went ahead 
 full speed, and a torpedo passed 25 yards 
 under our stern. We could not afford to 
 stop any longer in the vicinity, as owing to 
 the fog we could not tell what might be 
 coming, and so not one of those poor fellows 
 can have been saved. What happened to the 
 ship which got on fire, or what other ships 
 were engaged, we shall never know. We then 
 passed the Lion^ and she cheered us like 
 anything. 
 
 August 29.— Telegram from Admiralty: 
 " Please convey to Admiral Beatty, officers and 
 men, our warmest congratulations on brilliant 
 
222 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. pt. 
 
 and successful enterprise yesterday, which 
 sustains and amplifies the highest traditions 
 of the British Navy.'* 
 
 The Germans lost in this engagement two 
 new cruisers, the Mainz and the Koln^ and the 
 older cruiser, the Ariadne. A 4-funnelled cruiser 
 and 7 destroyers were badly damaged. One 
 destroyer was sunk. Several hundred Germans 
 were killed and 300 were made prisoners. The 
 Arethusa and the Fearless had borne the first 
 onset of three German cruisers.^ 
 
 After Heligoland Fight of August 2 8 
 
 August 31, 1 9 14. 
 
 How splendid you have both been about 
 writing. It is good of you, and you have no 
 idea what a joy your letters are. By Jove, you 
 hit on the right thing when you sent me the 
 lovely woollen helmet ! It is exactly what 
 one wants at night, for when the ship is going 
 at high speed one feels it round one's neck 
 and ears. If you would make two more for 
 Humphrey and Aitchison I know they would 
 love them. I believe, if it were organised, 
 
 1 Sir Samuel Evans in the Prize Court awarded ^^64 15 prize bounty 
 to men of his Majesty's Navy responsible for the sinking of four German 
 warships in the battle of Heligoland Bight on August 28, 19 14. 
 
 Commander Maxwell Anderson, as counsel for the claimants, said the 
 ships sunk were the KSln^ with 467 on board ; the Mainz, with 428 ; 
 the Ariadne, with 295; and the V187, with 93; or a total of 1283. 
 The claimants for prize bounty were H.M.S. Princess Royal, Queen Mary, 
 New Zealand, Birmingham, Falmouth, Liverpool, Arethusa, Lurcher, Fife, 
 Drake, Leonidas, several submarine vessels, and a number of other ships. 
 
 Sir Samuel Evans, in delivering judgement, said there was nothing to 
 preclude Sir David Beatty from making any further claim he thought fit. 
 
Ill THE QUEEN MART 223 
 
 the Admiralty would accept them for the men 
 just as the War Office are getting soldiers* 
 shirts made. 
 
 The chocolate, too, is most welcome. May 
 I let you know when my supply is getting 
 short ? The pyjamas are a superb work of 
 art. Will you tell Sophie and the maids how 
 well I think they have made them. Our little 
 escapade on the 29th was exciting. My word, 
 that sort of sight makes one think ! I got 
 a good view of it all, and saw everything from 
 my little rabbit-hutch I showed you. [Up to 
 the time of going into action, for several hours 
 Harold read a novel of Charles Readers.] I 
 got a long letter from you forwarded by Aubrey 
 and two from father. What a splendid account 
 of Lionel 1 
 
 I do pity him, as I know what his feelings 
 must be with Reservists. It really is rather 
 hard being taken away from his Company and 
 Platoon. Is there any reason for it } The 
 telegram from his men to him was very touch- 
 ing, and of course he should obviously be the 
 officer who leads the men into battle if they 
 love and respect him like that. Our soldiers 
 seem to be fighting gallantly, but all the same 
 I fear the Germans are gradually gaining 
 ground. I love your card, and have put it in 
 my Prayer- Book. The hand of Providence 
 was with us the other day, and we must not 
 forget to thank God for it as well as to pray for 
 His protection in the future. I read Hymn 
 379 after it. If you hear from Lionel or 
 
224 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 Aubrey or want news from me at any time, a 
 wire will go straight through. I love to think 
 of you at home all doing your best. It is 
 noble of you. Please thank father for his 
 little bits of news. These with the headlines 
 on the papers are about as much as I have time 
 for, but I think the war is very hard to follow 
 and news often untrue, if one reads all the 
 details. 
 
 H.M.S, " Queen Mary," 
 
 1ST Battle Cruiser Squadron, 
 
 September i6, 19 14. 
 
 My dear old Aubrey — A thousand thanks 
 for your letter, which I loved getting. It was 
 splendid of you to find time to write. 
 
 My word, I do sympathise with you enor- 
 mously in your present surroundings. Mud 
 flats are not pleasant at any time, let alone 
 when you have a lot of slackers there as well. 
 By Jove, you must be longing for the front I 
 I have tasted gun-fire and am longing for 
 more of it. We have made every possible 
 attempt to have some more fun, but they will 
 not come out. When all our 1 3-5-inch go 
 off at once, like the other day, all the time 
 hundreds of German 4-2-inch are whistling 
 over your head, and even if one of them does 
 hit you it is just like a potato. Of course 
 that -was only because we were up against 
 light stufl^. I am afraid I cannot give you 
 any exciting information about Sheerness. I 
 lay off that God-forsaken hole for four weeks 
 before last manoeuvres, gazing at the mud- 
 
THE QUEEN MART 225 
 
 flats, and it poured with rain nearly the whole 
 time, and I got ashore once. I am afraid 
 there is no possible chance of our meeting 
 round there. We have too much work to do. 
 You must be feeling the hardships of living 
 in dirt and roughing it a good deal. We 
 always live on war-footing, and so there is really 
 no difference at all, except that we are more 
 at sea, and it gets a bit boring, especially when 
 cold or wet. I expect you are the same. 
 Well, the Germans seem to be on the run at 
 last, and 1 hope we shall wipe every man of 
 them off the face of the earth, and then turn 
 their own guns on the fleet from shore and 
 drive them out. 
 
 The best of luck, and take my tip and rag 
 as much as you can if you are getting a bit 
 fed up. — Your very loving brother, 
 
 Harold. 
 
 H.M.S. " Queen Mary," 
 1ST B.C.S., 
 
 October 2, 1914. 
 
 I realise now what it is to be in the Navy. 
 Although I have grumbled at it in peace time, 
 I have always said it is a wonderful profession 
 in war time. If I was ashore now I should 
 not be allowed to enlist in the Army, the age 
 limit being from 19 to 35, but here I have 
 charge of a battery of 4-inch guns, which is 
 a colonel's command in the Army, and a young 
 lieutenant of about twenty-four has two 13-5- 
 inch guns, capable of doing more damage and 
 
 Q 
 
226 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 killing more men than a whole regiment put 
 together. Father talks about my " turret." 
 I am not in a turret. I am in that funny little 
 rabbit-hutch place I showed you. I have been 
 reading a book just come out called Naval 
 Occasions^ written by Bartimeus. He was a 
 midshipman who went blind, and the story of 
 the " Periwinkle " is his own story, so some 
 one told me. You ought to get it, as it gives 
 you a wonderful idea of service life and customs, 
 although some of the stories are rather sad. I 
 have just received your dear letter, written on 
 September 28, and the good accounts about 
 the cruisers. You must remember, these 
 fellows, when they have been through any- 
 thing like that, love to spin the most wonderful 
 ** yarns.*' I read several in the papers about 
 our Heligoland show, really the most awful 
 bunkum, and also about the Gloucester and 
 Goeben^ about the men at the guns, absolute 
 nonsense to a service man, but appealing to 
 the public. 
 
 The Raids on Scarborough and Hartlepool 
 
 Chase after Roon, 
 
 October 15. — Received orders to weigh and 
 proceed to sea. 
 
 October 16, 6.45 a.m. — It was a lovely 
 clear day, with a calm sea, and we eagerly 
 awaited any news. 
 
 7.30 A.M. — Got news, our destroyers being 
 
Ill THE QUEEN MART 227 
 
 chased and leading enemy toward us. Victor 
 reported large cruisers astern of her. 
 
 7.35. — Altered course to avoid a black 
 floating object which looked like a mine. 
 
 8.10. — Passed destroyer's dinghy empty. 
 Special course to chase Roon, Speed 23 knots. 
 Shark keeping in touch with Roon. Battle 
 Fleet on starboard beam. Increased to 25 
 knots. 
 
 8.30, — We are 20 miles astern of Roofi, and 
 it will take four hours to catch her up. An 
 ideal day for a short visibility, 24,000 yards. 
 
 8.35. — Scarborough being shelled by three 
 battle cruisers. 
 
 9.20. — Altered course to W.N.W. 
 
 9.27. — Enemy shelling Hartlepool. 
 
 2.7 P.M. — Received new position and 
 enemy's course from Admiralty, and so we 
 have still a chance of catching them, and we 
 are all praying for a fight, as we have not left 
 our stations for a minute. 
 
 2.17. — All destroyers afloat. Casualties 
 very small. 
 
 2.50. — German High Sea Fleet at sea, 
 and so they have come out at last. Visibility 
 now very bad due to rain, about 6000 yards. 
 
 3.52. — Gave up chase, altered to N. It 
 was too thick to follow. We had let them 
 slip through our fingers after all that splendid 
 information. We missed a tremendous chance, 
 as we should have been four to three, and due 
 to their previous engagement and bombard- 
 ment with hand-loading the men would have 
 
228 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 been tired, perhaps a gun or two out of action, 
 and a low supply of ammunition. The chance 
 of a life-time. The weather was our enemy. 
 
 H.M.S. "Queen Mary," 
 
 1ST B.C.S., 
 
 October 18, 19 14. 
 
 On Monday we had a very sad day, as 
 Capt. Hall left the ship at an hour's notice 
 for the Admiralty. It was a terrible wrench 
 for him, and you see it in the nice little speech 
 he made to all the Ship's Company. He 
 thanked them for the way the Ship's Company 
 had made it so easy for him to carry out his 
 duties as Captain. " They had got a first- 
 class name for character and gunnery in the 
 Fleet, and he was sure they would uphold 
 both under his successor. He had seen them 
 fight, and he knew every man of them would 
 fight to the last and uphold the traditions of 
 the British Navy, and he hoped they would 
 return in due time to enjoy the blessings of 
 the land and the fruits of their labours. He 
 was not good at speech-making, but one thing 
 more. If any man at any time needed help 
 in any matter, great or small, and if they would 
 apply to him, he would do his utmost for them, 
 and would follow daily the Queen Marfs 
 career throughout the war. * Good-bye.' " 
 And then he ran off quickly^ as it really must 
 be a terrible thing for a man to have to give 
 up a command like this, although he is going 
 a step higher. He said good-bye to all the 
 
THE QUEEN MART 229 
 
 officers on the Quarter-Deck, and had a nice 
 word to say to all of them. He told me he 
 hoped to get me made a sub-lieutenant very 
 soon. I am afraid it is nearly impossible, for 
 the Admiralty do not often do this sort of 
 thing, since I have really got another year to 
 go. As he went away the Ship's Company, 
 of their own accord, gave three tremendous 
 cheers, and I shall always remember seeing 
 the little figure, with his head bared, standing 
 in the sternsheets of the picket-boat as she 
 was rushing away. 
 
 I never hope to serve under a finer 
 Capt. Our new Capt. is, who do you think } 
 Capt. Bentinck. I never dreamed that day at 
 West Hill, nor did he, that he would com- 
 mand the Queen Mary. He had me into his 
 cabin on Wednesday, and wished to be re- 
 membered warmly to you both. He was very 
 kind and nice, and asked all about our comfort, 
 food, etc., in the gun-room. I will also write 
 you a postcard when we get in, as it will reach 
 you quicker. 
 
 H.M.S. "Queen Mary," 
 December 23, 19 14. 
 
 I feel I must write and wish the happiest 
 of Christmases possible under the present 
 conditions for all at Farringford. I sent you 
 a wire, which I hope you got, and I should 
 have liked to send you both presents, but I 
 fear that is impossible. Please thank father 
 ever so much for his interesting letter, and a 
 thousand thanks for your two splendid long 
 
230 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 ones, all of which I loved getting. They are 
 a perfect joy, and I always look for them. 
 Every one was surprised to see us when we got 
 back, as there had been a rumour that we had 
 been sunk. Father's idea has always been in 
 force, but you must remember two little points : 
 
 1. We have 750 miles of east coast to 
 defend. 
 
 2. On that day you could barely see two 
 miles. 
 
 I cannot tell you anything about it, but 
 remember we are in God's hands, and this 
 ship came through Heligoland untouched, and 
 I may say He looked even better after us the 
 other day. You never told me Lionel had 
 been promoted to First Lieutenant. Please 
 thank Sophie, Link, Emily, and Kitty Waters 
 ever so much for knitting the woollies, also 
 Carrie Hamond-Graeme. Thanks to you, all 
 the ship have got mufflers. I am so glad 
 Aubrey has got such a splendid set of officers. 
 God grant that he may return to you safely 
 to ** enjoy the blessings of the land '' and 
 ** the fruit of his labours "1 I can assure you 
 that if we get any leave, which I do not think 
 is the least likely, I shall spend every second 
 of it at home (probably in bed). I am in- 
 clined to think that we have much longer 
 hours than they have in the trenches, especi- 
 ally at night. What an interesting account 
 of the Sydney and Emden you sent me ! I 
 only wish ours was going to be a 40-lb. shell 
 contest instead of 1600 lbs. Will you get a 
 
THE QUEEN MART 231 
 
 copy of the Daily Sketch and read and cut out 
 the articles called : 
 
 1 . A Reply to the Kaiser ; 
 
 2. An Article on the Raid by the Man in 
 
 the Street, 
 and keep them for me, and show them to 
 any one who talks about the raid, and let me 
 have your opinion on them ? The part in 
 black italics beginning ** The Admiralty has 
 not been caught napping '' is the best. Oh, 
 how one wonders what the coming year has 
 in store for us ! I hope the end of the War 
 anyhow. But, come what may, I think 
 Kipling's words make a splendid motto : 
 
 If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster, 
 And treat these two impostors just the same, 
 
 etc. I do so wish I could have been with 
 you at Christmas. 
 
 My dearest Father — Both James and 
 Captain Hall when he left said they were 
 trying their hardest to get me promoted, but 
 the Admiralty say it is impossible without 
 some special qualification. 
 
 Now this forced inactivity is nearly driving 
 me mad, with all our brave fellows laying 
 down their lives, fighting their hardest at the 
 front, and in a big ship like this there will 
 never be any chance of doing anything for a 
 long time yet. What I want to do is to get 
 into the Submarine dept. or the Flying Corps. 
 
 They are both doing their duty splendidly 
 
232 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 and having heaps of chances. Poor Com- 
 mander James has lost his brother and is 
 terribly sad about it, though he does not show 
 it. What an interesting letter from Lionel on 
 November 3. Poor devils, what a time they 
 rr\ust be having ! It is good of you to copy 
 the letters out, as they are so immensely in- 
 teresting to me, and Humphrey and Jack like 
 hearing them as well. I have found Prinsep's 
 man Barry. He is an extraordinarily nice 
 fellow, and I had a long talk with him in my 
 cabin. The shooting has ceased, due to certain 
 reasons I am not allowed to disclose. 
 
 I am afraid this war will last a good two 
 years. Your letters and Mamie's are a perfect 
 joy and Godsend. 
 
 H.M.S. "Queen Mary," 
 1ST B.C.S. 
 
 My own darling Mamie — Your Christ- 
 mas letter was an absolute joy to me, and I feel 
 I must write you a letter to tell you how I 
 loved getting it, and what a help it was to me, 
 although I have no news I can tell you. As 
 long as we are at sea I am quite happy, but 
 directly one has been a day or so in harbour, 
 with very little to do, the fact of having 
 a lot of spare time after doing 48 hours* 
 stretches, and also the fact of having nothing 
 to look forward to, makes life rather melan- 
 choly. As you say, those two words, " Faith 
 and Hope," mean everything, and if one can 
 keep those perpetually on the top of one's 
 other thoughts (which, by the way, is easier 
 
m THE QUEEN MART 233 
 
 said than done), it is all right. In peace time 
 I could always manage to read or do some 
 book-work, but now I sit for hours and do 
 nothing, a habit I have always tried to fight 
 against. The worst of it is there is nothing 
 definite to look forward to. When one was 
 at school one always looked forward to a fixed 
 date, there was a fixed number of days to be 
 got thro* and then came the goal, whereas 
 now one really does not care what happens, as 
 the outlook is blank. If only we could have 
 a fight occasionally, but we have been dis- 
 appointed so many times that even going to 
 sea is not what it used to be. 
 
 I made my Christmas Communion to-day, 
 as on Christmas Day and last Sunday we were 
 round objects different to an altar. It is an 
 extraordinary thing, but we have been really 
 a very short time in harbour, and yet, as soon 
 as we stay over two days, that sort of feeling 
 comes over me. 
 
 Yesterday I got a very pleasant surprise 
 in that dear little In Memoriam. It is my 
 favourite of all by a long way, and I read the 
 ** Ring out the false. Ring in the true '' on 
 New Year's Eve and thought of you all. 
 Then this morning I got your beloved wire. 
 Please thank father also. When I write to 
 you, you know, I always mean it for you both. 
 It was very kind of father copying out Aubrey's 
 letters, which interested me enormously ; please 
 ask him to go on doing so when he has time. — 
 Your ever loving Harold. 
 
234 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 The famous battle-cruiser action now took 
 place. Unfortunately the Queen Mary^ which had 
 gone in for some repairs, was not present. Harold 
 writes : 
 
 " We had orders to be ready to proceed at 
 4 P.M., and so we spent the rest of the day 
 cleaning ship (after coaling) and getting rid 
 of dockyard * maties.' 
 
 "5.50 P.M. — Left harbour escorted by 
 several destroyers, and when we got outside we 
 went south for some hours. From signals we 
 gathered that there has been a battle-cruiser 
 action, in which the Blucher had been sunk. 
 The Lion appeared to be in a critical condition, 
 being in tow by the Indomitable^ and making 
 water fast forward. 
 
 '^ January 25. — Submarines reported off 
 Deer Island, so we altered course, got out into 
 the Atlantic, and cancelled * night firing.' 
 
 ^'January 26. — Official news on the Poldhu 
 that German Squadron attempting a raid had 
 been met instead by a British Squadron, and 
 that the Blucher had been sunk and the other 
 two seriously damaged. It began to blow from 
 the east, and was very cold. 
 
 ^^ January 28. — Moored ship in Rosyth, 
 coming in in a thick fog. We were thought 
 to be leaving at 6 p.m. We all wonder what 
 is in the wind, and it looks as if we were going 
 off by ourselves, and so we may have a chance 
 of making up a bit for missing the action. 
 The Lion did not strike a mine, but a shell hit 
 
THE QUEEN MART 235 
 
 her in the bows below the water-line. Another 
 entered the Port engine-room via the feed-tank 
 and disabled the port-engine, when the Vice- 
 Admiral shifted his flag^ in the destroyer to 
 the Princess RoyaL The Derflinger lost one of 
 her funnels and the Moltke was ablaze aft, but 
 even when the Lion fell out the Tiger continued 
 the chase alone. Although they were three to 
 one, they would not turn round and fight. The 
 Von-der-Tann was not there, so it looks as though 
 she were badly damaged. The Tiger got an 
 .11-2 on top of her turret, and all it did was 
 to kill two men, and one gun was firing again 
 in four minutes, another in fourteen minutes. 
 The cruiser Kolberg also sunk by Lion, 
 
 " Many of their shells did not burst. It is 
 bad luck not being there. 
 
 " If we had, it is certain the other two would 
 have been sunk. 
 
 '^ February i. — All the midshipmen went 
 over to the Lion in the forenoon. It is 
 extraordinary the way a shell gets deflected. 
 There was one came into the engineer's office, 
 went thro' a transverse bulkhead, and then up 
 thro' the upper deck. 
 
 " The Admiral fought most of the action 
 from the Compass Platform, as he complained 
 he could not see in the Conning Tower. Our 
 armour is good and our shells are magnificent. 
 A young A.B. in the Tiger was in the top of 
 A turret continually wiping the glasses, while 
 B turret was firing over his head, and the action 
 was going on for three hours. He had to come 
 
236 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 in once, as his nose and ears were bleeding so 
 much, and he then went out again to his work : 
 really very fine. 
 
 " It is said that the prisoners on the Blucher 
 could not really believe this was the Forth 
 Bridge, as . they thought the Germans had 
 blown it up on September i.'' 
 
 To his brother Aubrey he writes in February : 
 
 " It is too awful waiting here for the Der- 
 flinger and Seydlitz to be patched up, but, my 
 faith ! next time they will not get back, not 
 if the old Queen Mary is there. I am enjoying 
 life much more now, as I get twenty-seven 
 holes of golf every Thursday, Saturday, and 
 Sunday, and the remainder of my time I am 
 well employed in gunnery and stuff, so it 
 passes very quickly." 
 
 H. M.S. "Queen Mary," 
 
 1ST B.C.S., 
 Monday J February i, 1915. 
 
 I am absolutely depressed and dejected. 
 Here we are, having been through all the 
 hardships of the long war, waiting, and for 
 the sake of 4 days' leave we missed the 
 greatest naval fight of the war, the ** Tag *' 
 of the Battle Cruisers. I would gladly have 
 sacrificed 44 days* leave. Nothing can ever 
 possibly make up for it. Besides, if we had 
 been there, there is not the slightest doubt 
 but that the other two, Derflinger and Moltke^ 
 would have gone down-, or at any rate one of 
 them. Not only Queen Mary^ but the ist 
 
m THE QUEEN MART 237 
 
 B.C.S. do really have the most sickening luck. 
 I wish I could tell you all about it. It is most 
 comforting, and now we know that the rotten 
 remarks in the American papers about the 
 wonderful tricks and guns and ships of the 
 German Navy are exactly what I have always 
 told you they were. It is the best bit of news 
 the Navy have ever had, because we always knew 
 we could beat the Germans, but with heavy 
 losses to ourselves. Now we know that 
 German-built ships and British-built ships are 
 incomparable, and we can wipe the dust with 
 them. I cannot tell you more, but it is a 
 magnificent reward for the Navy. 
 
 Look here, while L. and A. are at home 
 I do not want you to bother about writing to 
 me ; in fact I shall be very much annoyed if 
 I do get a letter, as I know how precious every 
 minute is when they are there. I shall be 
 quite happy sitting tight here and waiting for 
 the Germans to repair their ships, bored to 
 tears. I wish I could go to the front for a bit 
 and see what that is like in the interval. Our 
 journey was very uneventful, and we have 
 been even further, but the same old story, 
 ** disappointed.'' 
 
 H.M.S. "Queen Mary," 
 
 1ST Battle Cruiser Squadron, 
 
 March 6, 19 15. 
 
 Isn't it splendid the way all the German 
 submarines are being sunk ? Since they started 
 their blockade on February 1 8 they have lost 
 more than from the beginning of the war. 
 
238 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 The Dardanelles is another great piece of 
 work for the Navy. If we carry that through 
 successfully it will be one of the finest pieces 
 of naval work that there has ever been, as 
 the place was always thought to be impreg- 
 nable. I dined in the Africa on Sunday night 
 and had some more music. Do you remember 
 the song ** I met Love, a lovely boy," by 
 Cornaby .'' I think Miss Hunter sings it. 
 A lovely little song. Also several others I 
 know by him. Well, he is a lieutenant in 
 the Africa^ so they are well off. 
 
 Ho-pes of a North Sea " Scrap " 
 
 March 7. — Battle cruisers weighed and 
 proceeded. We were second in line. It was 
 bitterly cold, hailing and snowing alternately. 
 
 March 8. — We had a narrow escape just 
 before I came on watch at 8 a.m., as we missed 
 a floating mine on the starboard bow by 20 
 yards. The Tiger was sent back to sink it. 
 
 March 28. 7.15 p.m. — The Light cruisers 
 left harbour. 7.30 p.m. — The Battle cruisers 
 left harbour. 8 p.m. — The Battle Squadron 
 left harbour. It really does look as if we were 
 to have something at last, so I went to sleep 
 happy, as I heard piped ** Hands will go up to 
 action station at 5.30 a.m., breakfast and clean 
 into fighting rig 5 a.m." 
 
 March 30. — As usual we were disappointed, 
 for I went up on watch to find us entering the 
 Forth. 
 
m THE QUEEN MART 239 
 
 April 8. — North Sea. Armoured liner 
 reported suspicious-looking vessel, but dis- 
 appeared. 
 
 April 12. — In the afternoon we passed 
 about a dozen Norwegian, Swedish, and 
 Danish steamers. I remember one period 
 when we used to go for days without seeing 
 one. 
 
 April 14, 6.30 P.M. — This time a sub- 
 marine really was sighted behind a Danish 
 schooner. 
 
 H.M.S. "Queen Mary," 
 March 27, 1915. 
 
 Yesterday I went to lunch with the Lin- 
 lithgows. She, Sir Frederick Milner, and 
 her brother and' Mrs. Meade, daughter of 
 the Bishop of Peterborough, were there. 
 
 After luncheon I shot wood-pigeons. They 
 are driven out of an old ivy tower, and one 
 stands behind some great high trees, and they 
 fly very high and are very hard to hit. I got 
 sixteen. 
 
 At tea I was terrified by gold lace, 
 Rear-Admiral Napier, Commodore Alexander 
 Sinclair, and Commodore Goodenough, who 
 wished to be remembered to you warmly. 
 They are all very nice and did not turn up 
 their noses at a midshipman. Sir F. Milner 
 asked me to tell father he had used with great 
 success at several recruiting meetings some 
 lines which father had quoted in one of his 
 speeches, and which were not published : 
 
240 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 O where is he, the simple fool, 
 Who says that wars are over ? 
 What bloody portent flashes there 
 Across the straits of Dover ? 
 Are you ready, Britons all, 
 To answer foes with thunder ? 
 Arm, arm, arm ! 
 
 Is it not splendid about U29 and the fall of 
 Premysyl ? When will our turn come ? I 
 am so glad Lionel has got a good job with 
 plenty of work to do. 
 
 H.M.S. "Queen Mary," 
 Tuesday y April 27, 1915. 
 
 I played golf last Sunday, when it was a 
 perfectly gorgeous day, with -the trees just 
 beginning to put on their fresh green and the 
 birds just beginning to sing — a joy to be 
 ashore. The days before that have been 
 bitterly cold. In fact I think this is easily 
 the worst month we have had. 
 
 To-day I got a dear little edition of the 
 Golden Treasury from father for my birthday, 
 which I am delighted to have, as I believe it 
 is the one he read out of the last night I was 
 at home, ** Oh, my Luve 's like a red, red 
 rose '' and ** Highland Mary." I find it is 
 a great thing, and helps with our enforced 
 inactivity, to read poetry, though of course 
 just lately I am glad to say inactivity has 
 not been the case. I do not think Der Tag 
 is very far off somehow. 
 
 I have just come across the ** Farewell *' 
 in the Golden Treasury ; 
 
THE QUEEN MART 241 
 
 Go fetch to me a pint o' wine, 
 An' fill it in a silver Tassie. 
 
 I remember father reading that so well. You 
 are right, I have absolutely everything I want, 
 and the only thing I have room for is another 
 sponge-cake. 
 
 Motor-Cycle Accident 
 
 Early in June Harold had a severe motor- 
 cycle accident and was sent to the hospital at 
 Queensferry. 
 
 Late in June he writes to his brother Aubrey : 
 
 " How nice of you to write to me when you 
 must have such heaps to do. This is really 
 rather sickening after the way every one has 
 always said, * Those horrible motor-bikes,* 
 but it was absolutely unavoidable, pure Fate 
 in fact, that we should both collide at that 
 instant. I was going along a straight bit of 
 road and he came out of a side road, which I 
 didn't even know the existence of, and in fact 
 it was a farm track. The only thing for me 
 to do was to smack on speed and try to get 
 round his bows, which I did, but collided with 
 the starboard bow -light, and dived through 
 the wind-screen — most annoying, as I shall not 
 get the ' glad-eye * so often as the result ! ! 
 I only wish it had been done in battle, as it 
 would have been worth it. I have been 
 extremely lucky, as my knee-joint was opened 
 up, and it really seems as if I were going to 
 
 R 
 
242 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 be all right with any luck. My scars healed 
 up in an incredibly short time. I get a 
 month's leave, which, provided I do not miss 
 a fight, will be heavenly, as I have only had 
 four days in the last 1 8 months.** 
 
 Written to Aubrey in July from Hospital 
 
 Look here, I have a plan, and that is, to- 
 wards the end of my leave I shall come and 
 pay you a visit in the trenches. I should love 
 it. I should be able to borrow a rifle for an 
 hour or so and see what damage I could do to 
 the Boches, though I do not expect one often 
 gets a chance of a shot. If it is possible I am 
 coming, as it would be such fun and most 
 interesting. 
 
 Shall I come in uniform or plain clothes } 
 I leave this place this afternoon at 4 p.m. and 
 travel down with Mamie by the 10.50 p.m. 
 to-night. We are going to see Ernest in 
 London on Monday at Guy's and then go 
 down to Farringford by the 2.10 p.m. I have 
 been here exactly three weeks, and I am sure 
 I don't know what I should have done without 
 Mamie. She has been a perfect angel coming 
 down from Edinburgh every afternoon either 
 by train or motor-bus, which means i \ miles' 
 walk this end to get here, and always bringing 
 me strawberries, cakes, etc. I am afraid you 
 won't have had many of the former in the 
 trenches unless they grow there. If only I 
 could manage to get some one to play golf 
 with me at home I should be all right. 
 
m THE QUEEN MART 243 
 
 Oh, how I wish you were going to be down 
 there too ! How heavenly it would be at 
 this time of year. I am really " in the pink " 
 now, as the sailors call it. I hope to see Lionel 
 down south. The King inspected the Rifle 
 Brigade Battalion the other day, so I expect 
 they will be going out soon. I hope the hay- 
 fever is better. It must be horrible. Those 
 smelling-salts in the green bottle which you 
 gave me last summer did me wonders. Shall 
 I send you out a bottle } If you come home 
 you must get inoculated. They say it is 
 better than burning. 
 
 Well, good-bye, old chap. The very, very 
 best of luck ! 
 
 Tuesday^ October 12, 191 5. 
 
 We have only just missed exams, by the 
 skin of our teeth, as the next lot of midshipmen 
 due for promotion on January 15 are to have 
 them. I think our diplomatists have made 
 an appalling mess of the Balkan show. I 
 should not be at all surprised if Greece and 
 Roumania came in against us. If so, of course 
 it means that we should have to give up the 
 Dardanelles and turn all our efforts toward 
 saving the Suez Canal and Egypt. Did you 
 read the story about the robin at the front in 
 Punch of October 6th ? If not please look at it, 
 as it is one of the most pathetic stories I have 
 read for some time and nearly made me weep. 
 I have been up to Hopetoun nearly every day 
 
244 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 during the last week and played a lot of fiddle 
 with Derrick Milner. 
 
 H.M.S. "Queen Mary," 
 1ST B.C.S., 
 
 Sunday^ October 19 15. 
 
 I wish I had been at home to see Princess 
 Henry o^ Battenberg. I like her very 
 much. 18,000 is a very heavy price to have 
 to pay for nothing but the Dardanelles, and 
 I am afraid eventually it may have to be 
 abandoned. At present, in spite of official 
 optimism, we are on the downhill track, and 
 
 it only wants to come in against us, and 
 
 things will look pretty black. Yesterday I went 
 up and had luncheon in Edinburgh with Derrick 
 Milner, and then we went to a concert given 
 by Pachmann, the great Russian pianist, and 
 I should think the greatest pianist of the day. 
 He is delightful to watch, his whole heart 
 and soul are in his playing, and you can see 
 he takes such a delight in it. He also makes 
 amusing remarks, half in French and half in 
 English, about the tune he plays. He got 
 a tremendous reception, and at the end people 
 absolutely refused to go, and he played no less 
 than four encores. He played Beethoven's 
 thirty -two variations in C Minor, Mendels- 
 sohn's Prelude in E, a selection of Chopin of 
 which I like the Ballade the best, and then a 
 delightful little selection of old-world Masters, 
 Rameau, Hummel, etc. He has the most 
 delicious way of bringing out the actual melody 
 while playing hundreds of other notes at the 
 
THE QUEEN MART 245 
 
 same time, which you do not often hear on 
 the piano. How I long for this beastly war 
 to be over ! I hear all the Glasgow yards 
 are going to strike. Why is this Government 
 so weak ? I hear the Germans are sending 
 back Indian prisoners they have captured to 
 India, on condition they stir up revolution 
 amongst the Indians out there. 
 
 Sunday i^th^ 1915- — I motored over with 
 Wilton ^ to Alloa, about 20 miles, to Lord 
 Mar and Kellie's, a lovely and magnificent 
 place. I have never anywhere seen such 
 lovely autumn tints, and the rich gold of the 
 chestnut leaves was really beautiful. On 
 Monday I went up and had some more fiddle 
 with Derrick. Your dear little violet arrived 
 safe, and very sweet, and gives me pleasant 
 memories of the kitchen garden. How I 
 should love to come home again for a bit, and 
 yet it is not three months since I left, but it 
 seems more like three years. 
 
 Also very many thanks for the little Testa- 
 ment, which I shall always keep by me. I 
 have looked all through the Intercession 
 Service too. The Litany and the Special 
 Prayer are^very fine. I like this too from the 
 Spectator : " The man who is pure in heart, 
 and the man who makes no compromise with 
 the truth, allows no admixture, no impurities 
 to reach the fountains of his heart. That is 
 why the simple sailor, whose one idea is duty 
 and sacrifice, whose creed is to risk his life 
 
 1 Lord Wilton, a fellow-officer. 
 
246 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 and not to save it, is often, though his hands 
 are red with blood, a far better Christian than 
 the pacifist.'' 
 
 As father says, this is a great opportunity 
 for reading, but I somehow cannot read nowa- 
 days except Land and Water and the Spectator 
 and grandfather's Poems. I expect you read 
 Hilaire Belloc's articles in Z. and W,^ also 
 F. T. Janes's, which are not so good, as some 
 of his ideas are very wide of the mark. How 
 on earth did you learn about the Common- 
 wealth } It is extraordinary how everybody 
 ashore knows what is going on. The other 
 day they actually knew we were going to sea 
 on a certain day before we did ourselves. 
 Mr. Edison's views do not exactly fit in with 
 ours about the submarines, but still the greatest 
 task of all we have before us is this, that, 
 having attained the highest possible standard 
 of drill and efficiency, we have got to maintain 
 it through all these weeks and months of forced 
 inactivity. That is our fight at present, and 
 it is a good deal harder than the real 
 thing. 
 
 It is really wonderful the way the Saxons 
 and our fellows are such friends. The way 
 they behaved on Christmas Day just shows 
 how ridiculous the war is. The Saxons appear 
 to be very good specimens. I know for a fact 
 that the majority of German sailors are per- 
 fectly splendid fellows, and several cases I 
 could quote, especially that of the Dresden^ 
 where they have played the game nobly. I 
 
m THE QUEEN MART 247 
 
 am so glad she alone escaped at the Falkland 
 Battle. She deserved to. That is why I get 
 so furious when the Press and the public say, 
 " We used to think the German sailor did 
 play the game, but now, since Scarborough, 
 etc., it is evident they are following in the 
 steps of their brothers ashore," etc. It is 
 such nonsense. If they could only use a 
 little common-sense they would see the German 
 Junkers and the Kaiser ordered the whole 
 show, not the unfortunate German sailor. I 
 have the highest admiration for them, and 
 their bravery has been magnificent. I shall 
 never forget it at Heligoland, and it seems to 
 have been equally good at the Falkland Islands. 
 At the same time I think one of the finest 
 things of the whole war was a signal, which 
 should be placed side by side with Nelson^s, 
 the Monmouth's last signal when she was 
 battered to bits and in a sinking condition. 
 It was made to the Glasgow. ** You get 
 away ; I am leaking too badly to escape and 
 all my guns are out of action, but I shall go 
 back and try to torpedo the enemy." And 
 they must have known that with that sea 
 running they had no chance of being picked 
 up when they did sink. We have had some 
 route-marches and a game of Rugby football 
 this week which have greatly improved the 
 situation, and yesterday I managed to see two 
 acts of The Pearl Girl^ which cheered me up, 
 the first theatre I have been into since Russia. 
 I may see you in May. 
 
248 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. px. 
 
 P.S. — The little book of Shakespeare's 
 Sonnets has just arrived. They are magnificent, 
 especially the one you mark, ** Let me not to 
 the marriage of true minds Admit impedi- 
 ment.'* They are just what I wanted for the 
 idle hours. 
 
 H.M.S. "Queen Mary," 
 
 Sunday y October 31, 191 5. 
 
 Here are the boys' letters returned by the 
 next post, and I can't tell you how much I 
 loved getting them, and also many loving 
 thanks for your letter. Quite the best plum- 
 cake I have ever tasted arrived about ten days 
 ago, also some Plasmon chocolate, for which 
 very many thanks. How you must have 
 enjoyed having Lionel at home ! Bless him ! 
 I wish I could have seen him and beaten him 
 at golf again. The article you sent me about 
 the destroyers interested me enormously. I 
 always like anything about my profession you 
 may come across. I went to Holy Communion 
 last Sunday, and thought of you all and longed 
 to be with you. The Epistle and Gospel 
 struck me as being extraordinarily beautiful, 
 and I have read them over again to-day. I 
 always go to Evening Service in our little 
 Chapel^ at 6.15 p.m. on Sundays, and much 
 enjoy it. I dined with Charles, the Marine, 
 the other night, who is now in the Centurion^ 
 and had some fiddle after dinner. 
 
 1 The chapel on board the Queen Mary, 
 
m THE QUEEN MART 249 
 
 As I have not been ashore much lately, I 
 have been working hard at my gunnery, and 
 also making my cabin look what the sailors 
 call " Tiddly." It really does look so nice 
 now, with green tablecloths and curtains, rather 
 nice home-made lamp-shades a fellow painted 
 me, a gramophone with all the latest musical- 
 comedy tunes and one-steps, a lot of pictures 
 I have had framed on board, and L. and A/s 
 photos in leather frames, for which I went 
 a bust and paid los. each. I am not broken- 
 hearted over . She was a particularly 
 
 nice girl and would make any one a very 
 good wife, but if I get on in the service 
 and go to Whale Island I shan't have time 
 to think about marrying. In fact, I do not 
 think I shall ever marry if I stay in the service, 
 as it takes up all your time. Poor old Argyll 1 
 She was perfectly useless as a fighting unit, 
 as she had no speed, but it does seem a nasty 
 way to end one's days in war time. I should 
 like to tell you something about her on the 
 sea, but I cannot. 
 
 I shall never forget seeing the survivors 
 come in in two destroyers. They were liter- 
 ally packed like sardines, every inch of the 
 destroyers occupied, even worse than those 
 excursion -boats. It was pouring with rain 
 and blowing hard, a nasty sea on. I believe 
 they had an awful time of it, poor devils, but 
 still I envy them, as it will get them fourteen 
 days* leave. Derrick is coming back soon, so 
 I hope for some more music. 
 
250 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. pt. 
 
 On November 7 the change in his life came 
 for which Harold had been longing. He was 
 transferred from the Queen Mary to the Vikingy 
 a destroyer engaged in the Channel. A telegram 
 from him on November 7, 1915, announced the 
 fact : " Joining Vikings big destroyer. Hurrah ! 
 Much love. Writing soon.'' The letter followed. 
 
 Sunday^ No-v ember 7. 
 
 Could you please send me Handel's Sonatas, 
 Numbers 4, 5, and 6, Nardini's Concerto, and 
 the Schumann Romances. Also a sponge- 
 cake. I began this in the Queen Mary just 
 before I left. . . . 
 
 H.M.S. "Viking," 
 Friday^ November 12, 1915. 
 
 My own darling Mamie — I cannot tell 
 you how much I enjoyed my little visit and 
 how I hated saying good-bye to you both. 
 We did not leave on Thursday after all, as 
 the steering-gear was wrong, but this morning 
 instead, and arrived safely, thanks to my 
 brilliant navigation ! I am up to my neck 
 in work getting things in order. — Your ever 
 loving son, Harold. 
 
 "Viking," 6th Flotilla, 
 Tuesday y No'vember 16. 
 
 I have now got a job after my own heart, 
 and I am blissfully happy, as we are on the 
 
THE VIKING 251 
 
 go from morning to night, and, being navi- 
 gator, I have to be on the bridge all the time, 
 which I love. 
 
 Evans is a first-class fellow, and handles 
 the ship in a most wonderful way, and always 
 nice, kind, and cheery, and never gets worried. 
 I have to do far more navigation than I thought, 
 and, like an ass, made a mistake the other day, 
 but discovered it after a minute, and Evans 
 did not say a word, but I hated doing it, and 
 will not do it again. We always do 32 knots, 
 and one has no time for anything, far less to 
 make mistakes. The other officers consist of 
 the First Lieutenant, quite a nice fellow, very 
 quiet, and two Warrant Officers, that is, men 
 who have risen from the ranks, one an engineer 
 and the other a torpedo gunner, quite nice. 
 We did not leave on Thursday after all. We 
 made an attempt, but our steering-gear was 
 wrong, and so we came back and did not leave 
 till Friday morning 9 a.m. The Captain had 
 his fiancee off on Thursday to see the ship. 
 She is very pretty and very attractive. We 
 got a fine old tossing on the way round, and 
 I succumbed three times, but it was not half 
 so unpleasant as I thought it would be, and 
 after the third time I felt all right. Thank 
 goodness, we do not do any patrol, but 
 always special jobs! We have very interest- 
 ing work now and have had the Admiral 
 out with us a time or two. 
 
252 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 H.M.S. "Viking," 
 
 No'V ember 26, 1915. 
 
 I am afraid I have not written for ages, 
 but we really do not get a minute. We have 
 had the most exciting times lately : 
 
 1. Taking the Cabinet over to Boulogne, 
 where we stayed the night tied up alongside 
 the Anglia, It was so pathetic, as the sailors 
 were cracking jokes with all those poor fellows, 
 and they were all so pleased at the idea of 
 coming home and getting some leave, and all 
 so happy, but little did they know what was 
 in store for them. We left at 8.30 a.m. and 
 they left at 9 a.m., and I remember the old 
 skipper looking down at us and asking what 
 speed we were going and we told him 32 
 knots, and he said, ** Oh, well, I shall not pass 
 you." We passed within a hundred yards 
 of the spot where they sank, and arrived safely 
 at 10.30 A.M. 
 
 2. At 1 1.30 A.M. we got orders to rush out, 
 but we arrived too late, as her decks were 
 awash, and soon there was nothing left but 
 the tops of two masts and the little red flag 
 flying from one. 
 
 It made one feel perfectly sick, the fact of 
 a poor hospital-ship of all others being blown 
 up. Three ships went down at that spot, and 
 I believe there were only four mines there. 
 
 I think one of the finest things of the war 
 was done there, as a cargo-ship called the 
 Lusitania^ when she saw the hospital-ship's 
 plight, with no- hesitation went straight up 
 
m THE VIKING 253 
 
 alongside and hit a mine and sank at once, 
 and I don't suppose the Captain will get a 
 word of thanks, let alone the D.C.M. which 
 he certainly deserves. It is different with us 
 people, as it is our job and we do not draw 
 much water, but for a merchant-ship to go over 
 a minefield on purpose to help another ship I 
 thought was very fine. 
 
 The other one that went up was a mine- 
 sweeper that was sweeping afterwards. 
 
 3. The next day we brought the Cabinet 
 Ministers back again, not from Boulogne 
 but from Calais. I think they were all in a 
 pretty good funk. I have never laughed more 
 in my life than over the amusing incidents 
 that occurred, and the different attitudes with 
 which each one literally resigned himself to 
 his fate. They looked exactly like a party 
 of English tourists one sees taken off in every 
 continental paper, and the valets and secre- 
 taries and people were dressed in top-hats 
 and frock-coats and commanded far more 
 respect, and, what is more, got it, from the 
 actual sailors than the Ministers. 
 
 They always had their bags carried. The 
 Ministers only did occasionally. They thought 
 they would find out something of the British 
 sailor on the way back, and Sir Edward Grey 
 was entertained by the foremost gun's crew, 
 who had not the foggiest idea who he was, 
 and whose language must have made his 
 hair stand on end. He asked one, ** What 
 is your opinion of the Balkan question } " 
 
254 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 and a sailor, a man who had been in the 
 service about 23 years, gave him a perfectly 
 wonderful answer, quite unrepeatable, ex- 
 pressing his opinion of the Balkans generally. 
 Lloyd George sat on an engine-room casing 
 side by side with a fat and dirty stoker, who 
 pointed his remarks with suckings of teeth 
 and digs in the ribs. Jackson, the First Sea 
 Lord, came on the bridge, and the Captain 
 and I proceeded to tell him all about the life 
 
 on a destroyer and our opinions of , 
 
 etc., and then we got an inkling he was at the 
 Admiralty, and so the skipper said, '* Oh, to 
 whom are you secretary at the Admiralty ? " 
 and he replied, ** As a matter of fact I am the 
 First Sea Lord." Utter collapse of the skipper 
 and myself, the former simply roaring with 
 laughter. It really was as good as a play, the 
 whole performance. I very nearly introduced 
 myself to Sir Edward Grey, as I thought you 
 knew him pretty well, but then I thought he 
 might think it rather pushing, and so I didn't. 
 On Sunday night at 5 p.m. I got leave till 
 Tuesday morning and went over to Folkestone 
 and stayed with a large party of Canadians, 
 amongst whom was one of my old loves at 
 Halifax, now, unfortunately, married. I had 
 a most amusing time. They really do come 
 out with the most amusing remarks at the 
 right time in the most natural way. Some one 
 complained that the motor-buses and lorries 
 kept passing up and down the road all night, 
 and they could not imagine what they were 
 
m THE VIKING 255 
 
 doing at that hour, and so one very quiet 
 Captain in the Canadian regiment said with 
 an American drawl, ** Why, just moving. 
 That is all.'^ I did a day on board from 
 Tuesday noon to Wednesday noon and then 
 went up to London to see the dentist. Arrived 
 at 2.30, left at 6. I had tea with Lorraine 
 Wood, who was very nice and kind. 
 
 Now about our next stand-ofF? It con- 
 sists of three or four days, but I never get 
 more than two consecutive days, and then I 
 have to do a day on board. These stand-offs 
 come on an average about once a fortnight, 
 but one cannot tell exactly on what day until 
 on the actual day itself, but if you thought 
 it was worth coming up to London, and I get 
 a good idea of on what day we were going to 
 stand off, I could send you a wire, and I could 
 probably manage two nights and a day with 
 you in London. Write and let me know 
 what you think of this plan, if you think it 
 is really worth the long journey up to London 
 for that short time. We were up all last 
 night helping a destroyer which got on the 
 Goodwins. I did not leave the bridge for 
 1 2 hours, with only a cup of cocoa, and I was 
 glad to get to bed this morning at 6 a.m. 
 This life certainly is a wonderfully interesting 
 one. 
 
 H.M.S. "Viking," December 6. 
 
 I think my last letter stopped where we 
 had just come in after being out all night 
 
2S6 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 helping a fellow - destroyer to get off the 
 Goodwins. She was in a very critical condition 
 when we reached there at lo p.m., November 
 25, as there was a very heavy sea running, 
 and the breakers were breaking right over her 
 in the most alarming manner ; in fact I was 
 very glad I was not in her. Thank goodness 
 she got off at high water at 4 a.m., and our 
 skipper, who was in charge of operations, was 
 congratulated by the Admiral. It was quite 
 tricky work for us. Did I tell you in my last 
 letter about going over to Dunkerque and 
 seeing the Cathedral and the French 75 mm. 
 guns firing at a Taube ? If not, please let 
 me know, and I will tell you about it, as it 
 would interest you, and I want to tell you 
 all I do. From then till December i we 
 did very ordinary work, and the weather was 
 perfectly filthy, to put it mildly. To-day while 
 I am writing this letter it is equally bad. We 
 are rolling 40° while tied up to a buoy in the 
 harbour, and one does get so heartily sick of 
 the continual roll. On December i we went 
 • over to Boulogne to fetch a celebrity, and I 
 had my first taste of what really bad weather 
 is like in a destroyer. Every single sea hit 
 the ship like a 15-inch gun, and the waves 
 came green right over the top of the bridge. 
 We tried going 30 knots, but it soon came down 
 to 10. There is nothing so pleasant as going 
 about 35 in a destroyer on a lovely fine morning 
 with a calm sea, and I think it more than 
 makes up for the bad weather, but anyhow 
 
in 
 
 THE VIKING 257 
 
 we were jolly glad to get back to Dover that 
 night, I can tell you. On Thursday, December 
 2, we went over to Dunkerque and had a 
 lovely run across, and stayed there the night. 
 I had dinner with Charles Cowan, who was 
 very nice to me, in his ship. He has just 
 been given command of a big battery up at 
 the front, far better than any colonel's com- 
 mand in the Army, and the job meaning certain 
 promotion. As it has been his one aim and 
 object to get to the front ever since the war 
 started, he was in high spirits, and started 
 
 off the following day. We also left for 
 
 that morning and developed a small defect in 
 our machinery on the way over, and so we 
 had a stand-off. I went up to London and 
 stayed with Derrick Milner and had a most 
 delightful time till Sunday morning, when I 
 came back here to a horrible ship rolling her 
 inside out. 
 
 On Saturday afternoon we went to a mag- 
 nificent concert at Queen's Hall, which I did 
 so enjoy. It is delightful being able to get 
 up to London and away for two days like 
 this, especially as Derrick brought down Lady 
 Linlithgow's fiddle and I performed thereon, 
 but the only objection is when one dines at 
 the Carlton and goes to theatres and suppers, 
 etc., it costs about ;^io a time, and I shall 
 have to stop. 
 
 I do not know any one down here and I 
 loathe being alone when I am on leave, and 
 so I shall go over to Sandwich and play golf 
 
 s 
 
258 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 with the " Pro " or any one I can find next 
 time, or else go over to Folkestone and stay 
 with the Canadians. 
 
 So far we have not been in action. 
 
 I wish to goodness they would hurry up, 
 as I want to kill a few Huns. Our great 
 difficulty to contend with at present is that of 
 mines laid by neutrals and German submarines 
 near every buoy and lightship in the place. 
 I should stop all neutrals from using the 
 Channel at all, and if they want to go into the 
 North Sea make them go round England. 
 
 H.M.S. "Viking," 
 Sunday, December 12, 191 5. 
 
 Loving thanks for both your letters, both 
 splendid long ones, which I simply loved 
 getting. I think one appreciates letters far 
 more in this sort of life than in the Queen 
 Mary, 
 
 On Tuesday we sank a German floating 
 mine which we came across and which I 
 . spotted with one round of 4. It was a very 
 good shot, as it was 300 yards off. I do not 
 think I shall ever be what the Americans call 
 ** ocean-ill " again in my life after this last 
 week. I have never seen anything like the 
 weather. A strong south-westerly gale every 
 day and a big sea, in fact it has been too bad 
 for the small destroyers and T.B.'s to go out. 
 I was not ill, but felt a bit liverish once or 
 twice, besides being deposited on the deck of 
 the bridge, stern foremost, once or twice. 
 
m 
 
 THE VIKING 259 
 
 We did not take the Cabinet over to Calais 
 for the Conference this last time, as we were 
 standing off at the time and I was up in 
 London. I hear they asked where the Viking 
 was. Did you see that delightful picture of 
 them all going over the gangway on to the 
 hospital - ship, in Punch the week before last ? 
 That is exactly what they looked like. 
 
 There was no bombardment of the Belgian 
 coast as reported in the papers. I do not 
 know why they allowed them to put this thing 
 in. The Cathedral at D. is a terrible sight, 
 all the right aisle one big crumbled heap of 
 stones, and not a bit of glass left anywhere 
 where a 15 hit it. 
 
 There were three I5*s hit the town alto- 
 gether. Another one hit a factory, which is 
 simply a crumpled mass of ruins and twisted 
 and mangled bits of iron, just as if some one 
 had taken them and wrung them out like a 
 piece of washing. The third hit a warehouse, 
 of which the bare four walls are left standing. 
 Every day, as regularly as clockwork, at 4 
 P.M., weather permitting, Taubes come over 
 and drop a few bombs, and you hear the 
 French 75 twin -scissor mounting, that is, 
 two guns working up and down together, 
 anti-aerial guns cracking off, and then, high, 
 high up you see two little white puffs, one after 
 the other, where the shrapnel is bursting, 
 very often one on each side of the Taube^ 
 but I have never seen a hit. Then up go 
 the French and our aeroplanes and chase 
 
26o HAROLD TENNYSON, R,N. 
 
 off the intruder. The French, from what 
 I have seen, knock spots off our flying people, 
 and are looping the loop and doing tricks 
 when they are patrolling up in the air. There 
 are always five or six patrolling all day, weather 
 permitting, and the inhabitants spend all 
 their time looking up in the air to see if they 
 are Huns or Allies. I am sure they will all 
 get neck-set in that position, with their eyes 
 looking upwards. Then, when the first gun 
 goes, they scuttle like a lot of rabbits into the 
 nearest house, and all start talking at once 
 and get in a fearful panic, whereas the English 
 take things quite peacefully, as only one bomb 
 in about twenty does much damage. It is 
 very interesting being over this side, and brings 
 the war more home to one than anything I 
 have done yet, especially as the front is only 
 about twelve miles off, and when the wind is 
 blowing the right way one can hear the rifle- 
 fire and guns. 
 
 Thursday. — Since I started this we have 
 been up the Belgian coast, and we had nineteen 
 bombs dropped on us, all of which went 
 within ten yards, the most thrilling day of my 
 life. We saw an aeroplane battle in mid-air, 
 and the Hun, a big battle-machine, brought 
 down by the English one, all on fire. 
 
 I am just off up to London for two days' 
 well-earned rest. Much love. 
 
 January 9. — I heard a nice story of the 
 'Dresden and the little Sheerwater^ who were 
 together in the same harbour in a Pacific 
 
m THE VIKING 261 
 
 Island, and the officers of the one actually- 
 dining on board the other when they got the 
 order to commence hostilities. Both sides 
 hunted up books of International Law, but 
 could find nothing to suit the case, and so 
 the Captain of the Dresden said he would 
 give the Sheerzvater twenty-four hours' start, 
 and so they dashed off, but I heard afterwards 
 that the Captain of the Dresden never tried to 
 follow them. He also passed the old Espiegle^ 
 and all he did was to take away her ensign. 
 He must be a fine man. 
 
 Sunday^ January 10, 1915. — I have letters 
 to thank you for, a New Year's Day letter 
 from Mamie, and one written on the 7th, 
 and one from father on the 4th. You both 
 are really splendid about writing. Many 
 thanks also for the cake and the chocolate, 
 and also for the little sugary cakes, which 
 were very good. I will let you know when I 
 want some more. I do hope Lionel will not 
 give up that Sheerness job, as it sounds just 
 the very thing for him, in fact quite the best 
 thing that has ever come his way. 
 
 The little piece by F. W. Robertson, which 
 Mamie copied out for me, is extraordinarily 
 true, and I liked it very much. 
 
 H.M.S. ''Viking," December 21. 
 
 This is to wish you both from the very 
 bottom of my heart the happiest and most 
 peaceful Christmas possible under present 
 conditions, and to tell you how I shall think of 
 
262 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 you, and long all the day to be with you all. 
 God grant that next Christmas we may all of 
 us be at Farringford together with the happy 
 Christmas festivities going on ! 
 
 I should like to go to Rochester Cathedral 
 and hear the music. It is a good thing to 
 get ashore and have a long bath, but I shall 
 not go to London or Folkestone again, as I 
 simply cannot afford it. I shall go and play 
 golf as soon as the weather is at all fit, but 
 it is no fun in a howling gale or pouring 
 rain. 
 
 I am sorry to say we have lost our gunner 
 for good. He was a first-rate warrant officer, 
 and far above the average. 'The strain of the 
 last six months, together with the bombs the 
 other day, have given him a nervous break- 
 down, poor chap, and he has yesterday lost 
 his little baby aged eight weeks, so we heard. 
 I am so sorry for him. 
 
 The happiest of happy Christmases to 
 Sophie and every one. 
 
 H.M.S. "Viking," 
 6th Destroyer Flotilla. 
 
 I am afraid I have not written for ages, 
 but so many things have happened since I 
 last wrote that I have scarcely had a minute. 
 Well, I will tell you first about our little affair 
 with the bombs. We were guarding a ship 
 which had lain ashore quite close to Nieuport 
 and waiting for the weather conditions to 
 moderate to get her off. The old Hun was 
 very busy all through the night sending up 
 
THE FIRING 263 
 
 star-shells, which are like glorified pieces of 
 the magnesium wire one gets in crackers, 
 and we expected any minute to get a 15 
 dropped on us, or else a torpedo or something, 
 and it was rather nervous work all night. 
 The climax was reached at 2 a.m., when I 
 was on the watch, and we hit a foreign trawler 
 carrying no lights. With luck it did not hurt 
 us. We thought they would be certain to 
 shell us, but however they didn*t. I think 
 they must have thought the ship was a decoy 
 or something. 
 
 At 9.30 A.M. the first lot of bombs descended, 
 and they fell about thirty yards on our port 
 quarter. 
 
 At 10 A.M. we got another lot, which fell 
 about fifteen yards off the bow. All this time 
 the Allied planes were supposed to be guarding 
 and patrolling over us, but there was not a 
 sign of one. 
 
 I expect they were having their breakfast ; 
 but we asked for aerial protection, and about 
 eight of them arrived and kept the three 
 German planes off. It was very amusing to 
 watch, as every time a German tried to steal 
 over in our direction an Allied plane would 
 dart out after him, and he would immediately 
 turn about and fly over his own lines. All 
 the time both Allied and German anti-aerial 
 guns were firing shrapnel, which was bursting 
 all over the planes miles above us. In the 
 afternoon about 3 we saw two German battle- 
 planes coming, and I fired four shrapnel at 
 
264 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. pt. 
 
 one of them, which we can only do when they 
 are a long way off, as we cannot get the 
 elevation on the gun. Whether this annoyed 
 him, or whether the Viking s funnels attracted 
 him, he refused to take any notice of a light 
 cruiser, and came straight for us. We in- 
 creased to full speed and began playing a 
 game of dodge, which was great fun, but we 
 had not got much room as the channel was 
 only I J miles wide. The object of this little 
 game is to prevent him from getting on a 
 parallel course to you, and always to try and 
 keep on a course at right angles to him, 
 because if he gets on a parallel course he can 
 drop bombs the whole length of the ship, 
 whereas the other way he has to drop them 
 across the ship with much less chance of 
 hitting. He can go twice our speed, but you 
 can turn round on your heel, while he has to 
 make more or less a wide sweep. After about 
 half an hour, as we were hampered by other 
 ships, etc., he cornered us, but in a crosswise 
 manner. He looked to be absolutely dead 
 above us, and I thought, my goodness, he 
 can*t possibly miss ! The only thing we 
 could have done was to go astern, but for some 
 reason or other the skipper would not. He 
 was very deliberate, and every one was wanting 
 him to get on with the business, but in the 
 end they came, bang ! bang ! crash ! right 
 across the bow, sprinkling us. Of course we 
 were smothered in spray and black smoke, and 
 nasty smelling stuff it was too. The other 
 
m THE VIKING 265 
 
 ships, of course, saw nothing but smoke, and 
 thought we were done in. All this time there 
 was another plane above him, which we 
 thought was another German, and we were 
 standing by for another bomb, but all of a 
 sudden the top one swooped down like a hawk, 
 and seemed to peck at the German. In reality 
 he had riddled him with machine-fire. The 
 big Hun battle-plane (ours was quite a small 
 one) turned on its side and began his awful 
 plunge, from about 6000 feet, head first. 
 About 2000 feet up the whole thing caught 
 on fire and came down a whirling ball of 
 flame, the most wonderful spectacle I have ever 
 seen, and it hit the water about two hundred 
 yards off us and blew up, and there was ab- 
 solutely nothing left but a few bubbles. All 
 the other sailors in all the other ships yelled 
 and cheered like anything, and so did I, but 
 afterwards it seemed rather a funny thing to 
 do, to yell oneself hoarse at seeing two fellows 
 going to their doom. Just before she caught 
 fire they saw one fellow climb up towards 
 the tail, looking upwards with his arms clasped 
 round the tail, but I am glad to say I didn't. 
 The Captain went on a week's leave and 
 we had a Lieutenant called Gibson here, a 
 first-rate fellow, a great friend of mine, who 
 was in the Cumberland with me. My good- 
 ness, they did work us that week till December 
 24th ! Four nights and days without leaving 
 the bridge for more than two hours. I stayed 
 in bed till 2 p.m. on Christmas day, and then 
 
266 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 went and had dinner with a fellow called 
 Sheer, who is moving, by the way, just as I 
 am getting to know some one worth knowing 
 in Dover. I love the sea life, but I have 
 absolutely no use on shore for the occupation 
 of bar-loafing. Evans came on board to say 
 " Good-bye," as he is going to the Admiralty 
 for two months, so he says, but it is really for 
 good, as he has been on this job for fourteen 
 months, and it is too much for any man's nerves. 
 The gunner has also gone to hospital with a 
 nervous breakdown. I would not mind if they 
 had left us Gibson as skipper. The First Lieu- 
 tenant is rapidly sickening for something, and 
 so I shall be the only one left soon, but I think 
 Evans will get a new destroyer in two months* 
 time, and I shall go there, I expect. 
 
 H.M.S. "Viking," Dover, 
 Friday, January 14. 
 
 Loving thanks for your delightful long 
 letter, which I got this morning, and which 
 I simply loved getting. 
 
 As regards your coming here, I should be 
 able to get ashore every other day from about 
 5 to 9 P.M., so if you think it is worth it I will 
 see about some lodgings. We shall come 
 round to P. the first week in March, so it 
 would only be for February, but if you think 
 you would like the change, do come, as I 
 should simply love having you here. Williams 
 is a splendid man in every way, handles the 
 ship perfectly, and never panics, and is a 
 
THE VIKING 267 
 
 good practical man, and takes advice from 
 people who know the ship better than he 
 does as regards handling her, from which 
 he benefits. I think he and 1 will get on 
 splendidly. I got up^to London at 4.30 p.m., 
 bitterly disappointed at not finding you there, 
 as I was looking forward to Sunday with the 
 beautiful music at the Queen's Hall. 
 
 I shall never leave any one to do a telephone 
 message for me in future. Do you know I 
 gave that man the message at 10 a.m. .? I 
 could not do it myself, as I had a lot to 
 see about with the Captain. I came down 
 here at noon on Monday, thinking we were 
 coming out of dock at 2 p.m., but they said at 
 I p.m. "you will not come out till Tuesday at 2 
 P.M.," and on Tuesday at i p.m. they repeated 
 the performance with "Wednesday at 2 p.m.," 
 when we eventually did come out. I did not 
 like to ask the skipper for leave again, and so 
 those two days were entirely wasted and I 
 stayed on board. Oh, how I wish you had 
 been up in London, then I could have wired for 
 you to come down to Dover, in fact I think 
 I should have got you to come down with me 
 on Monday anyhow. It's an ill wind that 
 blows no one any good, and on Saturday, after 
 I arrived, I was feeling very bored at not finding 
 you up there, and I didn't know what to do, 
 and so I went to the Automobile Club for a 
 Turkish bath, and on the doorstep whom do 
 you think I ran into ? Lionel, of all people 1 
 He had not the foggiest idea I was in London, 
 
268 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 and I never had such a shock in all my Jife 
 as seeing him, for I never knew he was coming 
 on leave even. Wasn't that the luckiest thing 
 that ever happened ? 
 
 And so I wasn't altogether sorry that I 
 came up to London on a wild-goose chase. 
 
 The weather is perfectly heavenly now, 
 just like spring. I told you it would be, with 
 the new moon. We went out on patrol 
 yesterday, and then took some Canadian 
 Ministers over the other side. We shall not 
 go to D. at present as far as I can make out. 
 
 The Last Ordinary Letter 
 
 H.M.S. "Viking," 
 January 26, 19 16. 
 
 I am afraid I have not written to you for 
 a long time, but since our last stand-off, which 
 finished on January 12, we had one night in 
 harbour and never more than twelve hours. 
 Added to this, the weather was perfectly 
 appalling, a south-west gale the whole time, 
 and one does get so heartily sick of never being 
 able to sit down to any meal without one's 
 chair being thrown across the room and one's 
 soup and tea being deposited in one's lap. It is 
 not as if we were doing anything interesting, 
 but merely patrolling and escorting transports 
 across the Channel. On Sunday at noon, 
 thank goodness, we stood off, three days over- 
 due for a start, and we should have stood off 
 till Wednesday noon, but, on account of the 
 shortness of boats, they fished us out yesterday, 
 
ni 
 
 THE VIKING 269 
 
 Tuesday. While we were standing off we 
 had perfectly heavenly weather, but it is quite 
 enough for the Viking to put her nose out of 
 harbour for a gale to start and keep up till 
 we go in again. I love a destroyer on a fine 
 day doing some exciting job at full speed, but 
 going buffeting about the Channel on patrol 
 and escorting is, I think, a perfect Hell in 
 bad weather. Never mind, everything comes 
 to him who waits, and at 3 p.m. this afternoon — 
 it is now 10.30 A.M. — I am at last, having 
 waited since November, going into my first 
 big action. Hurrah ! It is going to be one 
 of the biggest shows that has ever taken place 
 on the Belgian coast, and 1 imagine is coming 
 off suddenly like this on account of the Germans 
 having kept up a terrific bombardment on 
 that front during the last few days. They 
 poured 20,000 shells into Nieuport yesterday, 
 and the noise here at Dunkerque was un- 
 bearable. We were up off there last night 
 reconnoitring, and the wily Hun was firing 
 star -shells all night and big guns, just a 
 few rounds every hour. We had a little 
 excitement in Dover on Saturday night at 
 I A.M. when a Taube came and dropped six 
 bombs. 
 
 6 P.M. — The strafe is over. We poured 
 sixty 12 and ten 15 into Ostend, and they 
 never fired a single shot back at us, so it was 
 a very tame affair. I must say I want to see 
 what it feels like on a destroyer having twelves 
 fired at you. 
 
270 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 This is the first time they have not fired back 
 at us after a bombardment. I wonder why 
 they didn*t. It was rather foggy, and we, 
 the destroyers, could not see our shells burst- 
 ing, which was a pity. We don't fire our- 
 selves. I told you what the destroyer's job is. 
 I was bitterly disappointed when I heard we 
 were definitely not going to take our stand- 
 off at Dover, as I was looking forward to 
 our little time together. Now, with the 
 present amount of work going on, I should 
 only be able to see you in the stand-offs 
 and perhaps once in between, and these 
 aerial attacks I don't think you would enjoy. 
 Anyhow, I should hate the thought of you 
 being in one, and so I think we had better 
 wait till March. 
 
 MY BOY JACK" 
 
 " Have you news of my boy Jack ? " 
 
 Not this tide. 
 " When d'you think that he'll come back ? " 
 Not with this wind blowing and this tide. 
 
 " Has any one else had word of him ? " 
 
 Not this tide. 
 For what is sunk will hardly swim. 
 Not with this wind blowing and this tide. 
 
 " Oh, dear, what comfort can I find ? " 
 
 None this tide. 
 
 Nor any tide, 
 Except he didn't shame his kind, 
 Not even with that wind blowing and that tide. 
 
m THE VIKING 271 
 
 Then hold your head up all the more. 
 
 This tide. 
 
 And every tide. 
 Because he was the son you bore. 
 And gave to that wind blowing and that tide. 
 
 RuDYARD Kipling. 
 
 ** I can*t get any rest till I die,** Harold had said 
 when he was only four years old, and indeed his 
 childish utterance seemed in the end a prophecy. 
 
 The next letter bears no date of writing, but 
 only that of receipt. ' 
 
 Harold* s last Letter^ received February 5, 19 16 
 
 My darling Mamie and Father — I have 
 always told you I would let you know at once 
 if anything ever happened to me. By the 
 time you get this you will know that I have 
 got that ** Perfect Peace ** I have been longing 
 for. The strain has been awful — " I have 
 only done my duty as a man is bound to do/' 
 and I have died with a "joyful spirit.** I 
 have continually thought of you both. My 
 last thoughts were how pleased you would be 
 that in no other way could I have better 
 upheld the name of ** Tennyson.** I have got 
 some well-earned rest at last. 
 
 For the last time in this world I will say 
 " Good-bye,** and I shall long for you both to 
 come and join me in the next. I hope you 
 have been spared Lionel and Aubrey. I long 
 for you all. — Your very, very loving son, 
 
 Harold, 
 
272 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 It came indeed as a letter from another world. 
 For when it reached his parents the writer had 
 been dead a week all but a few hours, and had 
 slept already, after his eager, toilsome life, four 
 nights, in the final resting-place where loving 
 hands had laid him, in the quiet churchyard of 
 his beautiful home. 
 
 O father, wheresoe'er thou be, 
 
 Who pledgest now thy gallant son ; 
 A shot, ere half thy draught be done, 
 
 Hath stiird the life that beat from thee. 
 
 O mother, praying God will save 
 
 Thy sailor, — while thy head is bow'd. 
 His heavy-shotted hammock-shroud 
 
 Drops in his vast and wandering grave. 
 
 'Tis well ; 'tis something ; we may stand 
 Where he in English earth is laid. 
 And from his ashes may be made 
 
 The violet of his native land. 
 
 'Tis little ; but it looks in truth 
 
 As if the quiet bones were blest 
 Among familiar names to rest 
 
 And in the places of his youth. 
 
 Come then, pure hands, and bear the head 
 That sleeps or wears the mask of sleep, 
 And come, whatever loves to weep, 
 
 And hear the ritual of the dead. 
 
 What had happened in the interval is best 
 told in his mother*s own words in a letter written 
 by her on February 4 to a cousin. 
 
ni 
 
 THE VIKING 273 
 
 His Mother's Letter to her Cousin 
 
 Friday ^ February 4, 1916. 
 
 I was sorting all his music this time last 
 week to take down with his violin, as we had 
 for three weeks been looking forward to a plan 
 arranged with him in London just three weeks 
 ago, when we went up to meet him from 
 Wednesday to Saturday, to go down to Dover 
 for all this month, from the 29th January, last 
 Saturday, so that he might have some one to 
 come to when not at sea or on duty. We were 
 going to hire a piano and have hours of music, 
 we three together, and that was just bliss for 
 him, and we went down Saturday morning 
 from here. He did not meet us, but we 
 thought nothing of that. His place was put 
 for him at the dinner-table. He did not come. 
 We only thought he was on duty. Next 
 morning (Sunday), just after I had been looking 
 out of our windows with Sophie to try to see 
 if the Viking were in port, a telegram was 
 brought up, but instead of my heart nearly 
 stopping with anxiety as of late, we both 
 thought it was from him to tell us when to 
 expect him. I shall never forget H.'s *' Harold 
 was killed yesterday." 
 
 They had been patrolling all night. Harold 
 took his usual watch from 12 to 4 a.m., went 
 to bed till 8.30, got up, and after his breakfast 
 went up on the bridge. 
 
 At 1 1. 1 5 he gave his orders to the 
 officer of the watch — Harold was the navi- 
 
274 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 gating officer. He then walked from the 
 bridge with his Captain, of whom he wrote 
 a few days before that he loved him, down 
 to the Ward-room in the stern, and three 
 minutes after the Viking struck a mine, 
 the one thing I always felt he dreaded, if he 
 dreaded anything, and he and three other 
 officers and three mess-room servants left 
 this world. There were two great explosions. 
 The tongues of flame were seen far down the 
 English Channel. Ward-room, cabins, every- 
 thing gone. At first we were told that there 
 was nothing left of our Harold, but later, 
 Sunday afternoon, the Admiral sent up word 
 that they had found the dear body under all 
 the debris, and we were told, though much 
 bruised, the dear face looked peaceful. I 
 should have loved to see his cabin, to see his 
 "y servant, to have his coat and cap, but all had 
 gone, and Tuesday morning we brought all 
 that remained to the home churchyard. This 
 home was always to him the happiest spot on 
 earth, and he and we were surrounded at the 
 Church by those who loved him, many having 
 grown up with him. 
 
 It was late, and the Church was all lit up, 
 and the Rector read that wonderful Service in 
 a manly, strong voice, the louder because he 
 was afraid he might not get through it. Once 
 there was a long pause, and then almost a 
 shout to support himself. As we walked into 
 the Church the hymn we had chosen, " Thy 
 Will be done," was sung slowly by the Choir 
 
Ill THE VIKING 275 
 
 who had known him so well, as they walked 
 in front of him, and later, ** Holy ! Holy ! 
 Holy ! '* the Trinity Hymn which he so loved, 
 and which we had at our wedding, being his 
 grandfather's favourite hymn. God was merci- 
 ful to us in letting us have this last blessed 
 memory of our blessed child. 
 
 Captain Hall of the Queen Mary^ under 
 whom he served his first year as a middy and 
 till a short time after the battle of Heligoland, 
 writes : "I trusted him. He never failed 
 me, and his fine character had such an in- 
 fluence with the men, and I love to think of 
 the good, fine face with the straight eyes. 
 Indeed it is not wonderful that God took him 
 to Himself.** Are not these words written 
 by a commanding officer about his middy a 
 wonderful testimony of affection and admira- 
 tion from this dear man now at the Admiralty } 
 They have brought unspeakable comfort to 
 our stricken hearts. The letters came in by 
 hundreds, from rich and poor, old servants, 
 cottagers, every one. They bring great com- 
 fort with them. He never knew sorrow, and 
 this was his first he ever caused any one. 
 
 The letter from Captain Hall (now Rear- 
 Admiral Sir W. R. Hall, K.C.M.G.) was indeed 
 a remarkable one. It ran as follows : 
 
 30.1. 16, 
 
 Dear Lady Tennyson — That I venture 
 to write at all must serve to show my affection 
 
276 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. pt. 
 
 for the dear lad. You know how high he 
 stood in my eyes and how I trusted him in 
 the Queen Mary, He never failed me, and 
 his fine character had such' an influence with 
 the men. There will be many sad hearts 
 that mourn with you and yours. I love to 
 think of his fine, good face with the straight 
 eyes. Indeed it is not so wonderful that 
 God took him to Himself. — Very sincerely 
 yours, W. R. Hall. 
 
 The letters did arrive by hundreds, and from 
 many quarters. Foremost, most forcible in their 
 personal and professional knowledge, are those 
 which came from the Navy itself. 
 
 The personnel of that great service, especially 
 in time of war, is constantly changing station 
 and duty. Those with whom he served, even 
 in the short time since his death, have been 
 scattered on land and sea. The splendid ship, 
 of whose gallant and brotherly company he was 
 a bright member, herself in the chances of battle 
 went down in a moment in the van of the Jutland 
 fight, and very many of his friends, old and 
 young, with her. Among them were some of 
 those who had borne testimony to his character. 
 
 Such was Captain Prowse, whose brief letter 
 has been given the enforcement of a last word. 
 Sent from the Queen Mary at the time, it ran as 
 follows : 
 
 H.M.S. "Queen Mary." 
 
 Dear Lord Tennyson — I feel I ought to 
 write to you to say how very sorry all in this 
 
THE VIKING 277 
 
 ship, both officers and men, were to hear of 
 your son's death. He was by far the best 
 midshipman I had, and was known throughout 
 the Squadron as a most zealous and efficient 
 officer. His early death is a great loss to the 
 service, and I am quite certain that had he 
 been spared he would have risen to the highest 
 ranks of his profession, and would have been 
 a credit to it. — Yours sincerely, 
 
 C. W. Prowse. 
 
 Admiral Christian, Commanding Officer at 
 Osborne when Harold was there, wrote : 
 
 March 5, 1916. 
 
 Dear Lady Tennyson — I feel that I must 
 write and tell you and Lord Tennyson how 
 much I grieve with you in your great sorrow. 
 Your son had so much charm of character as a 
 boy that he endeared himself to all who knew 
 him. I always hoped, and indeed felt sure, 
 that he would make his mark in the Service, 
 and I was more shocked than I can say to read 
 of his death. I remember so well selecting 
 him to be one of the Cadet Captains (1909) 
 after conference with the Lieutenant of his 
 time, who thought so highly of him. I feel 
 sure that his latter life was as pure and blame- 
 less as his boyhood, which was most upright 
 and straightforward. I fear no words of mine 
 can soften the terrible blow, but, having known 
 your boy so well, I hope you will forgive my 
 intruding on your sorrow. — Yours very truly, 
 
 Arthur Christian. 
 
278 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 Admiral Goodenough wrote from H.M.S. 
 Southampton : 
 
 Dear Lady Tennyson — There is so little 
 one can say, but so much that one feels, the 
 nobility of the sacrifice, the willingness of it, 
 the absence of any thoughts of self that these 
 boys show us daily in their lives and in their 
 deaths. I am sure you and Lord Tennyson 
 feel that too in all your sorrow and loss. It is 
 not only the gift of his life for his country, 
 but far more than that. I did not know him 
 very well, but I hear from all of his clean mind 
 and simple-heartedness, and his enjoyment of 
 life without touching its baser side. That is 
 what they tell me, and what I hope they told 
 you too, though you know it. 
 
 Believe that you have my great sympathy. 
 — Yours very sincerely, 
 
 W. E. Goodenough. 
 
 Captain Bentinck, writing from the Lion^ 
 said : 
 
 We have been out for some time or I should 
 have written before to say how horrified we 
 all were when we heard of your terrible loss. 
 Words are very useless, but it may be a little 
 comfort to you and Lord Tennyson to know 
 how very deep the feeling of regret was in all 
 the Battle-Cruiser Fleet. It is a great tribute 
 to him that he was either known of, or known 
 by, every officer of the Fleet, and all who knew 
 
THE VIKING 279 
 
 him were full of admiration for him. I am 
 glad to think that I was once his Captain, 
 and I could see his influence for good on all 
 around him. I doubt if any other officer of 
 his age ever made his name so quickly and so 
 quietly. I had looked forward to getting him 
 with me later on, for I was very truly fond of 
 him. 
 
 Commander, now Flag-Commander, W. M. 
 James also wrote from the Queen Mary : 
 
 Your young and splendid boy has gone. 
 To us here who knew him intimately, a sad 
 blow. He left us so keen and full of joy at 
 the chance of seeing a more active side of 
 war. When he left many of us said good- 
 luck to one who, we all felt, would do great 
 things if he got the chance. I said good-bye 
 to a friend. To you and Lord Tennyson it 
 will be a great tragedy. I know a little bit 
 what he was to you and what his home meant 
 to him. The latter feeling is seldom so strong 
 in a boy of his age as it was with Harold. A 
 splendid young fellow with a fine career before 
 him, that will always be my recollection of him. 
 
 Captain Evans of the Antarctic Expedition, 
 who had been Captain of the Vikings wrote to 
 his father : 
 
 I felt his loss very deeply, and the naval 
 service is deprived of a splendid officer. Your 
 
28o HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 boy was so quick, clever, and interested that 
 it was a pleasure to have him on the Viking. 
 
 I have often quoted him as being a type 
 specimen of the successful product of the new 
 scheme of training. He had made the most 
 of his instruction, and he used his brains and 
 his charming personality to the very best ad- 
 vantage for his country and his friends. The 
 Viking was such a happy ship and our little 
 ward-room was so united. My last recollec- 
 tion of these dear, brave fellows came in a 
 brief letter from the First Lieutenant. He 
 pictured your boy brandishing a silver salver 
 in one hand and a rose-bowl in the other. My 
 wedding- present from the Viking was to be 
 one of those which he had been asked to 
 choose. Well, he is gone, this steel-true sailor, 
 and one can only regret him as a beautiful 
 page in life's short history. Believe me, I do 
 deeply sympathise with you, and hope you will 
 realise how sincere my simple tribute is to 
 my old friend and shipmate. 
 
 Lady Linlithgow, who has so often been 
 mentioned in Harold's own letters, wrote from 
 Hopetoun : 
 
 I had seen a good deal of him up here, and 
 was devoted to him, as was every one else 
 who knew him. I cannot imagine a greater 
 joy than to have a son like him. I think you 
 may like to know how all the sailors here, 
 from Admirals downward, mourn his loss 
 
THE VIKING 281 
 
 from the Navy's point of view as well as from 
 personal affection. 
 
 They all say nothing would have stopped 
 him getting to the very top of the tree. All 
 this will of course make it seem much harder 
 at first, but in after years I am sure it will 
 add to your pride. 
 
 Sir Frederick Milner wrote : 
 
 He was one of the wisest lads I have ever 
 met, and I conceived a strong affection for 
 him, and was so pleased that my boy should 
 be his friend. He has joined that gallant 
 band of heroes * whose names will ever be 
 enshrined in the grateful hearts of their 
 countrymen. 
 
 And Mr. Arthur Balfour, then First Lord of 
 the Admiralty : 
 
 He was a most gallant officer, an honour 
 to his name and country. 
 
 His brother Aubrey,^ who was as noble and 
 heroic as himself, was far away in Salonika at 
 the time, and it was many weeks before the sad 
 news reached him. Alone and among strangers, 
 kind though they were, he found the blow at 
 first almost insupportable, but as soon as he was 
 able he wrote home to his father and mother : 
 " He was an absolute sunshine to all of us at 
 home, was he not } Such a splendid brain, yet 
 
 1 See Appendix, 
 
282 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 so full of roguish fun. I am glad to think that 
 the last time I saw him was in the ship he was 
 so proud of, and where he was so much beloved." 
 But the fullest all-round appreciation of his 
 entire disposition and varied and versatile gifts 
 is the following, written just after his death by 
 Mr. Noel Ponsonby, who had taught him at 
 Dartmouth : 
 
 The College, Marlborough, 
 February i, 1916. 
 
 Harold C. Tennyson, during his last term 
 at Dartmouth, was a boy of winning disposi- 
 tion. As one who only knew him for four 
 months, it is impossible to do more than relate 
 my recollections of him, since four years have 
 passed since that time. 
 
 He was eminently the most musical boy of 
 all the four hundred in the College. He was 
 leader of the Cadets* Band and chief violinist. 
 It was said that without him the band would 
 have sometimes come to grief, and that he 
 kept them together better at times than the 
 conductor himself.^ 
 
 He did not care for convention, but would 
 gladly play his fiddle at any odd half-hour 
 when asked to do so. 
 
 He loved what was exciting or daring. I 
 think, too, that he really rather enjoyed getting 
 into a scrape sometimes. 
 
 1 A friend who stayed at Farringford during the last summer of his life 
 writes : " It was a rare joy to spend those many hours playing Brahms* 
 sonatas with him. He conquered their technical difficulties astonishingly, 
 considering how very little he could practise, and his intense appreciation 
 of their beauty as a new revelation of beauty was remarkable. His divine 
 delight in music altogether was a fact never to be forgotten." 
 
lit 
 
 THE VIKING 283 
 
 He did not appear to feel called upon to 
 exert himself more than he felt was necessary. 
 As he was extraordinarily gifted, his work 
 did not trouble him. He had brains enough 
 to be top of his term had he wished. That 
 he enjoyed life intensely there was no doubt. 
 He was exuberant, buoyant, happier by far 
 than most of us, with a rapid intellectual 
 perception of things. He imparted this joy 
 of living and expected one to share it. There 
 was fun to be found everywhere if one could 
 but see it. He himself was ready to find 
 humour in everything, and he infected one 
 with this spirit. 
 
 Indeed a kind of recklessness even was 
 sometimes his, and he gave himself very 
 liberally to his friends. All these things made 
 him intensely lovable. He spared not him- 
 self, and it was all natural to him, and needed 
 no apparent effort. 
 
 If others did not understand or appreciate 
 him, he did not mind, but who is there who 
 could not appreciate, love, and admire such 
 a boy } 
 
 He might have laughed sometimes at 
 incapacity and incompetence. Rules were to 
 be overridden if necessary. He was made for 
 freedom, for liberty, for the open heaven, for 
 the sea-breezes. 
 
 At the end of his last term we went to 
 London, and he came to the Cavendish Club. 
 I remember how rapidly he walked in. He had 
 no overcoat on, but was all shining in gold 
 
2 84 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 buttons and white waistcoat. How beautiful 
 he looked in his naval evening-dress uniform ! 
 His figure, his flashing black eyes, his gratitude 
 are things to thank God for having seen. 
 
 This is the gift he gave, the gift of life, 
 teaching the love of what is beautiful and lovely. 
 
 We went to a Classical Concert. He had 
 forgotten his overcoat, but said it did not 
 matter. He then told me, as we went in 
 the taxi, that he was going afterwards to a ball 
 at the Ritz : on this the exciting first evening 
 of the Christmas leave. How happy he was 1 
 How he made one rejoice ! 
 
 When he left Dartmouth he wrote me a 
 long and rather untidy letter. I am happy to 
 say I still possess it. In it he sends good 
 wishes to masters and servants alike. He 
 did not forget little acts of kindness. I 
 happened to be living in the rooms where his 
 parents stayed when they came down to 
 Dartmouth, and some time after he had left, 
 while on his cruise, a postcard arrived for 
 my housekeeper, Mrs. Shrives.^ 
 
 One of his fellow-midshipmen in the Queen 
 Mary^ now on H.M.S. Cleopatra^ Lieutenant 
 J. G. Aitchison, gives the impression he made 
 on his contemporaries. 
 
 ** In ship life,*' he says, " one has many 
 
 1 Mrs. Shrives (Harold and his friends used to go there to tea) 
 wrote : " He died a hero's death, truly a fitting end to so general a 
 favourite — as he was, I am sure, for he was kindness itself. I remember 
 particularly one incident. He came in unexpectedly one afternoon, found 
 me with a headache, thought I ought to have a cup of tea at once, which 
 he quickly made — daring me to move." 
 
in THE VIKING 285 
 
 acquaintances, and even intimate acquaintances, 
 but only one or two friends in the true sense. 
 
 * Alf,* so everybody called him on board ship, 
 and I "wtvt friends^ and I valued his friendship 
 more than perhaps he ever realised.^ He was 
 a man of a great character. I don't think I 
 ever met such a * sticker ' for work. I often 
 used to find him in his cabin surrounded with 
 books, compiling notes for his future examina- 
 tions. He was sometimes chided by his mess- 
 mates for doing what they considered un- 
 necessary work. He didn't mind a bit. I 
 must confess I shared their opinion till one 
 day he confided to me what he called a secret. 
 
 * Do you know. Jack, one of the chief reasons 
 why I make all these note-books : It is be- 
 cause if I don't keep my mind occupied, all 
 kinds of temptations beset me, and I wouldn't 
 trust myself.' Again, he was very ambitious. 
 He was always telling me there was only 
 one reason why he wanted to leave the ship, 
 that was that he wanted a job where he could 
 feel he was doing something really useful. 
 
 ^ His loyalty to his friends. — " Harold used to write constantly to his old 
 friends, and he never wanted urging to do so. He did it entirely on his own 
 initiative. For example, he used to write regularly to Keast, the captain 
 of the pinnace we had at Sydney, and to many others, and he used to send 
 Christmas cards without fail to all his friends in Australia. He was always 
 anxious to have his old nurse — Horn — to see him when at home. After he 
 had left Osborne he would go over once every holidays to visit his old French 
 master at Gowes. During the war I heard from him many times — splendid 
 letters, full of admiration and praise of others. The pluck of the German 
 sailors even, he admired greatly. He would not tolerate anything petty 
 or mean. The war was a great game, and when the Germans played 
 it well he had nothing but praise for them. I have never seen in any 
 one, as it was in Harold, such absolute unselfishness." — Note by Aubrey 
 Tennyson. 
 
2 86 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 ** Afloat or ashore, he was ever the same, 
 always brimful of cheery good spirits, aided 
 and abetted by a keen sense of humour, always 
 ready for a joke. He was very fond of the 
 picturesque. One walk with him in par- 
 ticular I shall never forget, a long walk with 
 him and Humphrey McMaster in some most 
 delightful birch woods near Viborg. * Alf ' 
 took his gun, and in the glorious sunshine 
 we wandered for miles through those woods, 
 woods without comparison in England. We 
 were sitting down resting in a glade, and after 
 a small discussion concerning a crow which 
 he had shot he began talking, as he often 
 did, about his mother, wishing that she could 
 be there to enjoy the scenery. His love for 
 his parents and home indeed knew no bounds. 
 . . . Well, he is gone from us, and what 
 would have been a great life is cut short, but 
 his glorious memory and example will live 
 with us for ever.'' 
 
 His love of music, often mentioned in these 
 pages, was a dominant note in his composition. 
 Scarcely less dominant was his love of natural 
 beauty alluded to by Mr. Aitchison. His early 
 power of description has been sufficiently shown 
 in his graphic and eloquent letters. It was not 
 possible that he should not care for poetry. He 
 had loved it, as has been seen, from childhood. 
 That his love was both hereditary and imitative 
 appears in the attempts he made at writing it 
 himself. 
 
THE VIKING 287 
 
 The following he called himself ** a feeble 
 effort of mine/' 
 
 SPRING 
 
 Great Nature dropt her cloak of wind and rain, 
 And deck'd herself in raiment fresh and free. 
 Whose broider'd hems the winter had eclipsed, 
 And shone refulgent through the dews of Dawn : 
 Again the universal land proclaimed, 
 In joyous tones, the glory of the Spring, 
 The blackbird warbled in the garden- bowers, 
 The robin piped from many a branch and bush. 
 The skylark sang, and every heart was glad. 
 The stately river and the bubbling stream. 
 Rejoicing, ran down the long flowery vales, 
 Or cool, and clear, they danced beneath the shade, 
 Then merged in laughter in the open plain. 
 Where, thro' the fuller light, the golden flood 
 Moved, glittering, on toward the azure sea. 
 
IN MEMORIAM H. C. T. 
 
 Care tuis fili, mens te tua vivida jussit 
 
 Virtutem impavidum per maris alta sequi — 
 
 Nunc maris ignoti superas felicior undas, 
 Teque vocat caeli pulchrior ille polus.^ 
 
 T. 
 
 1 Thou, 
 Heroic sailor-soul, 
 Art passing on thine happier voyage now 
 Toward no earthly pole. 
 
 289 
 
EPILOGUE 
 
 THE CHIVALRY OF THE SEA 
 
 {Written for and set to music by Sir Hubert Parry.) 
 
 Over the warring waters, beneath the wandering skies, 
 The heart of Britain roameth, the Chivalry of the sea. 
 Where Spring never bringeth a flower, nor bird singeth in a 
 
 tree ; 
 Far, afar, O beloved, beyond the sight of our eyes. 
 Over the warring waters, beneath the stormy skies. 
 
 Staunch and valiant-hearted, to whom our toil were play. 
 Ye man with armour'd patience the bulwarks night and day, 
 Or on your iron coursers plough shuddering through the Bay, 
 Or 'neath the deluge drive the skirmishing sharks of war ; 
 Venturous boys who leapt on the pinnace and row'd from 
 
 shore, 
 A mother's tear in the eye, a swift farewell to say. 
 And a great glory at heart that none can take away. 
 
 Sudden is your home-coming ; for aye your pennon flies 
 
 In unrecorded exploits on the tumultuous wave ; 
 
 Till, in the storm of battle, fast thundering upon the foe, 
 
 Ye add your kindred names to the heroes of long ago. 
 
 And mid the blasting wrack, in the glad sudden death of 
 
 the brave. 
 Ye are gone to return no more. — Idly our tears arise ; 
 Too proud for praise as ye lie in your unvisited grave, 
 The wide warring water, under the starry skies. 
 
 Robert Bridges. 
 
 290 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 CAPTAIN THE HON. ALFRED AUBREY 
 
 TENNYSON (The Rifle Brigade) 
 
 Of the three sons of Lord Tennyson, Aubrey and his 
 elder brother Lionel (who has been thrice wounded) were 
 both at Eton : the youngest brother, Harold, who was in 
 the Navy, died on active service two years ago. On 
 March 21 Aubrey had commanded in a magnificent rear- 
 guard action, and on March 23 fell near St. Quentin. 
 He was out reconnoitring with his ' orderly, and the 
 Germans were only 150 yards off, when he was killed 
 instantaneously by a machine-gun bullet. 
 
 From the first he showed exceptional qualities of mind 
 and character, and combined sound sense and high principle 
 with a charming quiet humour. For a time he was with 
 the Southern Army,^ before he went to France, and his 
 General speaks of the high opinion they had of his work, 
 as giving promise of a brilliant career. (Previously he 
 had served in France and Salonika, having joined the 
 Rifle Brigade in 1914.) 
 
 In his fearless contemplation of death, as shown in a 
 farewell letter before the attack on the 21st, he makes a 
 touching reference to his happy time at Eton, and the loss 
 of his many friends who had gone before him. It was 
 characteristic of him not to forget the Eton Mission, or 
 
 ^ While with the Southern Army he had great schemes of educational 
 schools and lectures for the Army, and worked incessantly at them, so as to 
 make the Army a living educational force in the life of the Empire. 
 
 291 
 
292 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 the conditions of the poor. As we remember him we 
 think of the line " Rifleman, true of heart " — ^and what 
 will live in the minds of those who loved one both " valiant 
 and true " is the thought of his chivalrous gallantry and 
 his deep and rare affection. — Eton Chronicle, May 23, 
 1918. 
 
 From his Chaplain 
 
 9TH Rifle Brigade, B.E.F., 
 France, April 6, 191 8. 
 
 Dear Lord Tennyson — I am the Church of England 
 Chaplain to your son's brigade. I think you would like 
 to know about your brave boy, all that can be told. I was 
 attached at the time that he joined us to the Company that 
 he took over, therefore, although he was with us so short 
 a time, I knew him well. I shared bedroom and had 
 many conversations with him. It gives me great happiness 
 to remember that he received at my hands the Blessed 
 Sacrament on the Sunday previous to his death, as he was 
 present at the Holy Communion Service which I cele- 
 brated at the Field Ambulance in Montescourt, now in 
 German hands. He was most lovable and quickly won 
 the highest opinions of his fellow-officers. I also know 
 that his Company quickly realised his worth, and in letters 
 which I censored I read that many of the men were certain 
 that their new Company Commander was a splendid 
 fellow who would do great things for the uplift of the men. 
 His death was splendid. He just behaved in action as if 
 it were the most ordinary thing in the world that death 
 and danger were all around him. He never once lost his 
 head or his cheerfulness. It was all just wonderful, and 
 one can onlv thank God for such a man. After this it 
 seems out or place to offer sympathy when you ought to be 
 congratulated because he is your son, but I know the 
 aching void and the sense of separation, and I pray God 
 comfort you and all who loved him. I treasure the 
 memory of our short friendship. I think all is worth 
 while when life gives us such men. — Yours very sincerely, 
 
 Harry Howard, C.F. 
 
APPENDIX 293 
 
 From his Chaplain 
 
 April 19. 
 
 My dear Lord Tennyson — I fear I can tell you 
 little more. How gladly would I do so if I could. On the 
 first day, March 21st, he was sent to take two companies 
 from Montescourt forward to a position nearer the enemy. 
 The General afterwards said that he was exceedingly 
 pleased with the behaviour of these companies. That 
 was of course the result of your son's leading. 
 
 On the day of his death, according to our Adjutant, he 
 had absolutely the grip of the situation and was simply 
 splendid. He was shot through the head and died in- 
 stantaneously. All this is of course quite unofficial, but 
 I wish I could in any way convey to you the high opinion 
 everybody who knew him here had of him. I believe I 
 knew him best, because he took to me at once, and was quite 
 free with me. I wish I knew more. — Yours sincerely, 
 
 Harry Howard. 
 
 From his Colonel^ the Hon. Noel Bligh 
 
 I have found out all I can, and the facts are these. 
 Aubrey commanded C Company. The Battalion went 
 into action close to Montescourt on the 22nd. His 
 Company had to go up and take a forward position, then 
 had orders to evacuate it. He remained till the last 
 platoon went and carried the withdrawal. On the 23rd 
 the Battalion defended Fleury Le Martel, and his Com- 
 pany had to defend a railway embankment. They came 
 in position, when suddenly another Battalion on the right 
 gave, and Aubrey went over to see what could be done ; 
 while going over he was killed instantaneously by a 
 rifle shot that hit him in the neck. A stretcher-bearer I 
 have just seen went over to see if he could help him, but 
 he was dead. I asked the stretcher-bearer. Barlow, what 
 the men thought of Aubrey, and he said, *' Oh, he was 
 simply splendid, and all the men believed in him absolutely." 
 I knew they would, but I just wanted to hear it said. 
 
294 HAROLD TENNYSON, R.N. 
 
 Your loss is far worse than ours, I know. But though 
 I didn't see myself what he did in the actions that the 
 Battalion has fought in these last few days, every one says 
 he was magnificent. I had no doubt on that point. I 
 and every one who knew him knew he would be. The 
 Battalion, like many others in our part of the line, fought 
 against overwhelmmg odds, and did very well indeed. 
 My only regret is that I was not there to help. 
 
 From one of his Sergeants 
 
 To Lord Tennyson. 
 
 Being a Sergeant under your son the late Hon. 
 Aubrey Tennyson, of C Company, 9th Battalion Rifle 
 Brigade, I regret your great loss. I was near by at the 
 time he met his death, being shot through the throat. It 
 happened in a field in front of the railway line, running 
 through a place called Fleury Le Martel, between the 
 hours of II and 12 a.m. on the morning of the 23rd of 
 March. He was searching for the advancing enemy, as a 
 thick mist was hanging about at the time. 
 
 Though he had only joined us about a fortnight before 
 at Montescourt, I must admit that he was one of the finest 
 and bravest oflicers I had ever met, and if any one earned 
 a V.C. our gallant Captain did. One thing I could not 
 help but notice, and that was he would never send a man 
 to a position unless he had been himself first, also must say 
 that he was loved by all in the Company. His death was 
 a great shock to us. Myself left the Battalion on Easter 
 Sunday and am in hospital, suffering from gastritis. I 
 trust you will excuse me for taking the liberty of writing 
 to you, but I thought you would like to hear from one of 
 his men. — I remain, yours obediently, 
 
 G. E. Chaplin, Sergeant, 
 
 April 20, 19 1 8. 
 
 Printed by R. & R. Cr.ARK, Limited, Edinburgh. 
 
ALFRED, LORD TENNYSON: A 
 
 Memoir. By his Son, Hallam, Lord 
 Tennyson. With Portraits and Facsimiles. 
 Library Edition. Two vols. Medium 8vo. 
 36s. net. Also an edition in one vol. With 
 Portrait. Ex. Cr. 8vo. 6s. net. 
 
 TENNYSON AND HIS FRIENDS. 
 
 Edited by Hallam, LORD TENNYSON. With 
 Portraits. 8vo. IDs. net. 
 
 TENNYSON. By Sir Alfred Lyall. Cr. Svo. 
 2s. 6d. net. 
 
 {English Men of Letters^ 
 
 MACMILLAN and CO., Ltd., LONDON. 
 
A 
 
 THE WORKS OF TENNYSON 
 
 Messrs. Macmillan & Co., Ltd., draw special 
 attention to the fact that their Editions contain 
 all the poems still in copyright, and are con- 
 sequently the only complete Editions of Lord 
 Tennyson's Works. 
 
 THE COMPLETE WORKS 
 
 In one volume. With Portrait. Crown 8vo. 8s. 6d. 
 
 In one volume. With Notes by the Author and a new Memoir 
 by Hallam, Lord Tennyson. Ex. Cr. Svo. los. 6d. net. 
 
 THE EVERSLEY EDITION. Annotated by the Author. 
 9 vols, (sold separately). Globe Svo. 5 s. net each. 
 
 THE POCKET EDITION. 5 vols. Fcap. Svo. Limp 
 leather, 3s. 6d. net each ; cloth, 2s. 6d. net each. 
 
 POETICAL WORKS 
 
 GLOBE EDITION. Cr. Svo. 4s. 6d. In limp leather, 
 gilt edges, 6s. 6d. net. 
 
 POTT Svo EDITION. In morocco binding, gilt edges. 
 I OS. net. 
 
 PEOPLE'S EDITION. 12 vols. i6mo. is. net each. 
 
 GOLDEN TREASURY SERIES 
 
 Cloth, 3s. 6d. net each ; limp leather, 4s. 6d. net each. 
 
 In Memoriam— The Princess—Idylls of the King 
 — Lyrical Poems {cloth only). , 
 
 ^* Particulars of other editions and of Commentaries and other works 
 relating to Tennyson will be supplied by any booksellei. 
 
 MACMILLAN AND CO., Ltd., LONDON 
 
RETURN CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT ^ 
 
 TO— ^^ 202 Main Library 
 
 LOAN PERIOD 1 
 HOME USE 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 ALL BOOKS MAY BE RECALLED AFTER 7 DAYS 
 
 Renewals and Recharges may be made 4 days prior to the due date. 
 
 Books may be Renewed by calling 642-3405. 
 
 DUE AS STAMPED BELOW 
 
 Af^Rl6]992 
 
 
 
 CCTD O /• ir^rt'* 
 
 "*" 
 
 
 hLb 2 6 1992 
 
 
 
 CIRCULATION 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY 
 FORM NO. DD6 BERKELEY, CA 94720 
 
This 
 
 For u^e v 
 issued 
 an exti 
 
 mi 
 
 M3J1415 
 
 U.C. BERKELEY LIBRARIES 
 
 CDEETEMISS