The Mayor of Troy

ut saying. At Looe they had neither the

ture for defence. The main secret of strategy, he would add, is to impose your idea of the campaign on your enemy; to take the initiative out of his hands; to throw him on the defensive and

oe he could not but feel perturbed. To be sure, Looe's main battery stood out of reach of harm, but with the compensating disadvantage of being able to inflict none. This seemed to him a grave engi

those days by smugglers as being lonely and well sheltered, with a nicely shelving beach on which, at almost any state of the tide, an ordinary small boat could be run and her cargo discharged wit

miller from the Breton coast opposite, who had crossed over-or so he pretended- to learn by what art the English ground finer corn than the French. Coming by hazard to this mill above Talland, he was well entertained for a month or more And dismissed with a blessing; but only to return to his own country, collect a band of men and cross to Talland Cove, where on a Christmas Eve he surprise

s approaches, and the lie of the land to the east and west and

ght have difficulty in dislodging him. Have you considered the danger of Talland Cove and the accessibility of your town from that quarter? And w

ymen (

ommanding the East and Wes

tain Pond m

ps in consequence of the severe east winds which prevailed up to last week; but on the whole we have weathered the winter beyond expecta

th the dangers of the Cove, as well as its accessibility. The temperature of the water is of extraordinarily low range, and will compare in th

op. Our Assurance Fund has a surplus this year, which, in my opinion, would be well expended in entertaining our brothers-in-arms. But d

. P

Troy (Major S. Hymen), Commandin

jor re

flat-bottomed) might with great ease effect a landing in Talland Cove and fall on your flank in the small hours of the morning, creating a situation with which, single-handed

may reassure the non-combatant portion of your population in East and West Looe if I add that 72 per c

-blank, I believe); and my experience with a picnic party last summer convinced me that to discharge the complement of even half a dozen boats by daylight on your quay requi

ying it out in all essentials. But I may mention that we have a well-found hospital in Troy, that we should bring our own stretcher-part

ymen (M

hey told me he had founded a hospital, he wouldn't be satisfied

this clear, and you will credit me that I have, or had, no other reason for demurring. It does not become me, however, to argue with my superior in military rank; and again, the tone of your last communication makes it impossible for me to decline without bringing the spirit of my Corps under suspicion. I cannot do them this injusti

Capt. E. and

farmhouses to eat cream and observe other unwholesome but primitive and interesting ceremonies before day-break. A similar custom, I hear, prevails at Troy. Now it occurs to me that i

ition shall be strictly blank. And pray bring your full band. Though superfluous before

llenge. The Major acknowledged its a

er and send the correct words and tune of an old song I remember hearing sung, when I was a boy, in honour of your town? It was called, I think, 'The George of L

ymen (M

ur Vicar's announceme

sic of the old song. "Courtesies such as yours," he wrote, "re