g to the surge of the broad river, we held away for a destroyer that lay grey and phantom-like, low, rakish, and with speed in every line of

, was the wheel, brass-bound and highly be-polished like all else about this crowded craft as, notably, the binnacle and certain brass-bound dials, on the faces whereof one might read such words as: Ahead, Astern, Fast, Slow, etc. Forward of this was a platform, none too roomy, where was a gun most carefull

ines and slender build, "I should think she would r

-Starboard!" said he, over his shoulder, to the beard

he bearded one as we began

aps, but she's not so bad," he cont

hapes that grew and grew upon the sight, turret, superstructure and embattled mast; here a mighty battle cruiser, yonder a super-destroyer, one after anothe

go, names which shall yet figure in the histories to come with Grenville's Revenge, Drake's Golden Hind, Blake's Triumph, Anson's Centuri

more than one of them, and especially the grim Tiger, I saw the marks of the Jutland battle in dinted plate, scarre

efinable uplift of soul one is conscious of when treading with soft and reverent fo

Navy have sunk her so repeatedly, you know. There," he continued, nodding towards a fleet of squat-looking vessels with stumpy

ch he proceeded to insert himself, first his long legs, then his broad shoulders, evidently by an artifice learned of muc

and rum-mind your hea

partment and northeasterly of the table was a small be-polished stove wherein a fire burned; in a rack against a bulkhead were some half-dozen rifles, above our head was a

wer and exquisite balance, at sight of which I straightway broke the tenth commandment. He also showed me a portra

fast, my companions, myself and all else were utterly forgotten, as with voice and hand he issued order on order until, gently as a nesting bird, the destroyer came to her berth and

of the padre who presided at my end of the table. A manly cleric this, bright-eyed, resolute of jaw but humorous of mouth, whose whit

ed with Admiral Cradock on his last, ill-fated cruise,

haps!"

and yet it is surely a no

the portals of Death into a sphere of nobler and greater living-surely to such as these strong souls the Empire they served so nobly and loved so truly will one day enshrine them

ats and coats, set forth, talking still. Together we paced beside docks and along piers that stretched away by th

re and there, showed the whiter patches of newer wood. Here he turned to give me his hand, after first writing down name

about a grim memorial of the Jutland battle, a huge projectile that had struck one of the after turrets, in the doing o

like an angel of sixteen, bore himself like a veteran, and spoke (

hing a little) very readily agreed to do. Thereafter, in his wake, I ascended stairways, cli

, hanging from an iron ladder with one hand and a foot, the better

y hat on firmer. "The unbe

of land and water, of ships and basins, of miles of causeways and piers, none of which had been in existence before the war. And immediately below me, far, far down, was the broad

er guns as she quivered 'neath their discharge. I heard the humming drone of shells coming from afar, a hum that grew to a wail-a shriek-and the sickening crash as they smote her or threw up great waterspouts high a

o the youthful figure beside

ly admitted

w did y

ooth brow and laug

I hardly k

t inclined to feel a trifle shaken, a l

suppose so-only, you see, we were a

too busy! Of course! I see! And where i

where you are, sir. Stood there t

imed. "But it i

teran in world-shaking naval bat

ar safer out here than being shut up in a gun-turret or-

arette. "I think," said I, as we prepared to descend from our lofty perch, "I'm sure it's just-er-that

d he did, and helped himself from

e, who there and then ushered me hastily down more awkward stairs and through narrow openings into a place of glistening, gleaming polish and furbishment where, beside the shining br

rly awed by the gun but more especially by the gunner, ventured to suggest that a gun that had been through three engagements and had been fired so frequently must necessarily show some signs of wear. The gunner glanced at me, and I shall

ped, whereon he s

light darkening of riflin's. Now casting your heyes right forrard you'll re-mark slight roughening of riflin's towards muzzle of piece and-there y

nt fashion, the mighty breech block slid back into

ed wreck off Jutland. Here I presently fell into discourse with a tall lieutenant, with whom I went alow and aloft; he showed me cockpit, infirmary and engine-room; he showed me the wonder of her steering apparatus, and pointed to the small hand-wheel in the bowels of this huge ship whereby she had been s

us. Yes, Fritz is wonderfully accurate, but"-here my companion paused to flick some dust from his braided cuff-"but when we began to knock him about a bit it was funny how it rattled him-quite funny, you know. His shots got wider and wider, until they were falling pretty

u feel just the

nd just then the light failed us. We'd have bagged the lot if the light h

ered. "But where

fancy your party

hipman to guide me, presently stepped aboard a boat which bore us back

been "too busy" to be afraid; of the round-headed gunner who, like his gun, was ready and eager for more, and of the tall lieutenant

mighty ships and the splendid fellows who man them-these Keepers of the Seas, wh

tempest and desperate battle, we, trusting in the justice of our cause, in these iron men and mighty ships, may rest

let it be our inestimable privilege as fellow Britons