Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-10-13
THIRTEEN PROVED MASCOT
FOR ALLIES IN THIS CASE
Convoy Consisted OF Tint Number md
Guarded 1900 United Stntcs
Passengers,

SOMEWHERE ON THE ATLANTIC
october 1e.-Thrteen ships in convoy
nearly 1900 passengers embarked on
the thirteenth day OF the month and
making port on Friday. the thirteenth
day OF the voyage might be considered
by the superst!tious as sufficient to seal
the fate OF any fleet.
But the hoodoo was turned into an
allied mascot for tho vessels that car
ried large part Of the Wild West
acknowledgements of sturdy, hulk
inE-shouldered youths from tho North
western part OF the country. who were
bound across the Atlantic TO do their
bit.
we Hoated out OF the Atlantic port
in a brilliant sunshine. lasiiy undu-
iating sea and n faint breeze that
nels straight astern. We were the
thirteenth vessel Of the convoy.
somewhat well out on the ocean a
huge sausage balloon came out of the
maze, its curled end facing the fleet
1t looked like weird head OF nam
moth, with huge eyes. huge nose and
fuge tusks. bobbing its enormous head
slowly UP and down in the air. as IL
regarding patcrnaliy the thousands of
souls who We're coming under its care.
Ihen from some mysterious direction
suddenly came dirigible airship. 1t
moved around the fleet, then hovered
over center. moving in ziSzag course,
ana SO close to the ships masthcads
that the pilots faces could be seen dis
tinctly as they waved to the troops and
passengers. In few minutes more a
great navy seap!ane roared crisscross
a 'In the convoy and then circled.
Whiic a small scouting plane raced
from one end OF the feet TO the other
and from side TO side.
Vii mi,h me aerial patrol came de-
hotilla tina; formed in crescent
around the great pan Of vessels. The
sausage balloon. with observer dam
CLING in basket below her. was in
tow OF torpedo boat and had position
lar In advance, commanding great
sweep OF the ocean with powerful
armada. Her particular duty was to
protect the vessels against heavy guns
OF any chance Hun raider all the way
across the ocean until tho convoy from
the british feet picked US up.
We ran the danger zone on the At
iantic side without incident. except
that everyone posted himself on the
She can remain anoat for eight
f fsn; she is PACKED so heavily with
from suction. If a iifeboat is fifteen
feet away, she Is perfectly safe. a
the water will be in no danger. ex-
cept from the cold. The temperature
/. OF the water is from 81 to 60, and
many Oh you people nave Dcen Dathlng
in that temperature often. Moreover,
you would be picked UP within u few
hours al the most"
Straigh, toward England by zig
gag course We ran until one morning
a great gray battleship came out OF
the mist. flashed it's heliograph at us
for nm hour or go. The cruiser ran
around and read the word. Submar-
meg were operating then in certain
district and the convoy changed its
course and took such Il path that any
nee: OF submarines would have had
difficulty in finding It.
Several days out OF the European
| port British destroyer was seen com
Ing through the mist. She was signal.
| ing with her hclioEraph. An hour OIL
80 later other forms OF destroycrs APP.
ncareG--six or eight OF them. AND
the next morning the convoy extended
entirely around the fleet. with destroy.
ers and torpedo boats stationed withir
the lanes of the vessels. Like swarm
| or water spiders they zigzagged acros.
the path OF tho fleet. with thousand:
OF eyes watching every inch OF the
| ocean surface until all the vessels slid
! up to their anChOrages-Safe,