Page:The life and letters of Sir John Henniker Heaton bt. (IA lifelettersofsi00port).pdf/131



You must have had a most interesting tour and I congratulate you on having the time and spirit to undertake it. I thank you for carrying the messages of goodwill to me from my colonial fellow subjects. I do, as you say, feel very much their kindness, which in present circumstances is even more welcome than usual.

I am still getting better and my medical advisers assure me and themselves of my ultimate ability to take my share of work, but for the present I must still keep out of public Hie and take an amount of rest which may be good for my illness, but which is certainly very hard upon my stock of patience. Later on I will let you know how I proceed and I hope that I may see you and other friends whom I am at present rather keeping back, as I so far trust the assurance of my doctors that I believe in a comparatively short time I shall be much better than I am now.

During H. H.'s voyages to and from Australia, Marconi very generously placed at his disposal the wireless service on board. Every morning the news of the world was flashed across the great ocean, and at breakfast the daily bulletin was laid on H. H.'s plate.

On the morning of April 17th, 1912, while in the Indian Ocean, the terrible news of the disaster to the "Titanic" was received: