TORPEDO

1p., 16mo. On a piece of watermarked laid paper, 17 x 10.5 cm. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, with a manuscript correction ('tracts' to 'tracks'). In three numbered stanzas, Farnie's version being in effect an entirely new poem: 'This Fish was indeed Oh! | A Woolwich Torpedo, | But Oh! But Oh! | The big whale did not know.' 'Les noces d'Olivette' was first performed in Paris in 1879; Farnie's English language adaptation starring Florence St. John was performed at the Strand Theatre in London from 1880 to 1881.

4to, 2 pp, 25 lines. Good, on slightly discoloured and grubby paper. Watts takes issue with 'The statement of British Shipbuilding Programmes since 1889' which Hurd has forwarded. 'It was found more convenient to draw up the table again', and Watts is sending 'the result of the investigations which have been made' (table not present). He is in 'complete agreement' with the 'statements under the headings of Battleships, Armoured Cruisers and 1st. class Cruisers', but 'Under the headings of 2nd. and 3rd.