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Cape Town
17 April 1881
My dear Chris
I was very glad to know that you reached home safely and well and passed your first examination so creditably.
If you have told young Mr. Moore that you had made application to the P & O Company, and at the same time asked him for a berth mean time he will think you are only making a convenience of him and w0n’t like it. You should not have said anything about your intention of going into steam just yet. However if he appoints you to a good ship, you had better go. I don’t see that you can do any good by waiting until I come home.
You might come up to London and call on the Agents of the British India Company, Gray, Dawes & Co. and ask to see Mr Dawes – he is an old Indian acquaintance of mine and would receive you very kindly and give you information about the Company – or perhaps if you were to call on Mr Gellatly of Gellatly Hankey & Sewell, he would introduce you and help you all he could. He has been under obligation to me recently and we are very old friends, and this would be your best plan. I will enclose a short note to him, but don’t leave it if he is not in, ask him for an introduction to headquarters and find out in what terms you could enter. They are Brokers for the Company. I have no doubt it is a good service but the climate is not of the best.
Captain Cousins who commands one of their largest ships is an old fellow officer of mine, who would be a good man to call and see as well if his ship is in the Victoria Dock when you are up.
The promotion in any of these Companies is slow generally, but a good deal depends on the way you conduct yourself and the reports that are made of you by the captains you sail with. The promotion in sailing ships is just as slow and the work much more disagreeable, and by the time you have sewed long enough to command a ship there will not be many left.
Should Mr Moore place you in a ship as second, your best place would be to serve there and get your Chiefs Certificate. Wait for a place either in the P & O or the British India having your name in the list of candidates from now.
Do all you can to assist Mama at home and make all things pass pleasantly.
Counsel Edie strongly to try to overcome her weak points, and point out to her the folly of not acting at all times in an honest and straight forward manner, and doing her utmost to help in all house work.
You must be aware what a heavy charge such a large household is to me, and if I was less fortunate in my voyages or broken down in health, all those of the family old enough to shift for themselves would have to do it.
Tell Alec he is not given to letter writing much and Archie has grown so stout and tall on the voyage those at home will see a wonderful difference in him. He gets on well and will soon be a smart sailor.
I am afraid we won’t get home until about 10 June. We will not get away from this until the 22nd or 23rd.
I am dear Chris,
Your loving Father
Jas A Elmslie
lf Chris should be away before -this reaches enclose it in a note saying he has left for sea. l wish it sent at once. lf Chris is at home let him go up and present it at once.
JAE