Down the river the wind bears the ships toward the sea.

Weather turning against them, they taste long delay in the Downs, but at last are forth upon the Atlantic.

Hourly the distance grows between London town and the outgoing folk, between English shores and where the surf breaks on the pale Virginian beaches.

Far away--far away and long ago--yet the unseen, actual cables hold, and yesterday and today stand embraced, the lips of the Thames meet the lips of the James, and the breath of England mingles with the breath of America..