Letters from George Alexander Ballard to his mother and sisters sent while serving in HMS LINNET and HMS TEMERAIRE in the Mediterranean and on the China Station and one letter from HMS RENARD sent from Holyhead. The letters contain descriptions of cities in China including Shanghai and Canton [Guangzhou] with a description of a water clock he saw there. He also described his experience of the 1894 Tokyo earthquake as LINNET was in Yokohama at the time, recorded his meeting Kaiser Wilhelm II, a visit to his father's grave in Athens, a tour of Jerusalem and a visit to Pompeii.