Evening star., 1914-11-26
THE HOMEWARD FERRY.
Ship That Carries Wounded British
From Continent to Island.


OF the many long stages which our
wounded have to traverse between the
battlehelds and the place of conva-
iescence in England. the easiest. the
most comfortable and perhaps the best
organized is the passage home In the
Asturias
The ships name has come to mean a
great deal to the base authorities across
the water. and one of the events which
gives most color to life at the base is
her periodic arrival or departure In q
way she visibly marks the tide of battle,
When things are hot and busy at the
front the Asturias makes many VOYAGES.
tarrying but a day to fill up with her
Load OF shattered, recumbent figures.
turning around and hurryine back as
soon as they have been unloaded at
southampton. When there is a IuII in
the battle she tarlies longer beside the
quay wall. waiting for her passengers
But 1t Is only a matter of time; sooner
or later, by trainloads from the front.
In aInbulances and wagons from the
base hospitals, her complement is mad.
up ana she sildes out again between tne
plereads at nigh water with one more
nesh-and-bIood instalIment of the toll of
war.
As you walk around her decks of this
sunny afternoon, when the waters of the
channel are whispering softly apain,t
ner sides, you realize something of the
strangeness and something OF the so
lemnlty of the business on which she
plies. The wide decks, designed for the
convenience OF Idle tourists in sub
tropical waters and deserted now, save
TOR an occasional khaki figure recumbent
in IA deck chair, or group of officers
leaning on the taffrail and talking.
These officers come from many regi-
'nents, ana are OF various ranks; but
they have one thing in connon--;l White
bandage. Sometimes 1T is on a foot, so
that they have to hop when they walk
sometimes 1t Is a sling for the arm
sometimes it envelopes the head or face.
But every one is manned or broken in
some way; no one moves freely or with
out pain. And these are the best, the
semi cases. perhaps fifty
or sixty in all, who occupy the shade
deck and the deck drawing room that
has been turned into a dining saloon.
There are perhaps fifty or sixty Of them.
! But down below, you wander
through the transformed ship you real
ize her true reason for existence. The
great main saloon is a hospital ward fit
ted with little green swinging cots On
the deck below that, all down one side
Of the ship, is another huge ward like
wise fitted with beds; and every bed has
an occupant. and every occupant has a
wound. And nurses and orderlies move
quietly about down the long lines, as in
a hospital ashore: and yet even these
| represent but fraction of the load of
pain which she carries
For all through the ship. wherever you
go, wounded men are packed as closely
as comfort and convenience awill permit.
The long rows of luxurious single and
state cabins have all their beds Allied
with wounded officers. In the second
and third-class departments every cabin
is similarly occupied by wounded sol
diers-wounded in tiers, wounded in
rows. wounded in stacks. Yet many as
they are, and ingeniousiy as they are
disposed in the uttermost recesses of
the SIP f sisht .he Of nurse or sn order,n or
And it is a strange thought to consider
that this ship. which was built and fit
ted by the Royal Mail Company solely
for the purposes OF the service Of pleas
adapted to the service of pain.