The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-03-10

| uauig MI t1dJ sHe Is gong 10 slHk lIlIne
diately, You will not wait for the boats
The men will see that the women and
children have their lifebelts properly ad
justed and then will throw them over.
board, 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 continued. 1t was not a
thing which tended TO relieve nervous
ness. More than one woman who was
| travelling with little children turned
away white of face and thoughtful and
| for the thousandth time inspected the
| tiny lifebelts which she was carrying, to
make sure that they were ready for her
! babies.
From the beginning of the voyage no
definite information as to when the ship
would reach port or leave was given to
passengers. In fact, there were few
questions which one could get answered.
| The correspondent tried to get the Off
cial number of passengers and asked
whether any other neutrals were aboard,
but lie was told that the ships officers
had been forbidden to give any infor.
nation whatever. After leaving Port
Said even the emergency compass at the
stern OF the steamer was covered SO that
inquisitive passengers could not tell what
direction she was taking.
From Port Said progress was necessar-
lily slow. for the ship was continually
weaving in and out, leaving a tortuous
wake ike great sea serpent. A crew
of experienced 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
men passengers who appeared on the
deck the first night with lighted cigars
were roundly upbraided by the comman-
der and were sent below.
At MarseilIes the first word of the
new German edict regarding the subma-
rine warfare was learned, and here all
but about $50 passengers, mostly second
class, were disembarked The ship con-
tinued her voyage on Feb. /, the day set
for the beginning of the indiscriminate
torpedoing. 1t is not permitted to name
the route taken by the vessel, but it was
a most peculiar one, which brought the
liner into the channel many days over
due.
From Marseilles on the trip was con
tinual 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 pas.
sengers so far as possible, but there were
some things which could not be concealed.
1t was in the early morning that the
ship was torpedoed within eight of the
liner. The Inflated vessel had been
steaming along with all her lights abIaze,
why, nobody could imagine. II was
deliberate bid for trouble. Suddenly she
was seen TO heave up out of the water
and then settle back with terrible list |
distress signals were sent |
up by the wounded ship, but she could
expect no aid, for under admiralty orders |
no vessel can go TO the rescue of another |
at such a time.
Throughout the three weeks from Port |
Said passengers stood their watch on the |
bridge with the ships officers. From |
daylight until dark two passengers were
always on the lower bridge scanning the /
waters with marine glasses. And their |
assistance was appreciated by the com
for he could not have too many
on the lookout. During his outward
voyage he had escaped in a miraculous
manner from submarine and he had no
decisions as to the danger.
Ii is not only the men in the trenches
who lose their reason through the stress
Of conflict. A sad illustration of what
submarine warfare win produce was CON
stantly before the passengers of the lin
ar. There was aboard as a passenger a
steamship captain who for many months
had piloted a great ship through danger
,us waters. Once at least he had en-
an underwater boat and fought
Tor the life of his vessel. The continual
strain had finally told on him and he was
being taken home under guard Of two
men, shattered wreck who stood for
hours in a spot listening, always listen
ne. For what! He alone knew, and he
would not tell.