The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-28
FACTS ABOUT THE ROYAL GEORGE.
Cowpcr'S Report or the Loss or Kempenrelt's
ship Not Accurate. Saws n skipper.
His sword was in Its sheath,
His fingers held the pom,
When KCmpenfelt went down
With tyyire rOur bupIrad man
with twice four hundred men.

When KCmpenfelt went down
With twice four hundred men.
The Old skipper repeated the lines from Cow
per's poem in a tone that indicated n pronounced
lack of reverence for the poet. Then he re-
marked:
81 believe there never has been a poet who
has known much about a ship or the sea. There
is one, Rudyard Kipling, who has the merit Of
never being absurd, and he appears to have
made some study of the sailorman. As for
Cowpcr, I don't believe he knew port from star
board, and he certainly did not inform himself
about the number OF persons who were drowned
by tho sinking OF the Royal George. Cowpcr
~simply-well. I'll say he simply took a poets
license in dealing with that subject.
Il suppose III have to shattor a British idol
when ] tell the truth about the Royal George.
She was n linc.OC-hnttlc ship of 100 guns and, in
the sumIAcr Of 1882, had Just returned from a
cruise and was leaking. 1t was imrolitic, of
course. to dock the vessel at Portsmouth for re-
pairs, as the crew, many of whom were i'm
pressed men, could not be kept by her so ncnr
the town. The ship was carccncd in the road
stead. 1t was a hazardous proceeding, even
though the water was almost ms smooth ms glass.
"Whcn the ship was hcclcd until her lower
deck ports nearly touched the water, n summer
suunll struck her. She carried at tho time the
tnllcst. NESTS and sCGuarcst yards OF any snip in
open, she soon filed, and down she went.
Twelve hundred souls were aboard OF her, and
every person who was between decks was
drowned. Nine hundred lives were lost. Boats
from other vessels lying in III" roadstcad res
curd those who were on the upper deck,
Admiralty ONCE in London on Aug; 30. l7S2.
and was published the next day in the G'nNe-
mup's Managing; This account gave the loss
women and cntlt Ire nj The ..I poet %dm does VINO not So sag
on board IN the ships cabins and between decks.
The ship sunk in the middle OF the day, and it
was eight minutes, according 10 some accounts,
before she Disappeared. IL appears to me that
il the crew had been in 1t condition some of the
Portsmouth, who, were not, the wives of any
body. might have been saved. On kcnIpcnfelts
monumcnt the loss Is nut nj. 900 souls;
my hoy. these suilor's wives and the women
who were with them were courageous souls, md
deserved well of the poet. kipling would not
hesitate t. celebrate them, | think. They had
written about them. recall that in on" Of
Roincy's sea lights with the French the Admiral
mott ed a sailors wife assisting the men nj one
OF the guns on the main deck. Hos husband
had lecn wounded and carried below, and he
had taken his place. In ans wor totho Adnirals
hurried cSpO-tulation in regard to tn" dangers
10 which she was exposed she answered: And
sure. your uOnur. do You think that am afraid
OF n FrenchmanI After the action the Admiral
reprimandrd her for having coinlnitled a breach
time, but he gave her ten guineas, which took
the edge on the ccnsure;
I'm The tough combat between the French and
Fnpiisb ticeis on Tshant in 1894 the French,
who fought calamity. were badly beaten. Lord
Howe commanded the En- 'lish fleet, and all
England wcnl wild over his success. IT was a
light OF shin TO ship and man TO man. History L.
moi grrrrlOu, ahont tho part the women played
In this fnmous battle. but women were aboard
some of the ships and fought with the most de
termined vnlOr al the guns. Lord Howe re
ceiyed the thanks OF Parliament, q sword, and
was made a knight Of the garter for his victory