Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1916-10-13

BILE.
1.-THE question as to whether we are
to send VI fleet to the Pacific or keep
1t In the Atlantic has been removed
from the field of our discussion, gen.
tlemen. General Goethals has just tele-
graphed that the Gatum dam was de-
stroyed an hour ago by a series Of
charges of high explosives. For six
months at least the Panama canal Is
closed!"
"Then the fleet must go around the
Horn to the Pacifc!"
1--WE must offer battle at once in the
Atlanticr'
1--WE must
For a few moments, as he read over
the brief report brought him by his
secretary. the president permitted the
storm of debate to rage about him.
Then he silenced 1t gravely and said:
Gentlemen, the disposition Of the
enemy's forces as just now brought to
me makes it imperative that whatever
action we take should be ordered
without a moments further delay, and
In this emergency I must agree with
the secretary of the navy and as 80,
1t seems, with the majority of you. I
order the feet to vel to battle with
the enemy at the earliest possible mo-
ment and under the most favorable
conditions for the defense of our coun-
try"
A gun was going "Thunn! Thunn!'
It ceased and opened again, firing
more quickly. "Thunn! Thunnr' And
now. farther away, echoed different
~detonations, "Lamm! Lamm!"
THAT'S not saluting."
"Saluting? l should say not. Nor
practice either"
"Then what Is ttT'
"Anti-air craft. / should say"
The special from Chicago. now rum
ming on the Chesapeake and Ohio
tracks. pulled into the station at New
port News, and as the officers led the
bluejackets from the cars the firing on
the river became more distinct.
Bob Wendell, not having charge of a
detail. went from the station with the
officers who were similarly unattached
End hurried down to the water front.
The estuary of the James river, where
1t widens to Hampton Roads, lay
cleaning under the warm afternoon
BUN. A wind from the ocean was
whipping up white spray in the roads,
and the launches and little boats in
the James rolled and splashed on their
errands to and from the grim, gray
battleships lying away toward Nor
folk.
"Anti-air craft, all right"
A gun was aimed almost directly up
ward from the forward deck of a de-
Stroyer in the middle of the river. A
haze of powder gas puffed from its
muzzle, for the gun was firing as rapid
ly as the gunners could handle the am
munition. "Thunn! Thumb the de-
tonation of the discharge thudded
! across the water, and from high over
head echoed the bursting of the shells.
| Big blobs of white smoke spotted the
I sky where the shells were breaking.
There were more white blobs up there
than one gun could fire. Another rifle
must have come into action. Wendell,
listening, heard the noise of a second
gun from down the river, and yet for a
moment more he failed to discern the
target.
1t was only a streak when he saw it
Ia delicate blue line barely discover
able against the azure of the sky. On
both sides of the streak there was
something upon which the sunlight
glinted now and then, but which was
itself invisible. These were the wings
of the aeroplane, he knew, composed
of the transparent cellulose substance
used in Europe. The streak, painted
to match the sky, was the body of the
plane, armored, undoubtedly, and
freighted with bombs. The height at
which the machine was flying indicat-
ed at first that the pilots purpose was
reconnaissance; he was well above the
smoke of the shells, but as Wendell
watched, the plane suddenly swooped
downward, circled and dropped again.
Other guns-ten Dr. a score of them,
some In ships and others on the shore
-awoke and notified the sky about
the plane with bursting shells. The
machine dashed through them and
swooped still lower, and, turning and
coming with the wind, few at the
navy yard with marvellous speed
"Mr. Wendell" a voice inquired. "Mr.
Fulton and Mr.. RossY"
Wendell and his companions were In
uniform, having made the change on
the train; their orders, telegraphed to
the train, were to report at once aboard
the Arizona. A boy, In ensign's uni
form, was addressing them. 1--WE come
for you" he explained. I'm from the
Arizona; the launch is right here, sir"
The three men from the train fol
lowed the boy down to the boat and