The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-02-19
AIDS TN
 SEARCH FOR ENEMY
Continued from Page One)


 thing, even the smallest detail, is looked
 after and thoroughly tested. In straight
 course, the ship is making it's way at
 first over the ice of Lake Constance,
 then higher again and now lower turn
 ing and circlng. The ship answers to
 the slightest touch of the rudder, like a ! thoroughbred to its rider The faces of
 my men are radiant with their joy. It
 is pleasure to steer this ship. And al-
 most with regret, we turn homeward | again.
 Then the day comes when the final
 trial trip is to be undertaken. Every
 thing is ready and on board. Those in
 charge of the works take leave of their
 child that is now to go out to battle.
 It is the first ship of a new class, which will bestow honors on it's builders and
 the flag waving from it's stern. The guy
 rope crew lets loose and the ship is free
 Long distance flight" I announce.
 READY FOR SERVICE l Higher and higher the gray cruiser | ascends. The cupolas and towers of Karl
 shrue come up and vanish again. Our !, course follows the valley of the Rhine. <, The wind is blowing briskly on the hull,
 as the propellers purr. Below there is
 worms. Here we turn toward Mannheim
 and Heidelberg. Wide stretches of land are visible and over dark brown fields
 the wind is blowing harder fNp here, l we are preparing for fight so those at ] home may sleep in peace. Like a silvery ribbon the River Main appears below us. Above Frankfurt, Kassel and Thuerin- l gen the ship is making it's way Easier
 and faster than the express trains that
 are rushing over the shining tracks below, our ship goes.
 1 It is getting dark. Above, the sun is . still shining while below the shadows of ] the evening are already covering every
 thing. Leipzig is passed. And in the
 distance, the lights of the airship port : of Dresden appear
 1 NOBODY WANTS TO REST 1 Night has come. Silence is everywhere No sound from beneath reaches the air cruiser Ballast is thrown out, and watches are changed. During the day, everybody was awake and still nobody thinks of resting. The monotonous song of the propellers remains unchanged. Steadily our ship is making it's way. Not the least fault has been discovered Ev- erything is all right Again we are pass ing the forests of Thueringen. Westpha- lia and the Rhine provinces are reached. In a dark red flare against the sky. the furnaces of the ironworks are recognized The bright lights tell us that here in the heart of Germany even at night, work never ceases.
 At midnight, the air cruiser is over Cologne. In a northeasterly course, we go to Duesseldorf, then to the north to Muenster and Osnabreuck. Here is the Odenburger land. The ship is making it's way still farther toward Bremen and back to Hanover. In the morning. Ham, burg and the Elbe, which lazily drives it's yellow waters to the sea. are sighted. The final trial trip is ended. But still,  that the commission decides to continue still farther Higher the ship ascends un- der the rays of the and on it flies Hour after hour passes. it is noon, after noon and evening. Then far ahead the buildings are sighted where the ship will have it's new home. Downward it goes and soon the ready hands of the waiting crew are reaching for the guy ropes to lead the ship into it's new resting place. The testing commission congratulates me on my great, new ship. The results have surpassed all our expectations. To my superior commander my report is sent:
 "L-12o is ready for service at the front" ]"
 STRENUOUS DAYS We are preparing for another attack, and all our plans down to the smallest detail have been worked out Each ship has its complete instructions for battle, and the commanders have discussed the possibilities of the attack with their off cers. All the men on leave have re- turned, and they know well what is com ing, but beyond that. there is no hint of the undertaking.
 Anxiously we scan the sky for a north west wind has been blowing from Scot land for four days. Instead of slackening in it's intensity, it is gaining and becom- ing more and more unsteady. We all know that is no kind of weather for Zeppelins. and there is no outlook for any relief while we realize they must be hav- ing hard times in the vessels at sea.
 We continually receive the reports of the patrol boats, and, for few hours, the conditions look more favorable, but we are encouraged only a short time The sky is still clouded when a snow storm starts. It is so cold all the time that it penetrates everything while the decks of the patrol boats and destroyers are covered with ice and are very slip pery. Long icicles are hanging from the upper decks and railings. The tunnels have turned gray.
 The boats are rolling heavily in the sea. Wave after wave rises high, rolls over the decks, and even washes the bridge Everything not tightly fastened to stand the greatest strain is washed away. Some of the brave but older boats must take to port and be replaced by others.
 It is a disagreeable state of affairs. The commander in chief of our fine warship fleet has been making every effort to discover what has been going on-whether the enemy is attempting any move or whether indeed, he is to be found in the North Sea at all And reconnoitering in the air is impossible under these con tinuouslY bad weather conditions. The