The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1915-04-30
Face and Pace of Briton Indi-
Gates Effect of War on Mind
of PopuIace.
TENSENESS, BUT NO ALARM
Edward B. Clark, Fresh From Ship
Passage Through Mine-Strewn
St. Georges Channel, Gives
His Impressions Of Trip.
By EDWARD 3. CLARK.

LondOn.-The American ship Phila-
delphia made Liverpool-safe. for all
the %pre-sailing scare. St. Georges
channel and the Irish sea may have as
many submarines in them as they have
fish, which Is exceedingly doubtful,
but they are pleasant places with a
sufficient half-moon shining down
upon their waters.
Was there danger as the American
liner made It's way through these
salt seas toward Liverpool? Perhaps,
but, if SO, no passenger on board gave
expression to It in word or face.
There was a tenseness among the
men and women on the ship, but 1t
vas an inward thing. No one with
sense believed for a moment that a
submarine would sink an American
passenger ship. Thought dwelt on
the possibility, but it seemed to be
IN which could come only as the
offspring of an awful mistake.
Other American ships unquestion,
ably will continue to go through the
III IN luc IcSScl SEA lll
aced. There was the spice of a sense
Of danger to make the trip exhilarat-
ing or depressing as spice affects the
human frame and mind. No one spoke
of danger save rarely, and then the
speakers were men. The women said
nothing. In times that seem to be
those OF emergency, eve if they are
not, women always are stronger than
men, but few men there be willing to
admit the patent fact.
Show Up Vessels Name.
AS Don as the lights Of the South of
Ireland were sighted, and the Phila-
delphia entered what III truth is a war
zone, the sailors rugged two great
electric lamps and hung them over the
sides of the vessel, where their 0 II
centrated beams fell on great white
letters announcing the name of the
ship and the fact that she was IAN.
American The name could be read
over a long distance, for it was high
enough above the tumbling waters to
stand III the line OF vision, clear and
beacon-like.
Until the edge of the war zone out
lying Ireland vas reached no flag was
shown by the Philadelphia. When the
waters of so-called danger We're APP
preached the Stars and Stripes were
broken out at the proper station. Or
dinarily the British flag would have
been displayed forward as the ensign
Of the port of destination, but the
American captain was taking no
chances with the British flag, either
forward. aft or amidships.
There were five natives of England
to one native of America on the Phila-
delphia. and for once at least on the
high seas the Stars and Stripes looked
good to English eyes. At sunset the
flag came down and the bright cleo
trio lights were turned on to the name
and nation of the ship, where within
certain sea limits all men might read
them.
Man-of-War Asks for information.
Some forty miles beyond Daunt's
rock the lights Of a man-of-war APP
peared. The vessel was lying in the
sea shadows, not more than three
quarters of a mile away. Nothing but
the lights were visible. buf~their dis
tribution showed even the Impractical
eye that the vessel displaying them
was a warship of a greater type. Sud
denly from the starboard side of the
d~readnaught, predreadnaught or cruis
re, whatever she was, came a sharp
flash of light, which was followed by
successive wrinkles. The Britisher
was signaling the Yankee, and the
Yankee instantly paid heed.
What ship is that"
An answer was twinkled back from
the bridge.
Where bound?"
Back went the answer.
II the response had not been given
quickly and readily a shot would have
come cross the Philadelphia's bows.
The British g%uardships where st.
Georges channel meets the ocean are
taking no chances, and this notwith-
standing the fact that German mer-
chant and German war ships virtually
have disappeared from the waters.
No Fear Felt by Americans.
There may have been no submarines
In the Irish sea when the Phlladel.
phia made its way toward Liverpool.
II there were. let it be said again that
no American Of seasoned sense on
board thought for an instant that the
ship was in danger of a torpedo from
any German craft unless the missile
were fired as the result Of gross error.
Some Americans in America may
think differently about the matter. It
would SO to one who had to take
leave Of some friends more or less
fearful. One American on board said
to another when midway between
Queenstown and Liverpool. the place
Of reputed greatest dane1r, that fhnrn