Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-01-31
WAR SHIPS HAVE RACE
Guy thornton Tells of Swimins
With the Sharks and Claims
They Are Harmless.

Nov. IA, 1906.
Miss Daisy Thornton
Grand Rapids, Wis.
Dear SiS:-As there was no liberty
given US at Singapore w could not
see much Of the town except what
could be seen from the ship. This
morning we started in work at 5
O'Clock. First we took down the fore
castle awning as the wind was blow
ing a gale and the waves were coming
through the hawse pipes and over the
sides. Then scrub down decks and
take down clothes lines to get ready
for race between the fleets ships.
We unshipped the three forward
ventilators. FIVE matches and by that
time it was breakfast. After break
fast more ventila tors and matches. and
then quarters. At 1000 a. M. the four
cruisers were in line for the race going
all the time about Is knots. When
the signal was given we could feel the
ship culver like live creature as she
lurched through the water, propelled
by her two gigantic engines each fed
by eight boilers with four fire holes
apiece, consuming 400 TO 600 tons of
coal per day.
After running about half an hour
our Starboard engine broke down and
we lay to for repairs; we are still re-
pairing ana will be all night.
The other three ships kept on the
scheduled four hours of race and we
last saw them disappearing over the
horizon in clouds of black smoke; these
also finally disappeared. We received
word 10y wireless) that the Maryland
won the race.
It's hard to realize that l am less
than degrees from the equator. 1t
is quite warm during the day. but the
wind keeps the heat within bounds:
and at night blanket is always a
comfort.
At Bombay we picked up a Phil
pinO who had been Shanghaied from
the Philippines and he had appealed
to our council at Bombay who sent
him back with US.
Quite frequently, nearly every even
ing when not cooling, the swimming
call is sounded and all hands and the
cook go overheard. Sharks do not
worry sailor much, in fact we con-
slider them harmless. If person can
stay on top and keep moving shark
will not modest him. They prefer
dead meat to live, and had rather
take the refuse from the ships galley
than live bluejacket any time, so it
is common thing to go in swimming
where sharks abound.
Thursday Nov. 18th.
Got underway again last night and
made such good time we overlook the
fleet this morning. The sea is pretty
rough and, on account Of the speed we
are making there is an awful Sicken-
ing roll to the ship. A lot of the
fellows have given up eating for the
present. The best cure for sea sick
ness is Christian Science. When /
felt the first effects of the ships roll,
| yielded to the impulse to lie down,
and when l got up felt like cupful
of Castor oil or something worse. OF
course l hated to show it, so after that
l always keep myself erect and busy
at something and consequently have
never been SeaSick.
It's awful hard to get time to study
here; you see $40 men on one ship
makes pretty close quarters. 1t would
interest you to see US just now. In a
small compartment about l0x20 feet,
with one chest of furniture. A man
in one corner studying navigation,
another reading magazine about
1901 next two fellows playing pool,
IA game between checkers and chess,
with six or eight more looking on and
making comments on the game and
waiting their turn at it. Some men
are asleep on the bare deck not in the
least disturbed by the constant hub
DUB and a stream of people stepping
over them. I'm writing this letter
next to a fellow hugging his knees
and singing most beautiful solo all
to himself. Everybody intent on
killing time and paying no attention
to anyone else.
Your loving brother
GUY E. THORNTON, o. S.
q. S. +. S. West Virginia.