Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-09

OIL tncsN, OlrcCtlS III CnaTSC OF CntCI
| Eunner's mates, and chief boatswain's
mates with three or four hash marks
or enlistment stripes on their sleeves.
| sea soned veterans who are to the navy
what the first scrgeants are to the
regular army Their officers may have
been reluctant TO sec these drafts leave
the feet. but the spirit of the gunncrs
| was quite otherwise. Instead Of drill
ing in hurhor they were to put to sea
and get the chance of action. They
were the envy of the shipmatcs left
behind. Shooting up submarines was
the proper stun. Some sport to that!
That ships were sinking every day
| with never an opportunity to fight
back. iorpedocd from ambush. crews
| blown UP in their hunks or engine.
| rooms. or shel)cd in the boats. or frcez
ing and drowning hundreds of miles
| from land. failed TO check the enthus.
| iaSm of these eager bluejackets. A gun
properly trained on Fritz and his sub
marine would blow him to hadcs
where lie belonged.
ROUGH RIDERS or THO SEA
MUST FIGHT. SINK OR SWIM
II was a sport they knew nothing
whatever about. nor could their officers
tcdCn luSIll VIC lcSSOuS experience
A target go small, elusive, and momcn-
tary as submarine was beyond their
conception. Some of them were natives
Of inland States. who had been sent
from the Great Lakes Training School
to the feet, where they had their first
glimpse of salt water. Crossing the
ocean was great adventure in Itself
Defensive action against submarine at
col, &c I
kind. but there was no time to or
sanize preliminary instruction among
these first gun crews SO hastily drafted
| and sent aboard merchant ships.
! III the fleet they had been units Of a
tremendous lighting force. living be-
tween decks with thousand disci-
on; their own salvation. perhaps no
it was fight. sink or swim for it.
| From the fleet most Of them were sent
to the nary-yard of an Atlantic port
where the barracks were already
crowded with bluejackets and marines.
There was no place in the organized
scheme OF things for these rough riders
OF the sea. They were berthed aboard
interned German ships "A, the piers,
II,
| cheerful Migrants OF the service until
quarters could be built for them.
Then the curtain oil secrecy was
dropped. for the newspapers acted az
their own ccnsors at word from
Washing ton. The next news published
was that the American liner ST. Louis,
with battery manned by naval gun
crews. had safely made the passage to
england II nf
interest to the nation. memorable as
an overt defiance of the German doc
trlncs which made the freedom OF the
seas CHASTITY farce II was in keen.
ing with the maritime traditions of the
United States which had sent Preble
and Decatur TO destroy the nests Of
Algerian pirates who. With all the in
science OF HohenZollern Of TODAY
mad tcrrorized the merchant shipping
OF the world at the gateway Of the
mediterranean 1t seemed TO accord
with the spirit of Farragut who had
/ cFicd, Damn the torpcdoes" and then
oTdercd tull speed ahead. And il was,
cIean-cut and decisive. the act which
was shortly To mean the declaration or
/ a righteous war.
There was n certain dramatic ftnesa
IN tue fact that one OF these American
!lnc:S should have been first TO accen,
the German challenge. Two of them
were Quilt in an American yard, and
or twenty years they had piled across
.nH western ocean. leaving it for a
time 10 serve as cruisers in the Sp,n-
ish War. When launched they ON
ooo!ed high hopes OF restoration Of
Merchant marine which should brcaE
the Elonopoly-EnSIand, French AND
German--of the ocean trade in Ameri-
can ports. Such hopes were doomed
10 disappointment, because this world
WI was needed to convince tho psople
OF the United States that ships arc no
vita! TO their welfare AS factories. rail
ROADS and mines. At enormous coat
thcY are again learning to tbinl, in
| terms of the sea "
| The first voyages Of these armed
! i'ners were the spectacular features
OF the weeks before the war began,
! nut no less important was the armine
OF inc humble cargo boats The liner.
, had speed TO protect them. their de,t q
| were specially built for mounting rrns
| living quarters for tho gun crews wcrc
! ready available, and a body Of highly,
'ntcl!iGcnt and experienced merchant
oihcefa were prepared 10 co-oncrato
| WIN inc hEhtinS force. These factors
! pie. "''''
| II was more essential In far, 20
I
safeguard the freiEhtcrs and oil tant-
ers, which waliowcd deem laden ,t
| hfnch slower gait, to the ports OF Eng
iahd, France and Italy They were
! c'aihned 10 the matches with supniies.
| "ith food and fuel ana steel viii, thn
resources which Europe required n
Keep the allied armies in the field ava
maintain her Industries az home
f'tbu!ous freight rates had recalled n
service every vessel that could a.,r
ahoat and turn her engines oysr
some or them were small with barclv
: room enough for their own crews. and
no quarters whatever for q n,y.l
guard Temporary deck houses had -
hc constructed. decks cleared OF thcir
gear to make way for tho guns. :,
hundred details arranged to insure ,h.
health. comfort and efficiency of IN.
Gunners '"e
mere was one nervous skinner who
commanded an ancient tub. which was
heid together only by her paint, To
the chief boatswain's mate in chorr.
VI 'he bluejackcts he came bcseechinp,
a. Inc steamer passed out to sea. ina
tncN 90 without target practice ,,d
shoot at no submarines unless ,bcv
posi'i'elN had to. His shin was old
he explained. and she could ncve,
stand The Shnrk Of