The sun., 1918-10-20


roll back like theatre curtain from 4
tall tower uprising from a smother of
foam. II takes time to stop ships head
way, and for q couple of minutes it was
an open question whether or not we
should bump that perfectly good French
lighthouse off the map. We were closer
than any of US liked before she began to
back off, and some of the others were not
% lucky.
1t seems that the French pilot on the
leading ship had made his turn to round
the lighthouse wee bit too soon and he
was on the beach. Another, one of the
new steel standardized ships, had bumped
over a reef with only little damage to
her false bottom. But that was not the
end.
Other ships now came driving on
through the fog and mixed in the melee,
lodging, lacking, backing, wilder than a
bows A second passed astern. For a
while anything might have happened, but,
as though inpatient to do his evil work,
the fog demon lifted the edge Of his gray
curtain in the nick of time. As though
realizing his mistake he hastily dropped
it again.
Tangle Soon Is Cleared.
But We had seen each other in the clear.
The tangle Strengthened out into columns
again, that is, as close to columns as
merchant shippers can get.
They never keep mechanically cor
rect line and distance like navy men, and
the shortcomings of our present lot In this
respect caused mnch strsfiLg on the bridge
and kept dazzle of flags at work trans
lating it into the potter language Of the
naval code.
We removed from the rear to tie head
of his column one persistent laggard who
reminded me Of a stout lady in California
walking club, who "groused" at the pace
till she herself was placed in the lead,
whereafter she almost walked the legs off
her companions. After he moved ahead
it took all the flags in the signal box TO
prevent our laggard from running right
out Of sight.
Returning to the mixup in the fog, it
was one of those haps that occur TO all
conveys and are responsible for grizzle
of gray on heads that left our shores q
year ago flying the full colors Of youth.
Leaving yacht with the stranded ship
which backed off at high tide-we sailed
on toward a point which was said to be
headquarters for German submarine.
A red pin with a date under it only a
day old marked its last reported position
on the bridge chart. A scattering OF
others indicated more U-boats, but the
dates under these were older, for with
The assistance Of the hydroplane and
"blimps" patrols Uncle Sam has estab
lished the entire length Of the French
coast the yachts have made these waters
exceedingly unhealthy for the submarines.
A devils spawning, the mines set loose in
the ship channels at nights, is about the
limit of their present attempts.
Mine Sweepers Clear the Way.
Just before the fog entirely cleared away
4 radio had warned US away from Ger
tain channel where the lone pirate Of the
point had evidently put in good nights
work. But his labors went for naught.
Across our bows feet Of mine sweepers
swept in swift procession to clear away
his Internal litter. While they were still
in sight two bydroplanes came booming
like great bumblebees out from the land
to escort us across their forty mile Sec
tor. Thus, in one view, were grouped the
three American services that render com
merce possible in these seas.
The hydroplancs had a special interest
for me, because l had flown with them on
patrol and had taken photographs from
above of these very yachts. AT that time
submarines were shy as quail at the end