Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-06-07
DOING THEIR SHARE
Continued from Page One)

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 a day
shore leave practically every week.
Intense Interest
The Americans take their turn with the
British boats in all routine work Of pa
troll and convoy. The work, although
largely routine. is interesting and the
Americans have never yet found time
hanging heavy on their hands. The look
out must be constant and eyes must be
trained to an unbelievable degree Of
keeness. The young Americans take
zealously TO this business OF finding the
periscopic needle in the nautical hay
stack. and daily reports Of submarines
sighted, Of observations made, or wire
less warnings sent broadcast, show that
the American boats are already making
an average of results almost as satisfac-
tory as the long-experienced British boats
with which they are operating. There
has been no actual battle as yet between
an American destroyer and an enemy.
although records show that C-boats have
been sighted and have been compelled to
beat a hasty retreat to the depths OF the
sea.
An assignment to convoy liner from
home"-that is. from an American port
is regarded as an especially choice morsel
A transatlantic liner which sights the
American flag approaching to escort ner
to land never fails to respond with
great waving of flags and handkerchief
from her decks, and there is a fine ex-
change Of wigwag signals in lieu OK
handshakes.
Several American liners can already
testify to the vigilant work OF the
American destroyers as conveys. Occa-
sionally fortunate liner finds herself
/ being escorted to port by American
and British destroyers side by SIDE
circling about her like twin sisters. q
! visible sign of the new alliance
/ The American boats were ready TOT
duty the minute they arrived. Ihls was
something of a pleasant surprise TOT
the British naval men.
Shore leave is generous on the Amer
lean ships and the American sailor Is
constantly in evidence in this village
in the countryside roundabout ana IN
a nearby city where more metropoH-
tan pleasures are available than in the
restricted limits of this little place. The
people of the towns have taken the
American sailor and his strangely
spendthrft ways right into their
hearts The American sailors seem
always to have money which is not
to strange when it is considered tha'
his rate of pay is considerably higher
than that of the British tar.
One of the American sailors favor
lite ways of showing his opulence is his
habit Of always travelling first class on
the railroads which take him from the
village up to thes city. trip OF rev
miles The extra cost is only few
pence. but the unheard-of idea of
COMMON sailor travelling first class
strikes the populace as startling and
audacious maneuvre worthy the best
; traditions of American extravaganza.
/ Local tradesmen who expected to
; find the visitors an easy mark soon
learned their mistake, however for he
is seldom fooled twice and quickly
, learns to demand value for his money.
Tea time in the village now has an
American flavor. In all the little inns
and shops and farther af1eld, even
we'll into the wonderfully green coun-
tryside and along the cliffs which re-
mind the seamen of the Palisades
along the Hudson anchorage. one may
any afternoon find groups of British
and American sailors drinking their
tea and swapping yarns in true sea-
manly fashion.
There are other places where one
may almost always find groups Of blue
uniformed Americans. One Is the To-
cal cemetery in the green wood atop
cliffs, where are buried many victims
of German submarines whose graves
are kept green by the visitors.