Evening star., 1917-03-13
life ABOARD SHIP
IN ZONE OF PERIL
Associated Press Correspond
ent Describes Voyage From
Port Said to English Port.
TRIES STRONGEST NERVES

ON BOARD SHIP. English Chann
February 13.-This great ocean liner,
with its human freight, tonight IS
anchored in comparative safety. after
having spent in the Mediterranean
danger zone three of the most strenu-
Gus weeks which tho submarine war
fare has produced since the beginning
of the world conflict. For days the
steamers wireless has been humming
almost steadily with IS. o. s. calls re-
ceived from vessels in distress. 1t was
only yesterday morning that big ship
was torpedoed four miles from US, and
signaled wildly with rockets for as
sistance while we did the only thing
which we could do-ran away as fast
as the engines could take US. But to-
night we are in quiet waters. and for
the first time in twenty-one days the
commander will remove his clothes for
sleep. Tomorrow We shall dock and
consider ourselves lucky to have reach
ed port at all.
Twice in the past six months cor
respondent of the Associated Press has
travelled through the Mediterranean. on
a trip to and from India. From Indian
ports to Port Said there is, OF course.
practically no danger to be encountered
from hostile warcrsft. but once the
Suez canal has been passed on the
homeward voyage q Hkip is in constant
peril.
All to Carry Lifeboats.
A day or two after the ship left Bonn
bay. the passengers were summoned TO
the ships boats to which they had been
assigned. and the chief officer made the
rounds, delivering instructions. which
,f
what the coming danger was.
After We leave Port Said we shall
be in the danger zone" he began. Each
one of you will carry a lifebelt about
all the time. This is imperative. Some
times people get careless or are for
getful. This must not be. You should
have the lifebelts with you night and
day, carrying them even to your baths
with you
The oficer gave instructions as to
how the life belts were to be adjusted
and continued:
blasts on the ships whistle will call
you to the boats. You will come i'm
nediately, bringing such warm cloth
ing as you can snatch at the moment.
The unmarried men and those who are
travelling without their wives will see
that all women and children are in the
boats first You will put them into the
boats by force il necessary. | may tell
you bachelors" he interjected with a
smile, that a woman will take more
rough handling than you may imagine.
So throw them into the boats il you
have to. Married couples will get into
the boats together. 1t Is the husbands
duty to 70 with his wife, and make IL
an order that-this shall be carried out.
Many times a wife refuses at the last
moment to get into a boat without her
husband and we want no delays of this
sort.
20. Throw Them Overheard.
In case you see that the ship is 50
badlyshit that she is going to sink i'm,
n1edia.eiy. you will not wait for the
boats. The men will see that rhe
women and children have their fife
belts properly adjusted. and then will
throw them overheard, following as
soon as possible themselves. Jump as
far from the side of the ship as you
can, and trust to luck. Probably you
will be picked up by some one"
And so he continues. 1t was not a
thing which tended to relieve nervous
ness More than one woman VINO was
travelling with little children turned
away white of face and thoughtful. and
for the thousandth time inspected the
tiny iifebelts which she was carrying.
to make sure that they were ready Tor
her babies. ....
From the beginning OF the voyage no
definite information as to when the ship
would reach port or leave was given 10
Messengers In fact. there were few ques-
lions which one could get answered. Inc
correspondent tried to get the oHlciai
, number. of passengers and askea Tnslhee
any other neutrals were aboard, but ne
was told that the ships officers had oeen
forbidden to give any information what
ever After leaving Port Said even the
emergency compass at the stern OF the
steamer was covered, so that fnqu1sitvs
pa ssengers could not tell what direction
she was taking.
Slow Through Mediterranean
From Port Said progress was necessarily
slow. for the ship WAS continually weav-
ing In and out, leaving tortuous wake
like great sea serpent. crew OF er-
perienced gunners was on duty at the
big gun In the stern day and night. ready
to take the commanders orders should
the occasion arise. Two or three man
passengers who appeared on the deck the
first nigh. with lighted cigars were round
ly upbraided by the commander and were
sent below.
At Marseille the first word OF the new
German edict regarding the submarine
warfare was learned, and here all nut
20 nasseugers mostly second class, were
fisembarked The ship continued her
VOYAGE on February I, the day set for
fhe beginning of the indiscriminate tor
nedoing IT is not permitted 10 naniA
the route taken by the vessel. but II was
a most peculiar one. which brought the
liner into the channel many days overdue
From Marseille on the trip was
continual horror to the ships officers.
for the wireless told them that ships
were going down all about them
knowledge of these events was Kept
from the passengers so far as possible.
but there were some things when
could not be concealed. 1t was in the
early morning that the ship was tor
pedoed within sight of the liner. The
ill-fated vessel had been steamiug along
with all her lights ablaze-why, nobody
for trouble Suddenly she was seen to
heaye UP out of the water and then
settle back with a terrible list. Imme-
diately distress signals were sent UP
by the wounded ship. but she could eX-
pect no aid for under admiralty orders
no vessel can go to the rescue of an
OF her at such time.
Passengers Stood Watch.
Throughout the three weeks from
Port Said passengers stood their watch
on the bridge with the ships officers.
From daylight until dark two passen-
gers were always on the lower bridge
scanning the waters with marine
glasses And their assistance was ap-
by tho commander for bs