Sketches From My Life

yacht, as a reward for what their lordships at the Admiralty were good enough to des

ven now the Queen invariably chooses officers who have seen what is called 'service.' Such an a

up around her, and her beloved husband the Prince Consort always with her, participating in all her pleasures; so we, the officers of the Royal yacht, had a rare time of it, were made a lot

, where Her Majesty was received by Ki

the Royal yacht. As to the Prince Consort, he treated the officers more in the light of companion

acious Majesty never approved of smoking, and it was only through the kind consideration of the Prince Consort that we were allowed to indulge in an occasional ciga

ed a pot of blue paint on the deck of the cow-house, with, as bad luck would have it, a brush in the pot. I cannot say what induced me, but I deliberately took the brush and painted the tips of the noses and the horns of both animals a pretty light blue. Having done this I thou

ted to the rank of lieutenant, and appointed to a ship in the Mediterranean, where I passed

e flight of Pius IX. from Rome. The ship I was in was stationed at Civita Vecchia, the sea-port of Rome, partly in order to protect British interests-that is, the persons

through him that England's idea of the policy to be pursued by the Pope was conveyed. We did not, and we did, want to interfere. The question of the balance of power of Italy as a

here as its conqueror, virtually making the Pope a prisoner in the Vatican. In the meantime France interfered in the Pope's cause, and sent General Oudinot with a small army to dislodge Garibaldi. England's doubtful diplomatic relations made it necessary to choose every sort of means of communicating with the P

espatches, or take them back again,' and from this decision no persuasions or threats would move me. Finding me obstinate the Cardinal at last took me with him into a room where the Pope was sitting. His Holiness seemed in a great state of anxiety, but was most k

d General Oudinot. The former had most pluckily taken possession of an important

arf for a sign that I was not a belligerent. My scarf was not much use, however, as I was generally fired

hat went on in Rome, the way in which the Pope escaped, &c., I am not able to relate. All I know is that one fine morning a simple carriage arrived from Rome at Civita Vecchia, bringing a portly individual enveloped in the large cloak of a

s afterwards that we heard that His Holiness Pius IX. was the humble-looking