[Editor: This letter is an extract from the “Old Boys notes” section published in The Sydneian (Sydney, NSW), December 1914. It was printed during World War One (1914-1918).]
Old Boys notes.
Fred. Salusbury, who left for England in July, writes thus under address Bank of N.S.W., 29 Threadneedle-street, London, E.C.: —
“We got to Liverpool on the 18th of August after an exciting voyage up the African coast. We had left Capetown before Germany had declared war, and only knew that Servia and Austria were hard at it. So all our news filtered through via wireless, what there was of it, that is, as our captain showed himself a most efficient and impartial censor.
As usual there was the hysterical element on board, and the wildest stories were circulated in horror-struck whispers. …
About two days from England we sighted a battleship. You can imagine the sensation. Women fainted. Strong men wept. Eventually she turned out to be an American. I really believe there were people who were sorry she wasn’t German, to such a pitch of hysteria had they worked themselves. …
There are guards over the railway stations and over the G.P.O. …. but otherwise, except for the number of soldiers about the streets and drilling in the parks, England might be at peace.”
We regret lack of space compels us to condense this interesting letter.
Source:
The Sydneian (Sydney, NSW), December 1914, p. 23 (Sydney Grammar School) [PDF; accessible via: “The Sydneian”, Sydney Grammar School]
Editor’s notes:
Capetown = Cape Town: a major city in South Africa, which functions as the country’s legislative capital
See: “Cape Town”, Wikipedia
Fred. = an abbreviation of the name “Frederick”
Liverpool = a city in north-west England
See: “Liverpool”, Wikipedia
Servia = (archaic) an alternative spelling of Serbia (a country in south-east Europe)
See: “Serbia”, Wikipedia
[Editor: The original text has been separated into paragraphs.]
Leave a Reply