FOREWORD BY THE EDITOR.

This book is what it purports to be: the work of one who entered the navy as a boy, went through the rudiments with more or less of satisfaction; sailed to China, where he smelt powder in the capture of Canton and the disastrous attempt to take the Taku forts; then visited Japan, and returned home a smart young topman. He kept a “log,” as he calls it, during his term of service; and my editing has consisted, for the most part, in persuading him to copy his log twice over, with such advice as to suppression, elucidation, coherence, and consistency as was required for the presentation of the narrative in a readable form. Apart from this, I thought it best that the young fellow, who has some capability for telling a story, should tell it in his own way; especially as a boy’s opinions, in their total disregard of consequences, charm us by their freshness and sincerity.

It is not often that we get a narrative of sea-life from the lower-deck of a Queen’s ship. The quarter-deck has told us the tale many a time, and we know pretty well what its experiences are, and what it thinks about seamen and the service generally, and about foreign countries: here we have the tale told from a subordinate point of view—the lower-deck telling us what it thinks of the quarter-deck—and with somewhat of the rough outspoken commentary and criticism habitual with mariners. It is oftentimes profitable to hear both sides of an argument.

For boys who have a longing for the sea this book may prove instructive. They will find herein information about the course of training through which a sailor-boy must pass, and the trials that he may expect to meet with; about his conflict with wind and water, his robust duties, dangerous adventures, and boisterous recreations; about his weeks of wearisome idleness that breed discontent, and the opportunities afforded him for seeing the world. But it must be confessed that the book does not present us with an attractive picture of the naval service; partly from the very nature of the circumstances in which it originated; partly from the author’s habit of regarding the state of his own feelings as of primary importance. He had not then discovered that resolute fulfilment of duty is sweeter far than happiness.

Nevertheless, I heartily recommend this little book, feeling assured that if only because of its honesty, it well deserves any word that I can say in its favour.

W. W.

London, October, 1862.