THE STRAIGHT TIP.
["There is one national duty in this connection, and only one, that is worth insisting upon for a moment. That duty is to render it impossible for any enemy or combination of enemies to interrupt our supply of food or whatever else is necessary for our well-being."—The "Times" on Sir George Tryon's Scheme for National Insurance of Shipping in Time of War.]
Right, "Thunderer," and tersely put!
Hammer this into BULL's big noddle,
Until he just puts down his foot
On temporising timid twaddle,
And you will do a vast deal more
To keep our drowsy British Lion
In health, and strength and wakeful roar
Than all the schemes Tryon may try on.
Battle's not always to the strong;
The race, though, must be to—the Fleet,
With us at least. We can't go wrong
In making safety there complete.
And by St. George we can't go right
On any other tack whatever,
Until that Fleet is fit to fight
With all our foes though strong and clever.
Insurance may be all serene,
But the insurance JOHN must measure
Is safety on all roads marine
For him, his men, his food, his treasure.
And if our ships don't give us this
On Neptune s high-road wild and wavy,
JOHN BULL his chief straight tip will miss,
And likewise soon may miss—his Navy!
