A SONG OF THE RED ENSIGN.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 142, 17 June 1922, Page 17

A SONG OF THE RED ENSIGN.

(Itespectflllly dedicated to Captain Hayward, nnd officers and crew of the late s.s. Wiltshire.) Call up the Viceroys of *he Deep, from the south, east, west and north. With the ghosts of long-lost salloruicn, andi bid (hem then set forth The records of a thousand years—well knows the surging, tide, "I'ls the record of our glory, the anthem of our pride. The sea, the sea is England's: Search the records! What is there? A list of souls unnumbered, a list of hulls stripped hare, A list of tattered ensigns from every port o- sail: But' the scarred old Flag of England stands forth hefore them all! Call up our long dead heroes, and bid them tell tbe tale Of English hearts nnd English bauds that fought the roaring gale. Till the great Cod of tbe Tempest overwashed their ile'-l;s with foam. And the Cod of all the English called the sous of England home. The sea, the sea is England's! She has paid for it with blood; And still she pays the duty, for her farHun.. Empire's good. A fifteen thousand tonner for the Lone Clod of the sea. A gallant Sieel-clad liner —and the rest go duty free! Salute Ihe old lied Ensign then, that speaks our Empire's pride. Wherever on the seven seas the ships of men can ride: Be it a steel-clad liner, or a white-winged harquentine, She's .in emhlem of our glory: the Mercantile Marine. The sea. the sea is England's! And her sailormen are men Who feel the awful Sea-god's wrath, then hravc her wrath again. There are brave men 'neath all ensigns— in every port o' call; But the ships that fly The Ensign hold the bravest men of all! —J. E. BLYTHE.Y, Northeote. THE PERFECT SONG. Mrs. Jacobs-Bond, the composer of "The Perfect Day," is now in England. We came to the end of our perfect days, And we sat at home with our thought; It was prime to hear of the T.S.A.'s Sweet hard who the song had wrought; To the voice that chanted our clouds away We shall list, though the heavns descend; May it follow the close of " The I'erfect Day " With a song of "Tbe Fine Week-end ! " —"Daily Chronicle," Loudon.