THE PORT OF LIVERPOOL 193 



swam easily across the flowing tide, just as the Httle 

 stable-lad holds on to the snaffle-rein of a Derby 

 winner coming out for a morning walk. 



Drawing twenty-eight feet of water, but with half a 

 fathom to spare under her keel, the Campania came 

 to, at the mooring - posts, and lay alongside the 

 Prince's stage with as little effort as an admiral's 

 barge takes up her station by the flagship. 



As she floated there, motionless and close in shore 

 her bridge and wheel-house towered above the stage- 

 sheds, as, years ago, the bowsprit and figurehead of 

 the old East Indiaman used to project above the road- 

 way at Limehouse. 



At 4.30 the London train rolled in to the Eiverside 

 Station, and at a quarter to five o'clock, five minutes 

 before high -water, the ship's bell rang and the 

 Campania sailed for New York. 



After Statham's death the Banning family rose in 

 opulence and repute. Thomas, the new postmaster, 

 had to control a rapidly increasing postal business. 

 His domestic concerns were not less engrossing ; for, 

 like Sherman, of the Bull and Mouth, he married in 

 succession three wives. In the office were his sons, 

 William and Charles, and also a connection, Joseph 

 Banning. It was quite a family party. 



When Charles came to be postmaster he was not 

 without his trials. Under the mild rule of his father 

 and brother, discipline within the walls of the post- 

 office had become more homelike than official, and 



13 



