"I do not think." said his Lordship. "that I em using language of exaggeration if I say that when the splendid story of the Jervis comes to be written in full the tale Of courage, resource, and skill with which the salving of the San Demetrio was accomplished will afford a fitting and not unworthy sequel to what Mr. Miller has happily called one of the great English stories of the sea.
"His Lordship referred to a report drawn up by the managing director at the company owning the E which, he'remarked, was not int to receive any publicity. One passage dealt with the stoical courage of John Boyle, another with the part played by Ross Preston, an American who joined the crew as a Nova Scotian because -he wanted to reach Britain to joi one of the fighting forces. He was simply magnificent, the report said, and it added: "No finer tribute can be paid to this man than the unanimous request made by all on board that the Red Ensign which the vessel was flying all through the action until she arrived in port should be presented to their American shipmate."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.