Lord Robert’s statue

Wednesday M’ch 2/98, 8:15 a.m.

This is a very clear but hot morning. I arose at 6:30, had a cup of tea, brought in every morning, then commenced writing. I did [2:62] not get Frank’s letter answered yesterday so wrote it this morning. Then the daily paper comes on board early so I scanned it & now I pen my few notes of yesterday. I went to Cook’s & got the letters from Bombay, & pleased with all their contents. I viewed about for a while but it was too hot & got on board about 2, & did not go on shore again till 5:30. The Captain, Mr. Walker, & I drove around the fashionable ring, just Hyde Park, till 6:30 when I was to meet Albi at the bandstand, so we met & spent 2 hours on shore, had the gharry. Mr. Walker, Sutton, Albi, & I went around the drive the opposite way, called at Mrs. Brown’s home & had lemonade. Saw many apprentices & passed Ben Lynes’s, just adjoining Mrs. Brown’s, where a concert was going on amongst the seamen, but did not go in, then on to the ship. Albi & Sutton went to Hardy’s the restaurant for a feed but was soon on board.

I won’t go to Darjeeling, preferring to be as much near Albi as the time permits, & he is to have a half day off but I did not tell him so. We may have it today or tomorrow. He is very well again. They are a happy lot of lads. Jeff is still at Bombay & in the hospital. I read a wire Capt. Morgan got last week, so I may not see him. I hope he gets better but he was certainly very poor in body & I expect the temporary excitement kept him up while I was near him.

This is a great day here. A beautiful equestrian statue is to be unveiled at 5:00 [2:63] tonight in honour of Lord Roberts.[1] You will be sure to see the account of it in the London “Mail”. The spot is not far from the river side & on the open called the Miadan,[2] [sic] I think it is. We passed it twice last night but it was sheeted. A regiment of artillery arrived from Barrackpore yesterday to join in the demonstration & for saluting. They are all in camps close by, & the fort is just at hand where troops are stationed.

By the way, tell Willie to give my kindest greetings to Mr. Nawton[3] & to say I sincerely hope his mother has recovered from her past illness. It is now 8:30 & I have to dress yet, so I cease for the present. Before I forget, I note Willie is sending out 2 manifold writers[4]. Very good & very thoughtful but they are to be had here, the identical thing, & should I get away on Monday I fear his will be too late, tho’ the mail, I read yesterday, is due in Bombay early Saturday morning & leaves 6 hours after the steamer is signalled there by special train for Calcutta. This is the rule & the Calcutta P&O passengers travel by it, however, any way, either I or Albi will get them. I hope I get away on Monday as the hot season has commenced now & all dread it.

[2:64]

[1] Field Marshall

[2] The Maidan is a large open field in Calcutta.

[3] Shopkeeper at William’s shop 58 Church Street

[4] A manifold writer was a clever system for making copies of correspondence.  Each thin, lined page of the notebook was attached at the inner edge to another heavier blank page underneath of it.  The writer would slide a piece of carbon paper between the two, and a metal plate under the lower page for stiffness.  Then, by pressing the pen firmly on the top page while writing, an impression of the letter could be made on the bottom page.   Pens were often tipped with a stone called agate to make the impression heavier.  Once the page was filled, it could be torn out by the perforation and posted, while a carbon copy of the letter remained in the notebook.