Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1914-09-02
MRS. HUGH EVANS
TELLS HOW ENGLISH
VIEW WAR STRUGGLE
RETURNED FROM TRIP ABROAD
TUESDAY ENE\ING-HAD
INTERESTING TIME

Mrs. Hugh Evans returned from her
trip to England, where she had been
70 visit her mother, Mrs. Martha
Vaughn, Tuesday evening. She had
several interesting experiences while
on her trip.
Mrs. Evans left Belding on May 2S
for visit with her mother, three
brothers and three sisters who live
in and near Caergwrle, Wales. She
sailed from Montreal a few days later
and passed down the St. Lawrence
river a few hours after the Empress
of Ireland was rammed by the Stor-
stadt She saw the latter boat in the
harbor at Quebec with her sides bad
ly damaged. While she was in the
harbor Mrs, Evans viewed the bodies
of the victims OF the disaster.
When the ship arrived i'm Liverpool
Mrs. Evans could see a great change
in the city since her last time i'm the
town, twelve years ago. She says it
seemed as though she was in a dream
so great was the change 1t was only
an hours ride from Liverpool to the
home of her mother and most of her
time was spent in Caergwrle with her
people.
Mrs. Evans says that the English
are not so excited over the war situa-
ton now as they were a few weeks
ago. They have placed guards in
every available place in Liverpool,
however, as it is the headquarters for
the troops Soldiers from all OF the
territories have been brought into
Liverpool and lodged in the churches,
libraries and all OF the public build
ings. Besides this they are camping
out in all Of the available spaces in
the city. The viaducts Of the city and
all of the passages are patrolled and
guarded heavily, against the Germans
Mrs. Evans says the feeling is quite
strong against the Germans because
it is said they poisoned the water and
did many other things which were
threatening to the English.
Mrs. Evans has a brother in the
Royal Welsh Fusiliers. She also has
a brother, who formerly lived i'm De-
troit. who has gone to Quebec and has
enlisted in the Canadian army. His
regiment is now awaiting orders to
move.
Mrs Evans took passage from
Liverpool via the Cunard Line on the
Steamer Francona, August N22 Be-
cause of the war and the dangers of
the usual route over the Atlantic the
boat followed the course of the Titanic
on its fateful trip. This is a much
rougher. though nearer route. The
ocean was exceedingly rough and
stormy Almost all OF th9 passengers
We're sick. Mrs. Evans, who has
crossed the ocean five times and has
been sick each time, was confined to
her bed for four days
The Steamer Franconia, sailed out
of the harbor under strict guard. With
her tunnels painted a battleship gray
and her portfolios blanketed the Fran
coma was conveyed by two English
torpedo boats on the first day of her
trip. Seven times in the remainder of
her voyage the liner was hailed by
warships-fve times by English and
twice by French cruisers
When they were sailing one night
i'm a heavy fog, running slowly the
Franconia rammed into something
that. in the panic of the passeng-
ers. was thought TO be an iceberg or
German warship. which brought the
ship TO a complete stop. Investiga-
ton showed that they had rammed
fishing schooner. The schooner was
not damaged beyond some heavy
scratches on the hull as the blow was
a glancing one.
The trip both ways was very in
teresting as several iceburgs, sharks
and whales. were in evidence along
the whole route.
Beyond wait Of several days in
Liverpool Mrs. Evans had little diff
Guilty i'm obtaining passage