The Washington herald., 1915-12-05

Ienemy's-both of which shift as occasion
requires. We search for and root out
the enemys mines; they do the like by US
1t is a perpetu tual game OF finding. spring.
ing and laying traps on the least as well
as the most likely runways that ships
use-such sea-snaring and wiring as the
world never dreamt of We are hampered
in this. because the naSy respects mes
trails. and spends a great deal Of its time
in making their path safe for them. The
enemy does not. He blows themiup. be-
cause that cows and impresses them. and
so adds to his prestige.
Easiest Way to HIT EN-.
The easiest way of finding a mine field
is to steam into it on the edge of night
for choice, with a steep sea running, for
that brings the bows down hike a chopper
on the detonsting horns Some boats have
enjoyed this experience and still live.
There was one destroyer (and there may
have been others since) who came
through twenty-four hours of highly COM
pressed life. She had an idea that there
was n mine field somewhere about. and
left her companions behind while she ex-
plored. The weather was dead calm and
she walked delicately. She saw one
Scandinavian steamer blow up a couple
of miles away. rescued the skipper and
some hands: saw another neutral. which
she could not reach till all was over.
skied in another direction; and between
/ her life Saving efforts and her neutral
curiosity. got herself as thoroughly mixed
UP with the field as a camel among tent
ropes.
A destroyer's bows are very fine and
,her sides are very straight. This causes
| her to cleave the wave with the mini
! mum OF disturbance, and this boat had
| no desire to cleave anything else. None
the less. from time to time. she heard a
mine CRATE, or tinkle or Il could not ar
rive at the precise note it strikes. but
they say it Is unpleasanu on her plates.
| Sometimes she would be free Of them
| for a long while and began to hope she
j was clear. At other times they were
numerous, but when at last she seemed
| to have worried out of the danGer-zonc,
lieutenant and sub. together left the
bridge for a cup OF tea. elm those days
| We took mines very seriously, YOU
know'l..' As they were in act to drink
| they heard the hateful sound again just
| outside the wardroom. Both put their
| cups down with extreme care, little I'm
gers extended eve felt as il they might
blow up too'D. and tiptoed on deck where
| they met the foc'sle also on tptoe. They
' pulled themselves together and asked
| severely what the foc'sle thought 1t wa
i other blighters tap-tapping alongside. ouI
end" They all waited and listened tc
their common coffin being nailed h!
death Himself But the things bumped
4 away At this point they thought II only
decent to invite the rescued skipper
warm and blanketed in ono of th"il
hunks. to step up and do his further
perishing in the open.
Thanks, Says He. Says He:
NO, thank YOU" said nc. Last tim'
I was blown up In my bunk too. Thai
WAS all right. So think. now too.
stay in my bunk here. II is cold up
stairs
somehow or other they got out Of then
after all Yes. we used to take mine'
awfully seriously I'm those days ON
comfort is. Fritz II take them seriousl!
when he comes out Fritz don't iik'
mines
/ Who does" I wanted to know.
III you'd been here little while ac'
you'd seen a Commander comm IN VIII
} big 'un slunG under his counter. ti
brought the beastly thing in to analyse
The rest of his squadron followed at tw'
knots intervals and everything In har
hour that had steam up. scattered"
Presently I had the honour to m"c
: a ieutena Mt c Comruand.r.Admiral who hat
: turned out again at the hrst clash o
: the guns and now commando he wh
r had great ships erupting at his leas
r siGnaI-a squadron Of trawlers FOR th
, protection of the Dogger Bank Fleet a
present priccs--let alone the chance q
the paying submarine-meh would fish u
much warmer places. His flagship Is
/. multi-millionaire's private yacht. In he
mixture of stark. carpetless. curtainles!
: carholished present. with her voluptous
~ curved, broad-decked, easy-stairwaye
= past. she might be Queen Guinovere I
A the convent at Amesbury. And the Lieu
n tenant = Commander. most careful to IN
$ all due compliments to Adimrals VII
were midshipmen when he was Com
: mander-leads a congregation Of Yer