The sun., 1916-10-26
DESTROYERS' TASK
TOLD BY KIPLING
Continued from Ftrst Po0e.


was sighted by several Of her comran-
ions. One Of them reported her to the
authorities. but being busy at the time
said he did not think himself Justified
In hamperlng himself with q disabled
ship In the middle Of the action. II
was not 40 II she was sinking either ;
she was only hoied fore and aft with q
bad hit in the engine room. She wa.
cheered by the passing ships and set
about repairing her hurts with . good
heart and smiling countenance. She
managed to get under some sort OF way
at midnight, and the next day was
taken in tow by a friend. She says
officially. His assistance was invalua-
bic. as had no oil left and met
heavy weather"
What actually happened was much
less formal. Fleet destroyers a. a rule
DO not worry about navigation: they
take their orders from the flagship anc
range out and return on signal like
sheep dogs whose piked point Ia theit
shepherd. Consequently. when the,
break loose on their own hook they fetcf
up rather doubtful of their wherea bouts
ss this injured one did. After she hat
bsen 30 kindly taken in tow she inquired
OF her friend captain to captain)
Have you any notion where We are?'
Tho friend replied, Il have not. but
will fnd out"
so the friend waited on the sun Will
the necessary implements. which luckil!
had not been smashed. and in due tim
made out. our observed position at thi
hour is thus and thus The tow ir
rcverentiy. rs Il. Didn't know yo
were navigator" The friend will
lac. las .t,.
mine" The tow: Had no Idea II wa
AS bad as all that. but I'm afraid II
have to trust you this time. Go ahea
and be quick about It,"
Attribatea 20 Koss.
They reached a port correctly enough
but to this hour the tow. having know
! the friend at Dartmouth, insists that 1
was pure Koss, which IL luck, fortun,
destiny. the irony of fate or Nemesis.
| is the greatest Of all the battle gods tina
/ move on the water. as will show yo
later
! A knowledge OF gunnery and del
! icate instinct for what is IN tn
enemy's mind may enable ds
stroyer to thread her way slowly. speed
ing and twisting nt timee. between tn
] heavy salvos OF the opposing fleets A
tall wa;erspouts rise and break with th
chill smell OF the salt sea she judge
where the next grove OF them will sprou
and n her judgment IL correct she ma
enter It in her report as a little fesths
in her cap. But II Is Koss when n stra
i2 inch she'll. hurled ny a giant q
some giant ten miles away. falls on III
from heaven and wipes out her and h,
profound calculations.
a.
stroyer In the midat;ack while st
was being iaboriously deal, with by a
inch gun. Something immense took h,
and-she was not.
Koss Il IL too when a cruiser
9 inch shot that should have rake
out your innards from forward boil,
TO wardroom stove defects miraculous
like q tw.g dragged through deep wa,'
and almost returning on its track eo'
out unbursted and leaves you reprievs
by the breadth OF a nail from thr'
deaths in one.
what Splinter Cen do.
Later one single splinter. no NOR
may cut your oil supply as dreadful
and completely as q broken wind scres
In n collision cuts a surprised motto
lists throat. Then you must lie useles
fighting the oil fires while the precio,
fuel cutters away. I'll you have TO as
leave TO escape while there are yet
few tons left.
J one ship who was once bled white |
such n piece Of Koss suggested that
would be better that the oil pipes be la
along certain lines, which she sketche
As II that would make any difference
Koss when he wants To show what
can do. our sea people who ha'
worked with him for 500 years hav" Il
auired something OF Koss-a large u
Grafton and humor. He causes ships
thick weather or under n strain 10 IN.
: take friends for enemies. At such
: time. IL your hear. Is full OF highly q
! ganized hate. you strive fr!ghtfully Al
3 efficiently till one of you perish-s al
the survivor reports the wonders whi
. are duly wire leased all over tho wor
= But II you worship Koss you reflect v
= pat two and two together IN a cssr
9 way and arrive-sometimes both part!
e arr.ve--at instructive conclusions whi
!. avoid trouble.
}. Witness this tale. II does not &C
4. Germ the Jutland fght. but another III
AFFAIR which took place a while ago
: the North Sea IL was understood Il
r a certain type OF cruiser Of ours wo'
=, not be taking part In a certain sh,
Therefore II any one saw cruisers Va
like them he might blaze away
% them with q clear conscience. for -
d would he Hun boats.
l. "That 10 Them.''
One Of our destroyers In the N
weather as usual spied 'he s'lhouet
OF some cruisers exactly like our O
stealing across tho haze. Said
|. commander to his sub with nm infi
ton which neither period. exclamat
nor Interrogation mark can rend
(. THAT 10 them" Said tho sub In r
J. cisely the sams tone That Ia th'
I, sir"
b. AS my SUBJ" said the command
At your observation 10 strictly In acc
~ with the traditions OF the service. \
as man to man what are they7"
% WELL" said the sub. since you
Is. It that way I'm damned n ia fre."
IN They didn't, and they were q,
ID right. The destroyer had been of
u another Job. and Koss had 1ammed
T. latest wireless orders to her at
last moment. But Koss had also