The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-07-05
DOUGLAS JERROLD.
A FiTSt-CliSS Volunteer Oh Board His MajStyS
Ship NamUr.

Douglas JerrOld was born in London on
the Sd of January, 1903, writes Walter
JerrOld in July st. Nicholas. His early
years were passed in Kent, first near Gran
brook and afterward at Sheerness, where
he very early evinced desire to 20 to sea-
This desire is not to be wondered at, for
there were stirring times then for the British
navy. II was the time when Napoleon was
at the height of his power, when his vic
torious armies were cowing the whole of
the continent; when England alone seemed
capable of wilhstanding his progress and
continued to maintain her supremacy of
the sea. In 1906 Trafalgar had been
fought and won, and the British
navy was perhaps at the very acme
Of its power and glory. Sheerness, where
Douglas Jerrold lived from 1907 to 1872, was
full of naval officers and seamen, and we
may be sure that innumeiable tales of the
iniquty Of "Boney" and his a. mounseers "
must have reached the ears OF the boy, firing
him with an ambition TO distinguish himself
in the way that Nelson had done. 1t was at
SbeerneSs that Douglas went to school,
though but for short time; it was at Sheer
ness, too, that he began to show evidence Of
remarkable avidity for reading. a slight,
falr-hared and falr-complexioned boy, con-
stitutionally not strong. though full of fire
and energy, he did not associate much with
other children. Indeed, III after years, he
laughingly said that at Sheerness his only
companion was the little buoy at the More, "
and, he would add: "The only athletic
sport | ever mastered was backgammon"
Wishing, as he did, to join the navy,
Douglas Jerrold had this desire partly real
lied while he was still very young He was
not quite II years Of age when he became a
"frst-class volunteer" on board his
the guard-ship at the More, and Jerrold
soon realized that life on boald was not
quite what ha had supposed. 1t is true,
though. that the time (rather more than a
year and quarter spent On board the
Namur was not unpleaSantly and unprofit-
| ably passed. Captain Austen "a brother OF
| Miss ane Austen, the novelist was good
kindly man; the young midshipman was
allowed to keep pigeons ON board and &c
| spend many hours i'll the captains cabin
| notably Buttons ''Natural History" A
| love Of animals was all his life long a
| strongly marked characteristic. IL was on
board the Namur, too. that Douglas Jer-
rold nrst met ClarksOn Stan field (who after
ward became famous as an artisD, with
whom he used 10 get up private tEeatricals
and entertainments. Altogether life on
board the Namur cannot nave been very
| unpleasant to the young midSnipman, who
was, however. thirSting for a more active
| part. In April, 1915, he succeeded in get
ting transferred from his Majesty's guard
ship Namur to his Majesty's brig Ernest.
| The brig was engaged in transporting Eng
| lish soldiers to the continent and in bring.
| ing home invalid and wounded men; sc
that though Jerrold had none OF the awful
| excitement OF action, lie had horrible ex.
| perience OF its results. when In the cock phi
| Of the Ernest soldiers were brought home
| shattered aud manned. to the country they
had recently left in good health and full
glow of enthusiasm. The effect of sucl
scenes on highly sensitive nature at mos
| impressionable period of life might wei
be imagined, even though we did not know
| OF their deep and lasting effect on Dough-
| Jerrold, who to the end Of his days was al
ways among the foremost in denouncing
war and oppression of all kinds. Scarcely
| work which he has written but bears evi
| dence of IT, With the midsummer OF ISL;
came the battle of Waterloo and the fina
| overthrow Of the power of Napoleon. Only
| i've days before that decisive battle the b ril
Ernest had entered Ostend barbor along
with several transports crowded with sol
| dlers destined 10 take part in the great en-
counter Of Wellington and Bonaparte. Afte
Waterloo. peace was not long In coming
and with peace came orders to pay off til,
| company OF many ship, among Others tina
OF the brig Ernest, and on October q, 1915
Midshipman Jerrold stepped ON shore ant
turned his back forever on the sea as Ih
field where he should strive to win renown