The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-06-04
By HENRY ROOD.

waters Of the upper bay this
evening. II is nearly 8 O'Clock.
and two hours ago the feet of
passenger teamcrs--the night boats
hound for Fall River. Providence
and other points in New England
swept on their way up the East
River toward Long Island Sound.
After an interval followed heavily
built. dusky freighters. loaded with
merchandise. Aud now they too have
gone on their way and out Of sight.
At the Battery. where you are stand.
ing. is an old frame building. one half
devoted to the Department OF Docks.
a. q battered sign proclaims. the other
half being headquarters Of the Har-
Dor FolIce. as announced by a cor
responding sign. II is from his Sec
ond part Of the building that a man
Of 80 steps m walks rapidly to ,hr
80 wall enclosing a slip wherein rid,
two or three large launches.
lean and wiry and active is this
man. smooth Of face. keen of eye,
alert in every quiet movement. Black
derby hat with narrow brim. narrow
back necktie. black cutaway Goa and
W~aistccat. and trousers to match-he
might he the manager of some large
once requiring executive ability: h
might be a college professor. or a bank
teller. or q clergyman. AS a matter
Of fact he Is Capt. James w. Hallock.
commanding the marine division o:
the New York Police Department.
Csp. Hallock slances upward at
clouds bearing down from the shore
Line OF New Jersey--thick. lowering.
lesden clouds-and notes the breeze.
which is growing SITTER.
Wei get rain before long he re-
marks. land probably some sea. It's
favorable night for the excursion"
BY this time he and you are stand
ing on the edge of the slip, and just
ahead is a craft of odd appearance
steam launch sixty feet long and o:
nine feet beam. Somehow she seems
to he built on the general lines OF
. gigantic darning needle. Her cut
water bow is sharp and sheer. AT
room. and aft Of that = CABIN ths
roof OF which reaches but a short dis
lance above the main deck. And there
Isn't much Of this main deck, either:
Just . narrow strip some twelve inches
Va width.
Now. sir remarks Capt. Hallock.
"stsp on board. but carefully. please.
and right into the pilot house"
As your foot leaves the masonry
and reaches forward a strong. firm
hand appears out of the darkness,
erasps your arm and guides your step.
A moment later YOU ascertain that
this hand belongs to a six foot police
man in uniform and that two or three
others are standing close by him on
the narrow, ehado~y deck. Capt. Hal
lock follows you into the pilot house,
looks all around. reaches for a signal
IN the engine room. and the craft
slides forward.
Make yourself comfortable Hal
lock remarks. There's a stool close
n you. in the darkness"
You locate this stool by touch and
realize that it couldn't be anywhere
but close by unless IL was outside the
pilot house.
YES" eays the Captain, its . good
evening 10 make the trip. Going to be
GOOD and rainy before long and looks
a. II we'd have some sea down be-
yond the Narrows. I don't know how
many munition ships there are In the
lower bay loading shells and explosives
for the Alies. but we'll hnd one or
two. anyhow"
Fe puts the wheel over and you
glide out into open water on despatch
boat $40, recently acquired from
the Cnited States navy by the Police
Department. BY the same token you
are engaged on a bit Of adventure.
Down the bay are the munition
chips referred to. taking on war ma
tsrial. To prevent foreign spies from
getting near those ships and attach
ing bombs to them the Police Depart
msnt Is supposed to maintain a con-
slant guard day and night. a never
easing patrol Of launches equipped
with s~earchights and armed with ma
chine guns that FIRE 400 shots a min
ute. Tonight Capt. Hallock is going
down the harbor in his own Vast boat
To see II he can break through the
lines Of guard and get near enough
10 a munition ship to do serious dam
age: and you are privileged to accom-
pany him. Such tours Of inspection
are frequently made; sometimes b,
Hallock himself, at other times by g
subordinate ofhcer.
Now you are we'll away from thu
Battery. Again Capt. Hallock's hant
srssps a signal and he orders fu'
speed ahead.
What are we making?' you ask.