Steam Yacht
Dartmouth
Friday August 24th 1860
My dear Henry
I was very glad to receive your short & welcome bulletin of the 20th – it reached me here on the 22nd I wrote to you last on the 17th – The next day we left London by evening Express, & reached Exeter about ¼ to 11 – later than we ought. Some little time was lost at Bristol, waiting for an engine. The " New London Inn <1>" is a very comfortable one, with excellent tea & cream. It is the same Matilda <2> stopped at on her way from Devonshire last winter. We found a perceptible difference in the temperature the moment we got to Exeter. That is always the spot where the more Southern climate begins – The corn looked wretched for a great way along the R.way – So extremely thin in the stalk, & such small ears we cd hardly see them – half the stalk too quite green – with plenty of flourishing weeds among it. Farther South it had a better appearance, & some was cut. We had 3 or 4 fine days for Exeter & the trip here – But it has been pouring now since last night with very little intermission. It is gloomy work on board ship in such continued wet – & it must have been blowing a gale outside, for there is a slight motion even in this snug harbour – & we hear the wind howling in gusts thro’ the rigging – Several Yachts too have run in for shelter.
We found Milord <3> tolerably well on Monday – (We spent Sunday at Exeter, & went to the Cathedral Service –) & he has been out in his galley every day till today – As long as this lasts we must remain here – & you may safely write to me again – Steam Yacht – Dartmouth –
Val & Katie <4> are at Mount Edgcumbe, <5> where he is as busy as possible Volunteering, He has just been appointed Colonel of the 3 Corps of Devonport, Plymouth & Stonehouse – which is a very good thing, as it puts him above some troublesome persons – who or who, at least, might make themselves troublesome – & I am sure he deserves this appointment – for he leaves himself no rest night or day in the services & drills, or transacts other business connected with the Corps, from morning to night – Katie says that Lieutts & Sergeants are calling upon him every hour of the day. There was to be a great inspection of the whole Corps at Mount Wise Yesterday by the Govt Inspector, Col Mc Murdo <6> – whom Milord calls Col Make Murder! They are come for the letters – so adieu
Yr affte Sister
Caroline
Notes:
1. New London Inn, Exeter. Formerly the Oxford Inn.
2. Matilda Caroline Gilchrist-Clark, ‘Tilly’, née Talbot (1839–1927), WHFT’s 3rd daughter.
3. Ernest Augustus Edgcumbe, Lord Valletort, 3rd Earl of Mt Edgcumbe (1797–1861), WHFT’s brother-in-law.
4. William Henry Edgcumbe, ‘Val’, 4th Earl Mt Edgcumbe (1832–1917), JP & Ld Steward of the Royal Household; WHFT’s nephew ‘Bimbo’ and Lady Katherine Elizabeth Edgcumbe, née Hamilton (1840–1874), wife of William Henry Edgcumbe.
5. Mt Edgecumbe, near Plymouth: seat of the Earl of Mt Edgcumbe.
6. Sir William Montagu Scott McMurdo (1819–1894), general; the volunteer movement began in 1859, of which McMurdo was appointed as inspector-general in June of 1860. He held this post until 1865.