TALBOT1399

Calais
10^th 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 M^r F. 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 -" ² - Read what I tell M^r F. about S^t Petersburg; to Montgomerie. ³-

Yours Aff^tly
H. T.

I received your letter ⁴ Enclosed to M^r 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