New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-10-04
Ships That Pass in the Night
By Philip Gibbs
Sea-Pc" Published IN London BY The British Navy League

regiment which stormed the walls Of Badajoz
II belonged 10 the Edinburgh, when saw
blockade service in the Napoleonic War. and
bombarded Acre and sailed in the Baltic heet
The fine souare-cut face Of Collngwood, with
his admirsls epaulettes and high collar
looked up 10 the evening sky with CAIN
smile Behind him, smiling also, was gra'
cious giantess, gentle though monstrous
maid who once breasted the high waves at
tho bows of the old Tmperieusc.
Further down the yard were other hgures
and one of them, the great Hood, with the
key of the Mediterranean at his sword-belt
looked down the Thames, and saw the barges
coming up laden with the huge beams OF
great ships that we're once the pride OF the
fleet and have now been broken on the scrap
heap, as all pride goes at last to the lumber
room He watched the red sun making pools
Of blood on the muddy water Of the old river
and the shadows of the twilight closed about
him From shed near by came the whirring
sound Of a circular saw biting up great beams
once the ribs Of mighty hulks, into smooth
planks for the flooring of billiard rooms and
bathrooms. In other sheds men were carving
the wreckage of ships into garden seats, book
cases and dining tables The old wooden
walls" of England have become the domestic
furniture of less heroic age.
Said Collingw0od To La Tmperieuse
came out Of one of the sheds and was
leaving the yard when in the .glimmering
twilight heard voices speaking. improbable
as it may seem, the giant fgureheads were
talking to each other. Unless my eyes de-
ceved me, saw the head Of Collingwood
turn toward the placid goddess of the old I'm
pereuse "My dear" he said. they were
good days when you and and our comrades
here looked out from the bows Of our great
ships"
"Ah," said the old lady, ~ am weary Of
this old yard So very weary! In my dreams
seem to be on the great waters again, with
TIE white beauty of the Imperieuse, in the
vanguard of the feet. Then wake to smell
the rotting wood in this graveyard of ships
"To this end do we all come" said Colling-
wood But our life on active service was
longer than that Of the iron monsters which
are now called ships"
The lady of the Imperieuse shuddered so
that her wood creaked. "The ugliness Of
theml" she said "They do not even carry
figureheads to give them living spirit. They
have no beauty of painted scrolwork or
carved wood"
"They are dead things" said Collingwood.
Dead and hideous as death, even when afoat.
Thank heaven, | never went to sea in such
iron prisons"
1t was the Highlander who next spoke.
"They come more quickly to the scrapheap
than our noble ships. They are obsolete by
the time they are put into commission. The
people pay their millions for old iron. We
have seen the Thunderer broken up. We
have heard the hammers ripping off the
armor plate Of many of these metal pots.
Soon the dreadnoughts will be here People
say they are getting oldfashioned. Dread
noughts, indeed! Give me back the old
Edinburgh"
Admiral Hood turned his head to the speak
ing figures.
"TimeA are changed, my friends" he said
ships will soon have wings and fight in air.
We are old ghosts and the world has slipped
away from u.s."
He turned his head again and stared down
the river which reflected the twinkling lights
on the Embankment. Darkness crept down
upon the timber yard. Among the dim
shadows | saw the white face of the I'M
perieuse uplifted to the first stars of night, as
her wooden hand clasped her breast. With
faint sigh her voice came down TO me. She
said: "My soul is an enchanted boat"
went out of the timber yard and wondered
at the meaning of her words.