Calais
10th March 1826
My Dear Mother,
We left Dover at 10 and arrived here soon after 1, being in about 3 hours and 10 minutes - I never had so fine a passage the sea was as smooth as a pond not a cloud in the sky, except streamers of smoke from three other steamvessels, one going to Boulogne, one the Frenchman for Calais, & the Fury coming from Calais -
We were the Spitfire:<1> there was no perceptible motion in the vessel, but the jarring of the Engine. The wind was against us, so that a sailing vessel would have made a very bad passage today, which was calculated to exhibit the advantages of a steamer.
The time seemed short as I was engaged in reading & talking to a passenger connected with the General Steam Navigation Company, and I shall write to Mr F. <2> an account of his information to me. I went below to look at the Engines, & was half roasted; all vessels nowadays have two engines - which act alternately like two men turning a winch, which is more power than the double of one man's would be.
I have brought a capital & lantern, & a bottle of sp. of wine -
½ past 3 - I have done dinner, the day still continues cloudless and very warm - Everybody says "Cela ne durera pas -" <3> - Read what I tell Mr F. about St Petersburg; to Montgomerie. <4>-
Yours Afftly
H. T.
I received your letter <5> Enclosed to Mr Wright. I never saw the sea look so beautiful as today & all the vessels (30 sail in sight) with their wings spread -
Lady E. Feilding
31 Sackville Street
London
Notes:
1. Launched in 1823, the steam packet 'Spitfire' was 83 feet long, with a 30 foot beam and 40 horse power engines; it replaced the sailing ships used for transporting the mails.
2. Rear Admiral Charles Feilding (1780-1837), Royal Navy; WHFT's step-father.3. That will not last.
4. Rev George Stephen Molyneux Montgomerie (1790-1850), close friend of Talbot family, artist, Rector of Garboldisham, near Thetford, Norfolk.
5. Letter not located.