New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-01-04

r.o british cruiser Natdl coiiiPiete"
-, the mission of honor on when
NOD started thirteen days before-she
sho .oa safely into the hands of his TEL
o,,,zens the body of Whiteiaw Reid'
"" TN Ambassador TO Great Britain.
Am osnonsi5ilities had been great and
s.r task not by any means hght one
- dnring her course across the Atian-
.ho had encountered one gale after an
Her officers said that in all their
snerience they had never known such
.eesion of storms or such rough
voyage. 49,
rhe cruiser met heavy weather tho day
loft Iondon-Saturday. December 2l.
The following Monday one. great sea swept
40 shin and poured down through the
~, dock into the wardroom. Forty
~s If water were shipped because one
s,he ,lates In tho deck had sprung owing
. tho strain imposed 10y the tossing OF
49,. vesscl. A succeeding sea carried
ono Of her boats on the starboard
,,. omidships and lifted a companion
hoat lust aft so violently against her
s.y,,s that It cracked her bottom. The
o,tive officer had 10 have break
.,ar built 10 keep the sea from flooding
his stateroom.
rne one safe and dry place aboard above
40 ofBcers' quarters was the forecastle
At behind the ample steel shield fac
- tho Natal's bow. IT was here. in
orynt which appeared as if especially buiit
90 the purpose. that the body OF the AM
hossador rested. The heavy coffin was
.,,,,orted by a framework of blocks
olo,bed In purple. and was smothered IN
.o,I,h NJ vreaths and other floral offer
,rss from his host OF English FRIENDS.
Wreath from King and Queen.
prominent among these tributes TO the
arrow Of the English people was huge
,reath hearing a card from the King and
Queen In the thirteen days which the
vovage consumed. this wreath. Ike the
rec, had dried and withered. but 1t pre-
.orved enough Of its original beauty 10
testify TO the sentiment behind il.
In front of the door OF this crypt Cap
tain Greatorex placed sentry on waIhc
day and night. who paced up and down
Tho well protected little deck. carrying
c.rh,ne over his shoulder. And while he
fulfilled his duty dry and safe from the
storm the seas swept the main deck
amjdships lust below him with such fury
that no man could venture 10 cross II for
fear of being carried overheard.
II was with the greatest relief and
thanksgiving that the Natal's officers an
chored her finally in the North River.
thereby escaping the force OF the nnai
storm which broke yesterday morning
lust after she had nosed her way into
the fog past the Ambrose Channel Light
ship in advance of the American squad
ron forming her escort
They expressed chagrin. however. that
the seas had destroyed 10 some extent
the trig appearance OF the cruiser. nav
ing rusted her tunnels and turrets and
rentilators where they had dashed con-
tinually against them. But the crew did
everything TO make her as spic and span
as the circumstances would allow. and IL
was not difficult TO realize that she had
been chosen for this last mission as one
Of the SHOW ships" OF the British navy,
having accompanied the King and Queen
10 India when they attended the Durpar'
The propltious weather which had fav-
ored the American squadron throughout
Wednesday and Thursday on It's way 10
meet the Natal and convoy II into New
York Harbor. ended with the fog which
shut down upon the warships at $50 yes
ierday morning. They were then cruising
along the south shore Of Long Island, but
out OF sight OF land, at nine knot pace.
figuring on reaching the Ambrose Chan
mel Lightship early in the morning