The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-06-07
OUR FLOT|LLA
ACTIVE IN PATROL
Destroyers, Aided by the
Weather, Master Trick of
Submarine Fighting
SAILORS
POPULAR ASHORE
Adopt Afternoon Tea and Amaze the
British Public by Riding First Glass
in Railway Trains Take Regular
Turns in the Work.

in Railway Trains Take Regular
Turns in the Work.
LONDON, June Z. ~ The American
dastroycrs have completed their first
month Of active service in the great
war They have been favored with cx
ccllcnt weather, which is big factor
in anti submarine warfare. Most of the
time they have had sunny skies an
smooth seas, with just enough squall
and storm to put heir seamanship 10
the test The favorable weather condi-
tions made their task of learning tn"
technique of antisubmarine warfare
much simpler and easier.
The American boats are assigned t.
work hand in hand with the British
sCuadrons, being virtually assimilatcI
into the British naval machinery hc.c.
A destroyer is usually out for four or
five DAYS, and then returns to port for
two o. three days while coaling AMI
ba Ing suppl IS. Thus every American
sailor gets at least half day shore
leave practically cvry week.
The Americans take thair turn with
the British in all routine work Of patrcl
ana convoy. The work, although large
j, routine, is interesting. and the
Americans have never yCt found tim
Tagging ncavg on their hands. The
lookout must be constant, and ewes
must be trained to IN unbelievable de-
gree Of kcenness. Tho young Amcri-
cans take zealouslvsto this business Of
finding the peIiec pc needles in The
nautical haystack, and daily reports Of
submarines sighted, Of observations
made, Of wireless warnings sent broad
cast, show that the American boats are
already making an average of results
almost as satisfactory as the long expc-
rionced English boats with which thew
arc operating.
There has been 20 actual battle as
yet between an American DESTROYER
and the enemy, although several reports
show that boats have been sighted
and have been compelled to beat 4
/ hasty retreat to the depths of the sea.
An assignment to convoy liner
! "from home that is from an Ameri-
can ports regarded az an especially
choice morsel. \ transatlantic liner
which sights the American flag APP
| preaching to cscor: her to land never
fails 10 respond with great waving
Of flags and handk ,rchicfs from hcl
| decks, and there is a fine exchange OF
lwigwag signals in lieu of handshaEes
Several American liners caa already
testify to the vigilant work of In,
American destrovcrs as convovs Occa
Sionally = fortunate liner finds hersell
being escorted to port by American
and British dcstroyers side by side
Icirclng about her like twin sisters Fl;
visible sign of new alliance.
The American boats were ready fol
duty the minute ther arrived This wa
something of pleasant surprise fol
the British naval men. 1t had been cx
pcctcd that soma time would he Acccs
sarv for certain installations ana fit
l tingS, but the Americans had every
thing in readiness and were at once as
sgIcd to work.
Shore leave is generous on the Amer
can ships, and the American sailor i
constantly in cvidelce in this village
: III the countryside roundabout, and i
nearby city, where more mctropol
tan pleasures are available than in tn
restricted limits of this little place
, The people &C the towns have take
the American sailor and his strangel
spendthrift was right iato their heart.
lie seems always to have money, whic
: is not 50 strange when it is eonsidere
that his rate of pay is considerab!
higher than that Of the British tar.