The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-10-22
ENGLISH WOMAN IN ENEMY's CAMP

LONDON. October IA weli-known
highly exciting and interesting time
in Germany when war was declared,
and has only row been able; to return
to London. following upon Journey
from Hamburg which was fraught at
every stage with difficulty and anxiety.
This lady left Nottingham or July 30
proceeding by way Of Grlmaby and
an old school friend, lady resident
in country place in the heart Of
Mcclllenburg.
Excitement began practicaliy at the
start of the journey, Germany was
waiting for Rursia's reply To the ques-
ton addressed TO her regarding mobil-
izatioD. ana the whole situation was
one of great tension.
"On the evening OF Friday, July 81
slid the lady 10 Guardian repre-
sentative. I'VE were held up by Ger
man torpedo boat OFF Cuxhavcn. and
were told that we were To anchor. ms
no shipping WAS allowed up the EGlbc
without II special pilot.
There we stopped until $50 the next
morning, when cutter came OFF with
custom house officers and men. They
looked all through the passenger list
ard called u roll OF the passengers and
crew. Then VIC were told that we must
wait until pilot came on board we
reached Hamburg nine hours late and
heard at once that mobilization was i'm
niinent in Germany. The order came
about o'clock that night ] went to
see All English friend at Hamburg. but
found she had returned TO England
Things. however, seemed very inter
esting Just then. and I decided to go
on to my friends place I'm Mecklen-
burg. Her husband, ! might say. Is a
dragoon officer in the German army,
and although not obliged to go; being
over fifty years of age, he had re-
had also gone to the front. Eleven
of their horses had been taken, and
out of sixteen able-bodied men on the
pl,lce only four had been left behind
and n few days afterwards the young
est son also offered himself for Mill
tary service.
ut was just at harvest time, and just
as many farmers In England employ
Irish laborers AT that period, so do
Germans get In Russian harvestcrs, and
ut my friends place there were thirty
Russians who were accommodated In Il
building q little distance from the
house. We had a scare one night.
although II needless one, IL rumOr being
circulated that the Russians meant 10
burn the premises. AS there We're
practically no men about with the
exception of the old farm steward and
"a German head harvester. this was
alarming, but the precaution had been
taken to disarm the Russians. and
nothing happened. by this time. as
events seemed to be marching some
what rapidly, and all trains We're being
used for military purposes, l thought l
would see about getting 4 passport. SO
went gnily into the little town to
the Mayor refused 1t, saying EIat Eng
land was declaring war.
This was disconcerting, so | wrote
TO the American consul at Hamburg
who was most courteous, but said he
could issue no passports except TO the
person for whom it was intended.
Finally started off to Hamburg, which
is ordinarily "A six hours journey. hut
upon this occasion occupied fourteen.
The train carried many German sol
diers. IL was II o'clock at night
when we got TO Hamburg. L had lug
gage with me which in the general
turmoil. was rather difficult 70 manage,
but on three separate occasions | WIS
most kindly helped by Germans. al
though 7 made no secret of the fact
that I was an Englishwoman. 1T does
not MATTER one said, AN English lady
is safe anYYhere.' On the Monday
morning ] went to the American con-
Sulate III Hamburg, anu WAS tOIU mat
according TO regulations, which could
not possibly he set aside, | should be
required to prove my identity. 1t was
suggested to me that either my mar
,'iugc certificate or my birth certificate
would suffice. I explained, that ] was
unmarried, and that az to my birth GER
tifcate, ii was not usual to carry such
thing about on ones travels. 1t
looked rather like an impusse. when
fortunately / remembered Red Cross
medallion which, L had with me, and
they accepted the evidence OF that.
ON the Monday evening i obtained
my passport, but on Tuesday found
that instructions had been given that
no more English women were to leave
until further orders. On the Wednes-
day I went again, and heard that
great efforts were being made to en-
able an English Clergyman to get
away sixty girls, who had been en-
ployeu III Germany, governesses. helps,
and so forth but the authorities were
still saying that they must wait.
But ] felt that I could not wait,
and on Thursday morning Invent to
the military officer and asked IL there
was any chance of getting through
tho German lines as an English Red
Cross nurse. The officer, who was ex-
tremely polite and pleasant, said that
this was permitted in the Franco
pruSSiail War. but he was very ,n,,,h