Mr. Arthur Vorley went through a course of training at the London Training College for wireless telegraphy and cable work, and, although 12 months is the recognised term for students, he came through, with flying colours, in nine weeks. He writes:

As I read in the "Rushden Echo" of those who are serving their country in this war I thought perhaps a few words about another sphere of service in the war would be of interest. In our instrument room at the cable station of Bermuda we have posted up a letter received from Lord Kitchener to the effect that we are serving our country just as much as those who are in the trenches. This is indeed a charming spot to be able so to do. Here we are connected to Halifax (Nova Scotia), and Jamaica and Turks Island. The Bermudas is a naval station of the fleet, and has a fairly large dockyard. The dockyard is situated on Ireland Island and has the largest floating dock this side of the water, it being 381 feet in length and weighs 8,340 tons. It was built in England and towed out here by two steamers.

If one wished to see all the Bermudas at the rate of one island per day it would take just a year, for there are 365 of them. The entire area, however, is only 19 square miles. Some of the islands are so diminutive that you can scarcely see them. There are five large islands... ... ... in a group in the shape of a shepherds crook, the middle or main island is the largest. Ireland Island is at the end of the crook and St. George's at the top of the handle. Then there is St. David's, that is reached from St. George's by boat, and Somerset that lies between Main Island and Ireland. A very wonderful causeway nearly two miles long connects the main island with St. George's, and there is a bridge between Somerset and Ireland Island and bridges between Somerset and Main Island.

St. George’s is a very quaint place, and most wonderfully well supplied with forts. They seem to be ranged along the entire water side, and, with the exception Gibraltar, Bermuda is the most strongly fortified of all British possessions.

Hamilton is the capital of Bermuda, and was made a city many years back. It possesses a fine cathedral and many imposing buildings. The main street, Front-street, runs parallel with the docks. The population of the entire islands in 1901 was about 6,000 white people and 11,000 coloured. The blacks are fairly industrious and well educated, speaking English grammatically, and with a marked English accent. There are no paupers in Bermuda, except a few pauper insane in the lunatic asylum, and a street beggar is unknown; and if one can judge from the statistics of the pretty little cottage hospital, where there are rarely half a dozen patients at a time, few of the citizens are invalids.

Arthur Vorley

The whole island is formed of white coral, so, of course, it is all wonderfully clean. There is no dust or mud in the streets, for the rain is absorbed at once by the fibrous coral. The houses are built of soft coral limestone of which the island is formed. Digging into the coral for drinking wells, however, has not proved a success. Some wells have been found, but the water is very brackish, and the people prefer drinking rain water. Every house is requires to have a tank on the roof to collect the rain, and it is a law that the roof must be whitewashed annually.

The weather here is awfully hot and the humidity is very great. The perspiration streams off one, and the glare of the sun upon the snow white houses and roads is very tiring.

Here there are some wonderful caves. The stalactites glitter like gems. Antlers of amber stretched along the dome, long spikes of emerald hang from ruby rafters, diamond arrows shoot from bows of lapuslazuli, and cones of amethyst gleam from the dome. In the caves it is all very silent; only the sound of hushed voices and the ceaseless drip of the sparkling stalactites stir the stillness.

The strong sea air is anything but hospitable on first acquaintance: it bats you from every point. Very soon, however, this vigorous ozone becomes your champion and helps you to feel your feet again.

We practically live in and on the water, and have some great times. The water here is excellent for bathing and swimming, although there are a few sharks about, but they never come in near enough. On the south shore we get some fine fun with surf bathing. I live within two minutes’ walk of the water’s edge, five minutes’ spin on a cycle from the north shore, and a bout ten minutes from south shore, so one can get from one side of the island to the other in a very short time. Cycles are very popular here, and the roads are excellent in every respect. There are no trains here, and a law prohibits the use of motor cars of all descriptions, so we have no smoke from an engine and no dust from a car, but all is so peaceful and quiet that it really deserves its name of an Ocean Paradise. There are about 20 large hotels, and during the season, which extends from December to May, thousands from New York and other American places throng the islands. So my advice to all who wish for a good holiday, away from all the rush of busy towns, is ‘Come to Bermuda’.