The Henson Journals

[59]

Whitsunday, May 20th, 1923.

I celebrated the Holy Communion in Christ Church at 8 a.m. There were 90 communicants.

At 10.30 a.m. there was a service in the Parish Church to which the Royal Institute of Public Health, which has been holding a Congress in Scarborough last week, came in state. There were many mayors & medical pundits in their robes: & the procession was witnessed by great throngs of the holiday–makers. The parish church, which is said to seat 2000 people on the floor, was crowded. I preached the sermon which I had prepared, and afterwards gave the M.S. to Sir W. Smith.

In the afternoon the Vicar took me for a walk round the beach, & later I preached in Christ Church to a considerable congregation almost wholly composed of women! An interesting naval man came to supper. A propos my insistance on the importance of Housing in my sermon this morning, he told me the following. The 'Lusitania' on her trial trip developed a speed far in excess of that which she attained in crossing the Atlantic. Her owners complained, & the builders commissioned their leading expert to accompany the vessel on her next trip, & to investigate the cause of her failure to justify her promise. His report was summed up in the counsel, ' Reconstruct the stokers' quarters. ' This was done, and the 'Lusitania' henceforth attained easily the speed which had been guaranteed.

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