The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-08-02

and watched every movement of the
undersea vessel.
Now and then he turned to wave or
shout at one of the other boats in the
escort. There was the government tug
Wissahicken. 1t followed right along
the Deutschland. 1t was the protec-
ton given the submarine on her
passage out by this government-+he
same protection, or nearly SO. that
would have been given yacht race.
The purpose of the Wissahicken pre-
sumably was to keep the course clear
and to keep any vessels from inter
fering with the Deutschland. Its
duties were light A few motor speed
men. photographers and a few sight
seers chased the Deutschland out but
always gave her plenty of sea room.
Up to the last day or SO, there had
been several English and Italian ships
moored in the Patapsco river just off
the berth of the Deutschland Tramps
they were, mostly coming here in
ballast to load grain.
One by one the tramps have loaded
and gone away. They caused the sub
marine people some perturbation
while they were here. Night after
night the Timmins would keep her big
searchlight playing over the freight
ers:; Tuesday morning the Timmins
and the launch Efco dragged the
river bottom from the berth of the
Deutschland to the main channel
They had a big cable between them
which combed the muddy bed of the
Fatapsco thoroughly They were
looking for mines which might have
been dropped from the freighters.
They found nothing.
1t was a clear day-hot but clear
| The water of the Patapsco was
smooth. About O'Clock the Wissi-
hioken and the Famin moved out and
formed a sort of team leading to the
main channel AT $50 the Timmins
began backing in between the old red
freight barges up to the submarine.
He's gone after her. said the mas
ter of the press boat. Then somebody
There was great excitement on the
piers. The little motor boats began
| buZZing out into the river like So many
fat blue bottle flies
| At $40 the Timmins let go short
blast of her whistle.
THAT means cut 'er loose" said
the skipper.
go ahead" he interpreted, as a
bell sounded on the Timmins. land
back 'er." at a succession of bell taps.
The Timmins began moving for
ward now with a slow, laborious
bare shudder. Then it stopped alto
gether
She Said "Good Bye, to All.
From the mast of the big weather
blistered Neckar dropped down 6
string of brightly colored flags. Il
was the international code for ''goot
| bye" so some one said.
The Timmins was going ahead
again. Now from behind the last ole
red freight barge in the line ap
peared the stern of the Deutschland
The men of the Neckar lined III
against the rail and, all leaning 70
over, began to clap their hands TIL
10 r.
took up the salvo. The upper part o
the stern of the Deutschland is painted
black while all the rest of the boa
is painted green. Now the green wa
showing. The flag of Germany cam
out, hanging Imply to the staff at tn
stern of the boat. The breeze caugh
it and spread it out flat against tn
wind. as more of the boat got from
behind the shelter of the barges
The coming tower, where Koeni.
and Pilot Coleman were standing to-
gether slid into view. A wreath o
flowers was hung against the side o.
the coming tower. Now all the boa
could be seen, from the black stern
along the fat, bullying belly to tn,
| green nose.
The Timmins pushed out into tn,
channel, dragging the submarine aftel
it at the end of a long line. The othel
boats formed in semi-circle at a re
spectful distance. As the Submarin,
reached the buoy that marked tn,
channel, there was a great clatter il
her insides and a great splashing O.
water at her stern Her engines were
going. Slowly she began turning IL
the channel, the water flying high.
There was a mOmentary pause
Then without perceptible effort, the
long green boat moved forward. The
water began lifting from her nose.
She's off, passed the yell alont
the river.