The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-08-21
LINER FRANCE BRINGS 1874
AMERICANS HOME IN SAFETY
President Wilson's Sister and Other Passengers Tel
Thrilling Stories of the Landing of English
Soldiers at Havre- Cheer Liberty Statue

Up the bay yesterday steamed very
bravely the French Line steamer La
France her rails festooned with 1874
American refugees from about every
quarter Of the European continent As
she slipped past the Lady OF Liberty on
Bedlow's Island cheer went up from
tho homesick throngs on the port side,
while those on the starboard felt a thrill,
no doubt. as they caught a glimpse OF
Manhattan's sky palaces. looking for all
the world like Maxfield Parrish dream
through the haze
There was many q thrill In the stories
they told of the flight from the war OF
Europe-stories OF German spies shot
down in the streets OF French towns: of
women, wives and mothers, clnging to
their husbands and sons as the men an
swered their country's call TO arms: OF
French mobs attacking and wrecking
German owned shops. and last but not
least of the steady tramp of marching
soldiers which seemed to sound constantly
by day and night from every corner OF
the French republic.
And then of the ten days wait at Havre
while the steamer. due to sail on August
4, remained fast at her mornings until
the British and French cruisers could
clear the waters of hostile battlsships. 1t
was impossible not to catch the fever of
war as men and women alike told the
story OF these ten days.
British Troops on show.
Shipload after shipload of British
troops, the men OF Englsnd's expedition
airy force. steamed into the harbor OF
Havro. Everything moved like machinery.
There was not a hitch. there was never
delay From the wharves the soldiers
marched TO the camping grounds on the
cliffs back OF the city, pitched their tents
and waited for the day when their train
should pull up ready to transport them
into Belgium.
And by the time the France cast OF
and headed her nose toward the Western
Hemisphere 10000 Of these men had
stepped onto French soil--at least that
was the estimate generally accepted az
correct at Havre. At Boulogne. at Dun
kirk and Ostend tho same thing Is going
on. Rumor had II at Havre that the
British force was to number 100000 men.
the pick Of England's soldiers.
In way ii was voyage OF mystery
that the France made. In this country
IL was not definitely known that she
had sailed on August II until day before
yesterday Even the passengers did not
know when they were To sail. They
were on the steamer and they were get
ting food-that was enough for most Of
them. They had been In Paris after the
mobilization orders were issued they
had seen banks. restaurants, hotels and
shops close II by magic. and good
many OF them had felt the frst disagree
able sensations OF hunger
Many OF them went from r1ris to Havre
In cattle cars. capacity. six men and
forty horses" They had been packed In
- ta.I
been forced 10 stand or SIT on the floor.
women and children and men alike. Some
OF these cars were partly filled with
soldiers the civilians taking what room
was left And II was the soldiers who
kept their spirits up, singing war songs
recalled from 1870 laughing, talking and
boasting In their own way OF the march
to Berlin"
Couyoyed to Omen Sea.