Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1916-01-04
ON BOARD OSCAR /
LETTERS FROM {. T.FELL
President Feli,of St. Johns College
Hears From His Son.
ON THE FORD PEACE SHIP.
Interesting Account of Happenings oil
the Peace Commission Christ
mas Decorations On Ship
Board.
LETTER l.

LETTER l.
The following are extracts from in
teresting letters received by Or. Thos
| Fell, President of St. Johns College
this city, from his son. Edgar T. Fell
who is a postgraduate student at
| Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore,
in the Department of Political Science.
and now member of the Henry Ford
| Peace Party:
| S S. Oscar H.. Kirkwall Scotland,
December 5, 1916
Here l am writing to you in Kirk
! wall on the northernmOst point OF
| Scotland as a prisoner of war of His
/ British Majesty King George the Fifth.
| We all are prisoners, as the ship was
| captured and boarded by a British
| prize crew from a cruiser But don't
be alarmed, for we will, in a couple OF
days, be sent on our way again and l
will mail this letter in Christiana, Nor
way However it is very exciting 10
| look out of the window from where I
am writing on board and see the ship
| closely hemmed in by complete lines of
| deadly looking mines and TO think what
| might happen But / am going back to
| the beginning of the story and try in
series OF letters to cover the ground
up to date
My letters from the ship when the
| pilot left must have been very inco-
herent, but everything was in terri
| BILE hustle as you can imagine. and I
| hardly got them off in time as it was.
| The ship is quite small, but has been
fitted up by Milford in splendid style.
Flowers in every stateroom ard big
| baskets of fruit for each person.
The ship is in every part decorated
/ with Christmas decorations and flow
| ers, etc, and little white doves of peace
| suspended in central positions. We
have a splendid photograph and vol
umes Of records of all kinds. besides
two pianos and an orchestra 70 supply
| our music.
"Of course we all began to organize
at once. The students got together
first There are about twenty-five Of
us on this boat, and about ten more
coming On the Frederic VIII, who will
| probably meet us at Christiana. We
have a very fine and most representa-
tive body. For instance, in my cabin
there are four of us, "a little tight for
comfort) one from California, another
from Texas, the other from Wisconsin
| and from Maryland
I'VE got down to work sooner than
| the regular delegates and began to get
something done. Really and truly the
trip, so far, If we did not get another
step, has been a wonderful educational
opportunity We have come daily in
contact with men and women of lead
ing personality, and we have listened
twice. and sometimes three times a
| day. to addresses of a most interesting
| and instructing type
| Nearly everyone of Importance has
spoken so far and you will probably be
able to read in the speeches in the
| papers, from time to time, as we have
an army of reporters on board, about
fifty, think, and every speech has been
taken down in shorthand
81 am not going to try TO tell you
what has been said, as my task would
be enormous and probably of more in
terest later on, when can tell you my
self Then the students have had dis
cussions twice a day, and have really
done some good work OF course. there
are great many dreamers and ideal
lists aboard, but, also, we have goodly
number of strong, practical people in
every way. You have, undoubtedly
seen the list of names yourself, and il
is nothing to be sneered at.
THE first two days we had quite
rough weather, especially the second
when the waves were awe-inspiring
and, sad to relate, producers of violent
sickness for the majority. l. myself
succumbed that morning for about
three hours, but have felt perfectly
well ever since, and have eaten heart
lily, but 1 get up so late that have only
had two breakfasts so far, that is. in
eleven days.
THE weather has been balmy,s thai
we did not need overcoats after tht
second or third day, that, is, while the
sun was shining. One afternoon was
so warm that it felt like summer
voyage, and even here in Kirkwall
where the distant mountains are cloth
ed in snow and heather, it was *
pleasant, that good number slept on
on the top deck under the light Of tbs
moon and stars last night.
| by the way, it is rather interesting
to note that so far we have heard little
from Mr.. Ford. He has been with ui
/ all the time, however, and is mos
kind. benevolent and interesting TO tail
to. He impresses one as being thor
oughly good, as MIR Mcclure said al
one of Gods annointed.' But he vii
not speak himself. that is, in a forma
address. but always through someon'
: else. He has been suffering from ;
, cold the last two days, and has beer
confined somewhat But everyone Il
behind him and for him, and with hi
: wonderful faith, one can readily be
lieve that something important will b