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20 Somerset Terrace, Duke’s Road, Euston Road, W.C.—Approves of his suggestion (of asking Percy Alden to edit The Echo?).

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Transcript

20 Somerset Terrace, Duke’s Road, Euston Road, W.C.
6. 5. 01.

Dear Mr Lawrence.

In reply to yours of this morning—I see everything in favour of the suggestion. {1} And the one objection does not seem to me of much weight. To hold a position of national trust, which gives a power of control over the national resources & at the same time to keep the possible power & means of subverting public business & interests to private or personal ends is one thing—but I do not see that Percy’s position as Warden of M. H. Settlement offers any parallell†—and I do not see that there can be any possible misunderstanding about it. “If you arst me”—the more Big Brother Percy is in it—the better. Letter from Mary this morning. All well.

E.P.

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{1} Of asking Percy Alden to edit The Echo?

‘Tantallon Castle.’—Gives an account of his departure from Southampton and the voyage so far.

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Tantallon Castle
Tuesday July 24. 00

My dear Mother

It is not very long since I started so there is not much to relate; still as you will not get another letter from me till the end of August I send you along this interim epistle from Madeira, or rather from the ship before we get to Madeira.

The ship got away from Southampton at about 5 o’c to the strains of “auld lang syne” & with the waving of a good many pocket handkerchiefs from on shore, passed out into the ocean. About an hour and a half afterwards we passed the Needles & we had a splendid view of them before going down to dinner.

I have a good cabin on deck & as the weather so far has been excellent, I have been able to have it wide open day and night & to get all the air that there is to be had.

It is rather early days to say very much of the passengers, but I don’t think they are at all a bad lot; I sit at the Captain’s table between a man who is going out to try the rebels in Natal, & some ladies from the Argentines, & opposite to some English people from Natal, and a very decent German with whom I have quite made friends already, & have had several games of chess.

Then there are a number of other people on board whose acquaintance I have made slightly; & I have played quoits, buckets, & a sort of deck croquet; all of which do fairly well pour passer le temps.

We have had awnings put up over the whole deck, the sea has begun to assume a sub-tropical blue & I expect soon it will begin to get awfully hot, but at present it is a cool contrast with London during the last hot weather.

With best love & all good wishes for a pleasant trip on the continent

Your affte Son
Fredk W Lawrence

I shall very likely send an encyclical home to Mans. Ho. from Cape Town. This will be copied, and a copy forwarded on to you which you can keep, as I am having other copies sent to A.J.L. {2} and Aunt Edith.

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{1} Followed by ‘P.T.O.’ The postscript is written on the front of the sheet.

{2} His sister Annie.