1896
USA, Canada
September 1st, 1896
Cunard Royal Mail Steamship "Servia", at sea
My Beloved Angee,
It is not a new experience for me to be on board a vessel like this with such a crowd of passengers but seems a little strange after so many years – am thankful to have a very nice state room and the young gentleman sharing it with me seems a quiet respectable fellow – a mining chemist sent out to some mines in California to stay for some years.
Mr Edward our resident traveller in Liverpool came to the boat with me this afternoon to see me off – he complains bitterly of the state of our trade there and wishes they would send him to America. We reach Levenstown in the morning about 8 but only to stop for an hour so we shall soon be in the Atlantic. Weather is fine and it is much colder here than on land and I was glad to put on some thicker clothing after dinner – nearly all our company are Americans and I fancy rather a rough lot – the same company were nearly all of them at the North Western Hotel at Liverpool and they looked a little more stylish there than they do here – shall be glad to turn in to my bunk and have no doubt I shall sleep well – at any rate I hope so. Tell Mrs Britton that I found my bottle of Lime cream all over the little collar box I packed it in but the other bottle was sound – if you had seen the luggage brought on board the vessel this afternoon you would wonder that everything was not smashed up. The ship seemed a massive one by the side of the piers and she is beautifully clean and sweet – and now my dearest Angee farewell for a few days and with much love once more believe me.
Being very affectionate Husband.