In the case of the French coal trade, commencing in March, 1917, the steamships engaged in the trade were sailed in groups from four different assembly ports, viz.: Southend to Boulogne and Calais.

Between Southend and Boulogne and Calais the protection was given by the vessels of the Dover Patrol in the course of their ordinary duties, but for the other three routes special escort forces were utilized, and daily convoys were the rule.

Sir Reginald Bacon proposed that the portion of the examination service which dealt with south-going ships should be moved to Southend, and the transfer was effected as rapidly as possible and without difficulty, thereby assisting to free us from a source of anxiety.

The Ray runs right down to Southend Pier, but there are several narrow openings out of it connecting with the river.

I rows folks out to their boats round Tilbury way, and at times I does a bit of eel fishingor maybe in summer there's a job lookin' arter the yachts at Leigh and Southend.

"Let's go for a long sail," she suggested, "and then put in at Southend and have asparagus for lunch.

"It will be dead out by the time we get to Southend; but we only draw about three foot six, and we can cut across through the Jenkin Swatch.

We passed Leigh and Southend, the former with its fleet of fishing-smacks and the latter with its long unlovely pier, and then nosed our way delicately into the Jenkin Swatch, that convenient ditch which runs right across the mouth of the Thames.

We reached the Nore Lightship, and waving a courteous greeting to a patient-looking gentleman who was spitting over the side, commenced our long beat back in the direction of Southend.

We fetched up off Southend Pier at just about eleven o'clock.

I had been to Southend before in the old days.

It was a new effort on the part of Southend since my time, but, as Joyce said, it "looked the sort of place where one was likely to get asparagus.

Latimer replied at once in a cheerful, good-natured bawl, amazingly different from his ordinary tone: "Private launch, Vanity, Southend; and who the hell are you?" Whether the vigour of the reply upset our questioner or not, I can't say.

If there was any trouble coming to us it seemed most likely to materialize in the neighbourhood of Southend or Sheerness, which were the two places to which the police would be almost certain to send a description of the launch as soon as they could get to a telephone.

"'I stayed for a bit,' added James Buckland, 'talking to the driver about the fog and that; then I went about my business, seein' that the local from Southend 'ad been signalled.'

He seemed to be watching the arrival platform of the Tilbury and Southend trains.

You'd be more select at Southend or Blackpool.' 'History is being made there,' said Jane, quoting from her father's press.

I have often seen him seated on Southend Pier eating shrimps out of a paper-bag.

Fenchurch St. (London, Tilbury, & Southend) Great Central Station Great Eastern (Liverpool St.) Great Western Station King's Cross (Great Northern)

Liverpool St. (Great Eastern) London Bridge (South Eastern & Chatham & Brighton & South Coast) London & North Western (Euston Station) London & South Western (Waterloo) London, Tilbury, & Southend (Fenchurch St.) Marylebone Station (Great Central)

*** Over two hundred season-ticket-holders live within a mile radius at Southend.

We suppose there must be some attraction at Southend to explain why so many season-ticket-holders live there.

*** An evening paper reports that a live shell was found "laying" in an open field near Southend.

The weather being extremely favourable, I jumped off the end of the new pier, and, getting the benefit of the flood tide, passed the Nore and inspected Southend.

On a beautiful day no doubt St. Margaret's Bay would look quite as lovely as Gravesend, but when it rained I question whether it would compare favourably with Southend under similar atmospheric circumstances.