Halsey 7th March, 1914

Citizen's Atlas

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Halsey Sat 7 Mar 1914   

From: H.M.S. New Zealand at Sea; Pontevedra [Spain] to Bantry  

My Dear Father, Many thanks for your letter of [the] 1st, which arrived at Pontevedra by the mail on Thursday. I am glad your ankle is better. Thanks for all you did about handing over the Vanguard Lodge document, and I expect I shall hear in due course from the Secretary. 

I am very glad you are coming downs to St Anne’s with Mother on 2nd April – it will suit me very well. We left Pontevedra with the Fleet yesterday morning in a thickish fog, and when off Arosa bay they went in and we went on to our course for Bantry and gradually came out of the fog, but we have got nasty thick weather with an uncomfortable Westerly swell and I trust it will clear before we make the Irish coast tomorrow morning. I hope to get into Berehaven about 7. 30am, and coal on Monday, after which I shall go to Bantry for celebrating and hope for two fine days. 

I am glad to hear Regie is going to make his fortune in Mexico. I only hope he will, but I can’t help thinking it will mean a very long wait as things are going out there now, but I don’t even know what his business is. Please thank Mother for her letter. I am very glad there is a chance of Marney letting the Hall and if it is going to have electric light put in, it will stand a better chance of being let again. Personally I can’t imagine any one taking a large house without it in these days. I have suggested to Coog that she had better come over to Bantry for a week – it only costs about £1 to go to Cork from Plymouth and I can meet her there in the motor, but I don’t know if she will rise. 

Much love to all at Gaddesden and thanks for drinking my health on [the] 26th 

Ever your affectionate Son Lionel Halsey 

D/EHL/ F61/2