For we adn’t got torpedoes down below?
I saw a Fleet of ironclads a-shelling of a town,
Which let us ’ave it lively from a fort,
Till a little British ‘lay-me-true’ ran in and did ’em brown,
While most of us lay off and watched the sport.
Eh! it couldn’t ’ave been just one ship as did it?
I’m speaking now of forty year ago;
We’d iron on our uppers and steam and patent scuppers,
Though nowadays you might a’called it slow.
I ’ear there’s been an action, for the Germans come at last,