From a broadside at the University of Florida:


SONS OF THE SEA.
Written and Composed by Felix McGlennon.
Sung by Arthur Reece.
Music : Sheard & Co., 196, Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W.C.

[1] Have you heard this talk of foreign pow'rs
Building ships increasingly?
Do you know they watch this isle of ours,
Watch their chance unceasingly?
Have you head the millions they spend
Strengthening their fleets, and why?
They imagine they can break or bend
The nation that has often made them fly;
But one thing we possess; they forget, they forget,
The lads in blue, they've met, often met, often met.

CHORUS: Sons of the sea, all British born,
Sailing ev'ry ocean, laughing foes to scorn.
They may build their ships, my lads, and think they know the game,
But they can't build boys of the bull-dog breed,
Who made old England's name.

[2] Do you know they threaten to combine?
Three to one's their bravery.
Do you know they'd like to sweep the brine,
Bind us, lads, in slavery?
Have you heard they think that plates of steel,
Plates of steel and guns will do?
But we know 'twas British hearts of oak
In every battle pulled us safely through;
For one thing we possess, they forget, they forget,
The lads in blue, they've met, often met, often met.

[3] If they'd know why Britons rule the waves,
If they'd solve the mystery,
If they'd know the deeds of Britain's braves,
Let them read their history.
Let them search the bottom of the seas,
Where their battered hulks now lie.
Let them build their puny ships of war.
We build men prepared to do or die.
There's one thing we possess, they forget, they forget,
The lads in blue, they've met, often met, often met.

[You can also see the sheet music for this song at The National Library of Australia. There is another edition here.]