Shaughnessy, the President of the C.P.R., special arrangements were made which enabled him to catch the ship to England with two hours to spare. He reached Canterbury just in time for the election and was returned by a majority of one thousand.
While in America, he heard that his name was included in the New Year's Honours as K.C.M.G., and he at once cabled home to decline the honour.
On his return, he found many letters of congratulation awaiting him; among them a line from the Commander-in-Chief in India—Kitchener of Khartoum:
Fort William,
Dec. 21, '05.
My dear Henniker Heaton,
I am very glad of this opportunity of congratulating you heartily on the K.C.M.G. you have so well deserved.
In 1907 H. H. experienced his second earthquake, the first having occurred in the South of France in the late eighties, which was not attended by very serious results. In this year he sailed for Jamaica in the "Port Kingston," and enjoyed the pleasantest of outward bound voyages in congenial company.
His own account of the earthquake is given:
"We arrived on Friday, 11th January, at Kingston, the capital of Jamaica, and on the following morning we went by railway to Port Antonio, which is 49 miles from Kingston, where we were entertained at
- ↑ Some words, written by Lord Kitchener of H. H. after his death, expressing his "friendship and sincere admiration of his services," are doubly prized as coming from the great soldier and statesman who at the moment of writing held in his hands the safety of England and the Empire.
