Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-06-07
Works Hand Han d
With British Squadrons
in Patrol and Con-
boy Duty.

! ers have completed their first month
of active service in the great war.
| They have been favored with excellent
weather. which is big factor in anti
| submarine warfare. Most of the time
they have had sunny skies and smooth
seas. with just enough squall and
! storm TO put their seamanship to test
| The favorable weather conditions made
their task of learning the technique
| OF antisubmarine warfare much SIM
| pier and easier.
The American boats are assigned to
| work hand hand with the British
squadrons. being virtually assimilated
| into the British naval machinery here
| A destroyer is usually out for four or
| five days. and then returns to port for
| two or three days while coaling and
loading supplies. Thus every Ameri-
can sailor gets at least half day
shore leave practically every week
The Americans take their turn with
the British boats In all routine work
OF patrol and convoy. The work al
though largely routine. is interestins
and the Americans have never yet
found time hanging heavy on their
hands. The lookout must be constant
and eyes must be trained to an unbe-
lievable degree OF keenncss
SEEK PERISCOPE NEEDLE
IN NAUTICAL HAYsTACK
| The young Americans take zealously
10 this business of finding the peri
scope needle in the nautical haystack
ana daily reports OF submarines sight
ed. Of observations made. OF wireless
warnings sent broadcast. show that
| the American boats are already maxi
| "a Of
satisfactory as the long experienced
British boats with which they are
| operating.
| There has been no actual battle as
yet between an American DESTROYER
and the enemy. although several re-
! ports show that G-boats have been
/, sighted and have been compelled to
beat a hasty retreat TO the depths Of
the sea.
| An assignment to convoy a liner
! from homc'-that is. from an Ameri-
rcan ports regarded as an especially
| choice morsel a transatlantic liner
which sights the American flag APP
! preaching TO escort her to land never
fails TO respond with a great waving
/ OF flags and handkerchiefs from her
| decks. and there is fine exchange of
! wiswas signals In lieu OF handshakcs
Several American liners can already
| testify TO the visiiant work of the
! American destroyers as conveys Oc-
/ casionally fortunate liner finds her
! self being escorted to port by Amerl-
/ can and British destroyers side by
side, circling about her like twin sis
ters. visible sign OF the new alIi-
{; auce.
The American boats were ready tor
| duty the minute they arrived This
was something of a pleasant surprise
! for the British naval men. II had been
! expected that some time would be nee
essary for certain installations and fit-
tings, but the Americans had every
! thing in readiness, and were al once
assigned TO work.
shore leave is generous on the Amer
lean ships and the American sailor is
! constantly in evidence in this village
! in the countryside roundabout. and in
a nearby city. where more metropolis
tan pleasures are available than in the
! restricted limits of this little place
| The people Of the towns have taken
spendthrift ways right into their
| hearts. The American sailor seems al
ways TO have money. which is not so
strange when it is considered that his
rate OF pay is considerably higher than
that of the British tar.
The American gets Il dollar every
time we get shilling" is a common
| expression among the admiring Brit
| ish seamcn One of the American sail
or's farorte ways of showing his opu-
lence is his habit of always travelling
first class on the railroad which takes
him from the village up to the city.
Il trip OF Il few miles. The extra cost
is only a few pence, but the unheard
of idea of common sailor travelling
first class strikes the populace as
startling and audacious maneuver
worthy the best traditions Of Amcri-
can extravaganza.
TEA TIME IN VILLAGE
NOW HAS AMERICAN FLAVOR
Local tradesmen who expected TO find
the visitor an easy mark soon learned
their mistake, however, for he is sell
dom fooled twice and quickly learns to
demand value for his money. Tea time
in the village now has an American
flavor. III all the little inns and shops.
and farther aheld, even we'll into the
! wonderfully green countryside and
along the cliffs. which remind tile sea-
son anchorages, one may any afternoon
find groups of British and American
sailors drinking their tea and swapping
yarns in true seamanly fashion. The
American quickly acclimates himself to
the afternoon tea habit. and finds 1t an
amiable and satisfactory substitute for
other things, with plenty OF oppor .un-
ity for confidential chats with his new
| allies on thousand and one Subjects
which his active mind has been turn
ing over since his arrival here.
There are other places where one
may almost always find groups of blue
uniformed Americans. One Is the local
cemetery in green wood atop the
cliffs. where are buried many victims
of German submarines. whose graves
are kept green By the visitors.