Evening journal., 1914-08-21


September 5. A day or two later
l saw there was every indication that
the 'Aquitania, which is a fast ship
Of $4,000 tons, would be seized by the
English government and be fitted out
as a cruiser, so / went down to the
ofice Of the American line and Sc
cured passage in the steerage on the
steamship, st. Louis, to sail August
Is. did this as a precaution, as
this ship would sail under the Stars
and Stripes On the sixth day of
August we ascertained that the
Aqutania had been seized by the gov
ernment and taken off the run. |
FASTENED down to the Office and by
great good luck / secured a state
room with a bath on the Cunarder
Iaconia which was TO sail from
Liverpool to America on August g.
We did not know how We would get
to Liverpool, as the railroad had been
seized by the government to trans
port the English troops. We could
see soldiers everywhere and thOus-
ands Of them passed the Hotel Cecil
in companies. but we had no idea
where they were going, as the Lon
don press was absolutely silent upon
their action Later, however, we
learned that 100000 English soldiers
had crossed the channel into France
in transports Not a line of this
appeared in the papers. We also
learned that motor cars and horses
had been seized by the government.
I'VE decided to start for Liverpool
the day before the ship sailed, which
was on Friday. We packed all our
baggage into o taxicab at o'clock
Friday afternoon, but when we got
half way TO the depot we concluded
it was not safe and returned to the
Hotel Cecil. where we unpacked the
baggage. Finally however. I made
up my mind TO go, got another taxi
cab, loaded up the baggage again and
departed on the train leaving short
/ ~ after o'clock for Liverpool, ar
irving there at $3.50 p. m
"The train was packed with Ameri-
cans, and when we arrived at Liver
rOOl we found il was almost impos-
sible to find a hotel or bed. and there
we're piles of baggage lying around
everywhere.
Mr.. Sanborn related interesting ex-
reriences before they finally secured
a bed in a small room on the sixth
floor of the hotel, which they were
| cnly too glad to get Mr.. Sanborn
! continued as follows:
/ "The Laconia sailed next day. Sat
! urday. at o'clock in the evening, but
! knowing that II was an English ship
and liable TO capture by German
cruisers, known TO be on the Atlantic
I secured second class passage on
the steamship. Virginia. small
English vessel sailing 10 Montreal
and also a passage on he steamship
ST. Paul, which was 20 sail August
%. ! thus had a passage on the
-aconia, st. Louis Virginia and st
Paul. / concluded that if l haC
to die ! might as we'll die as a
gentleman so decided tC cast my LOT
with the Laconia and enjoy the fine
stateroom and bath. Owing to tho
demand for passage to America ] hat
no difficulty in returning the Other
tickets and getting my money back
1--WE sailed at o'clock. and th,
first thing I noticed was the car,
taken coming out of the river Merse,
from Liverpool The river was full
10 avoid them. The first nlgnt oui
at sea the ship was dark and not q
ray of light was allowed to escape
although we kept on at full speed
The next thing | noticed was th'
erection of the wireless station, whicl
had been taken down while the shil
was i'm port, and then / saw th,
sailors on the side painting the sidl
of the ship black. The tunnels an,
smoke-stacks were painted black will
a strip of red around them, and th'
) bridge was painted a dark req color
The name was painted out on th'
ship
Chased BY Cruiser.
1--WE must have taken a northeri,
course, for on the second day ou
we were nearly frozen. Every nigh
the lightg were put out and WI
would travel fast in darkness. On
night we were chased by a German
! cruiser, but managed 10 elude he
in the darkness. Every time WI
saw smoke on the horizon WI
( thought our lives we're in our hands
{ Every night when I went to bed l wa
e sure that would never wake IL
again, but would find watery grav,
{ mo one knew where we were 60
d ing and no passenger knew where h
] would land. We were I'm a fog forty
, eight hours, and were compelled {
stop at one time. When we got Ou
I of the fog IL became warmer, show
4 ing we were nearing a more souther
4 latitude
About / o'clock last Sunday after
noon, while lunch was being serve,
y we slowed down and almost stoppe,
q and began taking little circles, RI
e naming in the same spot This keI
a up until after dark. when we put o
all steam and few. We remained o
deck, knowing something would haT
- pen. and about / o'clock someon
shouted, lights. lights The shl
turned toward the lights and ran !
close 10 the shore. We then llne'
that the string of lights were eithe
Atlantic City or ,Asbury Park TIL
ship remained within a three-mil
neutral limit so that no other shi
coWd fire upon t.
I'VE dropped anchor az the quaraI
tine station in New York harbor
= o'clock Sunday night and docked
10 o'clock Monday morning. III
d Statue OF Liberty at the entrance
the harbor was one of the most we
I, come sights I have ever seen.
There were over $500 passenge
on the Laconia besides the crew. an
the ship. the capacity of which
1900, was loaded 10 the gunwales
Mr. Sanborn said he was nigh
glad 70 be back home in dear o
Wilmington.