H.M.S. "Foudroyant" - Revision history

TCDE-Team at 19:34, 30 April 2026

2026-04-30T19:34:56Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:34, 30 April 2026
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	* in ''[[The Illustrated London News]]'' (17 september 1892 [UK]) as ''"For Nelson's Sake" H.M.S. 'Foudroyant' '' (last strophe missing)		* in ''[[The Illustrated London News]]'' (17 september 1892 [UK]) as ''"For Nelson's Sake" H.M.S. 'Foudroyant' '' (last strophe missing)
	* in ''[[The Cornish Telegraph]]'' (22 september 1892 [UK]) as ''For Nelson's Sake'' (extract)		* in ''[[The Cornish Telegraph]]'' (22 september 1892 [UK]) as ''For Nelson's Sake'' (extract)
			* in ''[[The Penny Illustrated Paper]]'' (24 september 1892 [UK]) as ''"For Nelson's Sake""''
	* in ''[[The West Sussex Times and The Sussex Standard]]'' (24 september 1892 [UK]) as ''"For Nelson's Sake"''		* in ''[[The West Sussex Times and The Sussex Standard]]'' (24 september 1892 [UK]) as ''"For Nelson's Sake"''
	* in ''[[Songs of Action]]'' (1898-1916, [[Smith, Elder & Co.]] [UK])		* in ''[[Songs of Action]]'' (1898-1916, [[Smith, Elder & Co.]] [UK])

TCDE-Team at 20:25, 4 April 2026

2026-04-04T20:25:01Z

TCDE-Team at 17:24, 7 January 2025

2025-01-07T17:24:39Z

New page

''H.M.S. "Foudroyant"'' (also titled "For Nelson's Sake") is a poem written by [[Arthur Conan Doyle]] published in [[The Daily Chronicle]] on 12 september 1892.

__TOC__

== Editions ==
* in ''[[The Daily Chronicle]]'' (12 september 1892 [UK]) as ''"For Nelson's Sake" H.M.S. 'Foudroyant' ''
* in ''[[Hearth and Home]]'' (15 september 1892 [UK])
* in ''[[The Illustrated London News]]'' (17 september 1892 [UK]) as ''"For Nelson's Sake" H.M.S. 'Foudroyant' '' (last strophe missing)
* in ''[[The Cornish Telegraph]]'' (22 september 1892 [UK]) as ''For Nelson's Sake'' (extract)
* in ''[[The West Sussex Times and The Sussex Standard]]'' (24 september 1892 [UK]) as ''"For Nelson's Sake"''
* in ''[[Songs of Action]]'' (1898-1916, [[Smith, Elder & Co.]] [UK])
* in ''[[Songs of Action]]'' (august 1898, [[Charles Scribner's Sons]] [US])
* in ''[[Songs of Action]]'' (september 1898, [[Doubleday & McClure Co.|Doubleday, Page & Co.]] [US])
* in ''[[Songs of Action]]'' (1918-1920, [[John Murray]] [UK])
* in ''[[The Poems of Arthur Conan Doyle]]'' (1922-1928, [[John Murray]] [UK])

== H.M.S. "Foudroyant" ==
[[File:the-daily-chronicle-london-1892-09-12-p5-for-nelson-s-sake.jpg|thumb|250px|right|[[The Daily Chronicle]] (12 september 1892, p. 5)]]
[[File:the-illustrated-london-news-1892-09-17-hms-foudroyant-p7.jpg|thumb|250px|right|[[The Illustrated London News]] (17 september 1892, p. 7)]]

''(Sold to the Germans for a thousand pounds).''

''[Being an humble address to Her Majesty's Naval advisers, who sold Nelson's old flagship to the Germans for a thousand pounds.]''

Who says the Nation's purse is lean, 
Who fears for claim or bond or debt, 
When all the glories that have been 
Are scheduled as a cash asset? 
If times are bleak and trade is slack, 
If coal and cotton fail at last, 
We've something left to barter yet- 
Our glorious past. 

There's many a crypt in which lies hid 
The dust of statesman or of king; 
There's Shakespeare's home to raise a bid, 
And Milton's house its price would bring. 
What for the sword that Cromwell drew? 
What for Prince Edward's coat of mail? 
What for our Saxon Alfred's tomb? 
They're all for sale! 

And stone and marble may be sold 
Which serve no present daily need; 
There's Edward's Windsor, labelled old, 
And Wolsey's palace, guaranteed. 
St. Clement Danes and fifty fanes, 
The Tower and the Temple grounds; 
How much for these? Just price them, please, 
In British pounds. 

You hucksters, have you still to learn, 
The things which money will not buy? 
Can you not read that, cold and stern 
As we may be, there still does lie 
Deep in our hearts a hungry love 
For what concerns our island story? 
We sell our work - perchance our lives, 
But not our glory. 

Go barter to the knacker's yard 
The steed that has outlived its time! 
Send hungry to the pauper ward 
The man who served you in his prime! 
But when you touch the Nation's store, 
Be broad your mind and tight your grip. 
Take heed! And bring us back once more 
Our Nelson's ship. 

And if no mooring can be found 
In all our harbours near or far, 
Then tow the old three-decker round 
To where the deep-sea soundings are; 
There, with her pennon flying clear, 
And with her ensign lashed peak high, 
Sink her a thousand fathoms sheer. 
There let her lie!

----
* [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle:Complete Works|Back to Complete Works]]
* [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle|Back to Conan Doyle]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:25, 4 April 2026
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	== H.M.S. "Foudroyant" ==		== H.M.S. "Foudroyant" ==
	[[File:the-daily-chronicle-london-1892-09-12-p5-for-nelson-s-sake.jpg\|thumb\|250px\|right\|[[The Daily Chronicle]]~~<br />~~(12 september 1892, p. 5)]]		[[File:the-daily-chronicle-london-1892-09-12-p5-for-nelson-s-sake.jpg\|thumb\|250px\|right\|[[The Daily Chronicle]] (12 september 1892, p. 5)]]
	[[File:the-illustrated-london-news-1892-09-17-hms-foudroyant-p7.jpg\|thumb\|250px\|right\|[[The Illustrated London News]]~~<br />~~(17 september 1892, p. 7)]]		[[File:the-illustrated-london-news-1892-09-17-hms-foudroyant-p7.jpg\|thumb\|250px\|right\|[[The Illustrated London News]] (17 september 1892, p. 7)]]

	''(Sold to the Germans for a thousand pounds).''		''(Sold to the Germans for a thousand pounds).''
Line 27:		Line 27:


	Who says the Nation's purse is lean,~~<br />~~		<poem>
	Who fears for claim or bond or debt,~~<br />~~		Who says the Nation's purse is lean,
	When all the glories that have been~~<br />~~		Who fears for claim or bond or debt,
	Are scheduled as a cash asset?~~<br />~~		When all the glories that have been
	If times are bleak and trade is slack,~~<br />~~		Are scheduled as a cash asset?
	If coal and cotton fail at last,~~<br />~~		If times are bleak and trade is slack,
	We've something left to barter yet-~~<br />~~		If coal and cotton fail at last,
	Our glorious past.~~<br /><br />~~		We've something left to barter yet-
			Our glorious past.

	There's many a crypt in which lies hid~~<br />~~		There's many a crypt in which lies hid
	The dust of statesman or of king;~~<br />~~		The dust of statesman or of king;
	There's Shakespeare's home to raise a bid,~~<br />~~		There's Shakespeare's home to raise a bid,
	And Milton's house its price would bring.~~<br />~~		And Milton's house its price would bring.
	What for the sword that Cromwell drew?~~<br />~~		What for the sword that Cromwell drew?
	What for Prince Edward's coat of mail?~~<br />~~		What for Prince Edward's coat of mail?
	What for our Saxon Alfred's tomb?~~<br />~~		What for our Saxon Alfred's tomb?
	They're all for sale!~~<br /><br />~~		They're all for sale!

	And stone and marble may be sold~~<br />~~		And stone and marble may be sold
	Which serve no present daily need;~~<br />~~		Which serve no present daily need;
	There's Edward's Windsor, labelled old,~~<br />~~		There's Edward's Windsor, labelled old,
	And Wolsey's palace, guaranteed.~~<br />~~		And Wolsey's palace, guaranteed.
	St. Clement Danes and fifty fanes,~~<br />~~		St. Clement Danes and fifty fanes,
	The Tower and the Temple grounds;~~<br />~~		The Tower and the Temple grounds;
	How much for these? Just price them, please,~~<br />~~		How much for these? Just price them, please,
	In British pounds.~~<br /><br />~~		In British pounds.

	You hucksters, have you still to learn,~~<br />~~		You hucksters, have you still to learn,
	The things which money will not buy?~~<br />~~		The things which money will not buy?
	Can you not read that, cold and stern~~<br />~~		Can you not read that, cold and stern
	As we may be, there still does lie~~<br />~~		As we may be, there still does lie
	Deep in our hearts a hungry love~~<br />~~		Deep in our hearts a hungry love
	For what concerns our island story?~~<br />~~		For what concerns our island story?
	We sell our work - perchance our lives,~~<br />~~		We sell our work - perchance our lives,
	But not our glory.~~<br /><br />~~		But not our glory.

	Go barter to the knacker's yard~~<br />~~		Go barter to the knacker's yard
	The steed that has outlived its time!~~<br />~~		The steed that has outlived its time!
	Send hungry to the pauper ward~~<br />~~		Send hungry to the pauper ward
	The man who served you in his prime!~~<br />~~		The man who served you in his prime!
	But when you touch the Nation's store,~~<br />~~		But when you touch the Nation's store,
	Be broad your mind and tight your grip.~~<br />~~		Be broad your mind and tight your grip.
	Take heed! And bring us back once more~~<br />~~		Take heed! And bring us back once more
	Our Nelson's ship.~~<br /><br />~~		Our Nelson's ship.

	And if no mooring can be found~~<br />~~		And if no mooring can be found
	In all our harbours near or far,~~<br />~~		In all our harbours near or far,
	Then tow the old three-decker round~~<br />~~		Then tow the old three-decker round
	To where the deep-sea soundings are;~~<br />~~		To where the deep-sea soundings are;
	There, with her pennon flying clear,~~<br />~~		There, with her pennon flying clear,
	And with her ensign lashed peak high,~~<br />~~		And with her ensign lashed peak high,
	Sink her a thousand fathoms sheer.~~<br />~~		Sink her a thousand fathoms sheer.
	There let her lie!		There let her lie!
			</poem>