Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-03-30
Bristol Boy Has Exciting
Sea Trip Through War Zone
E. Linton Martin, now Employed as an Electrician at
Wildwood by the West Jersey Electric Company,
Relates Experiences on Recent Voyage Made
by Him to Copenhagen

a
route from Cape Race, New Found
land. MI. Martin has some thrilling
experiences to tell, such as being held
up by a British auxiliary cruiser, sitter
being fired upon. Then after missing
his boat on the return trip when he
sailed out of Copenhagen, he along
with another officer of the vessel, chased
the boat for two miles in a Danish
launch and leaping out of the launch
while both bats were going at top
notch speed, grabbed a rope ladderaud
boarded the vessel. Not content with
this MI. Martin succeeded in conceal
ing a kodak in the dynamo of his wire
less room despite the minute searching
of three British officers who went over
every inch of the room. Kodaks are
being confiscsted with any films 10
your possession.
From bits of his conversation be-
tween friends a most interesting story
is revealed Of Mr.. Martins travels and
experiences extending over a period Of
nearly TWO mOutuS
MI. Martin left Philadelphia Deem
Der 6, 1916, aboard the Corning, a Ger
man built ship erected at Kiel, Ger
many, in 1918, but sold after being in
termed in the Azores to American own
ers. The vessel was loaded with gaso-
line and kerosene bound for Copenhag-
eu, Denmark. She sailed via the
Northern route and was out 81 days.
The worst kind of weather was en-
countered all the way across, with a
heavy gale blowing most of the time.
The ships wireless, of which Martin
was the operator, was blown partly
away and four life perservers were lost
overheard. Fol three days it was i'm
possible to be on deck without danger
of being washed overheard.
On December oath, while off the
north coast of Ireland, the Corning
was hailed by a British auxiliary
cruiser. The cruiser fired nee on the
Corning and ordered her to stop. Fail
ure to heave to would mean going to
"Davy Jones'" A boat was lowered
from the British vessel manned by
eight seamen and five officers The
prize crew came aboard after sending
two of the crew back to the cruiser.
All of the prize crew were armed to
the teeth with pistols and rifles and
all had life belts on In the shape of
vests Ia German invention.) They as
sumed command of the Corning and
took her with her crew to Kirkwall,
Orkney Islands. The vessel wen
through a submarine net which is open
only during the daylight hours, orfrom
nine in the morning until four i'll the
afternoon. HThe submarine net is
made of steel wire,' Mr.. Martin says,
and he was informed that it was made
in Trenton at the Roebling plant.
The entrance to the harbor is not
only guarded by the net, but by five
trawlers stationed at points of advan-
tage, with guns ready to fire upon any
suspicious vessels. Besides, hundreds
of boats patrol outside the harbor with
an ever watchful eye.
Mr.. Martin, along With other men,
bers of the crew of the Corning, were
put through a searching examination
and any with the least suspicion of
German proclivities were closely ques-
toned. "Even if you had a German
name, you were under suspicion, !" says
MI. Martin. 81 was closely question
ed, not having had time 10 get a pass
port before leaving the U. s A Greek
for some reason or other was suspected
and taken ashore for further examina-
tion.n
In the harbor of Kirkwall was an-
chored aSwedish steamship that had
a load of sulphur from Texas, U. s. A,
ostensibly bound for Stockholm, but
the British authorities being suspicious
of her destination had her under guard
in Kirkwall for "A days and the vessel
was still there when Mr.. Martin sailed
for home. Her cargo will probably be
confiscated.
The prize crew which boarded the
Corning said they had been fired on by
Scandinavian ships which were trying
to run contraband through the British
patrol to their respective countries,
probably enroute to Germany.
Cruisers of the British navy when
hailing a foreign vessel never stop their
engines but keep on the move around
the vessel they are to board. This pre-
caution is taken SO that accurate aim
connot be had with torpedo tubes or
guns, with which the vessel might be
provided under the guise of a neutral
flag.
After entering Kirkwall three men
came aboard the Corning and went