“Their Lawful Occasions?in Traffics and Discoveries.The second verse was added when it was collected.

“The Eggshell? is a torpedo-boat – specifically, as her adventures are so similar, No. 267 in the accompanying story. She was not very strongly-built, hence the title. (Her steel plates are likened to ‘tea-trays?: Traffics and Discoveriesp. 110, line 24). For a discussion of what her original would have been, see Alastair Wilson's notes to ?Their Lawful Occasions.?

[Verse 1] the Witch of the NorthThe figure of Authority, possibly Britannia. Otherwise 'The Right Honourable Lord Gawd Almighty Admiral Frankie Frobisher', who gave No. 267 her orders (Traffics and Discoveriesp. 107 line 20):

'conduct your own damned manoeuvres in your own damned tinker fashion! You're a disgrace to the Service and your boat's offal'
a little Blue Devilthe Royal Navy wear blue uniforms. On active service Lieutenant Moorshed dressed more casually, but it is clear that this figure is the captain of the Egg-shell.

“Sink,? she said, “or swim,? she saidcompare No. 267’s orders above.

[Verse 2] feeling by hand for a fleetin thick fog, long before the days of radar. see Traffics and Discoveriesp. 140 line 10: “Feel well out in front of you, Alf?.And line 24: 'I passed one hand down Laughton’s stretched arm and felt an iron gooseneck and a foot or two of a backward-sloping torpedo-net boom.'Also, p. 141 line 14: 'my palm closed on the knife-edge of the stem and patted it timidly.

The sights are just coming on'I’ve got a torpedo lined up and am about to fire it.' See Alastair Wilson's notes on “Steam Tactics?(Traffics and Discoveriesp. 177 line 22) for more details on the phrase “till the sights come on.?

the Whiteheadthe first self-propelled torpedo was invented in 1866 by the English engineer Robert Whitehead (1823-1905).

[Verse 3] “There’s somebody sinking outside?The 'little Blue Devil' thinks he sank a ship with his torpedo. In “Their Lawful Occasions? No. 267 “sinks? (in manoeuvres) the two cruisers Crypticand Devolution, in strict conformity with his orders.


[P.H.]

© Philip Holberton 2012 All rights reserved


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the poem
"The Egg-Shell"




Notes on the text


(by Philip Holberton)
[January 17th 2012]

The first and last verses of this poem form the chapter heading to Part II of