The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-10-03
FULLY A SCORE
Of TRANSPORTS
BRING TROOPS
LONG LINE OF SHIPS MAKE UP
IMPOSING SIGHT WHEN THEY
COME INTO PORT WITH THoUs-
ANDs or INDIAN TROOPERS.
By AssoCIATEp Press.

London Oct 1.-THE correspondent
of the Daily Mail at Marseilles in a
dispatch dated last Saturday, but
which was delayed by the censor, de-
scribes the landing of the Indian
troops, who he says are all ardent
for the cause for which the king and
queens allies are fighting. He says:
ITO see fully score of transports
glide from the bay into the dock and
moor at the appointed stations was an
imposing sight and at the same time
splendid tribute TO the perfection Of
British organization. But the grand
spectacle was yet to come. In almost
as short a space of time as it takes to
tell it, the decks of this wonderful
fleet of ships were alive with soldiers
and in a matter of a few hours the
trying work of Decentralization had
been completed without a slip or ac-
cident.
THE French officers were amazed at
the remarkable smoothness with which
the operations proceeded and were not
slow in their expressions of profound
admiral ton.
The voyage from India had been
made under excellent conditions and
the troops, who literally Ieaped ashore,
were fighting men to the last ounce,
hard fit and ready. Had the word of
command been given to march straight
from the quay to the fighting line
they were ready to go.
Not a few of the sikhs 1.-the, black
bearded giants were deeply concerned
to know if I thought that the war
would be over before they could get to
grips with the common enemy and it
was a burden off their minds when I
assured them there was absolutely no
likelihood of anything of the kind
coming to pass.
"All the troops were in khaki with
very Iittle-perhaps a green or white
interviewer band in the head dress-to
distinguish one regiment, or rather
one caste from another
The white officers who were in COM
nnand are of the highest type of sold
Ter, and there was something noble
in the officers walking through Mar
settles with their troops en- route to
the rest camps when they might well
have ridden.
"One important fact that must not
be lost sight of is that this great ex-
peditionary force from the orient is
thoroughly trained, according to the
most modern ideas and equipped with
thing has been brought from India,
cannon, rifles, entrenching implements.
sleeping rugs, tents and the hundred
and one necessaries of an Indian army
down to the praying mat.
THE scene in town when the troops
marched through the different camp
ing grounds was unforgettable. Every
man, woman and child in Marseilles
turned out and their numbers were
swelled by people who had rushed in
from the surrounding country districts.
In fact the streets were seething
masses of highly excited humanity.
THE excitement of the high strung
Latins rapidly spread to the Indians
and it was an unique experience to see
hundreds of martial warriors, bearded
men whose hair was shot with gray and
beardless youths jump a yard high
in the air for sheer joy. Old women
fought with the men for the honor of
shaking hands with the bronzed sold
iers and young girls threw flowers in
their paths or pinned pink roses on
their tunics and turbans and even
stuck them into the Indians long hair"