The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1918-07-11

take out for an afternoon walk. You feel
loaded down considerably. We got for
ward 1t was extremely dark but we
could make out forward on our starboard
side the outlines of another ship drawn
up beside us, right alongside the big
wound made in the ship by the torpedo.
We had sunk so low down on our side
that our deck was pretty near level with
that of the destroyer You know how
one of these big ocean liners stand out of
the water, like an office building, way up
high in the air and how the destroyer is
almost level with the water, but we had
come down far enough SO that our deck
was level with the deck of the destroyer,
which you know rides very low in the
water The sea is frequently washed
completely over their aft deck. The
boys clambered over the rail. 1t was
somewhat difficult for me to get over.
The other boys were younger and more
active than myself and they got over
easily, but it was quite difficult for me to
make it. Finally got one foot over the
rail and then noticed that the destroyer
was pulling away. | could see that water
opening up beneath there. | wasn't very
careful then about getting over the rail
but made one final jump over the side
and grabbed the cable that went around
the end of the destroyer and was immed-
lately grabbed by the jack tars on board
the destroyer and hauled aboard.
Then began the most interesting time
there on the British destroyer. There
were SOB survivors of the Tuscania aboard
that ship. She was little ship with
crew of perhaps $50 to IT'S men and her
quarters were exceedingly restricted be-
cause these ships are greyhounds indeed.
This boat has capacity of SO knots an
hour, which means great engine power.
1t seemed as though that crew was out
for an afternoon reception. This was the
first time they had had bunch of Ameri-
cans to rescue. They had rescued French
and English. They had rescued Chinese
and Italians and practically every other
nationality but they never had had the
pleasure of rescuing a bunch of Ameri-
cans and they were making the most of
us. They could not have been more
cordial if we had been their own brothers.
They did everything possible for US to
make US feel that they were glad to see
us.
From pictures had seen of the British
tar | expected to see grizzled fellow
with beard down to about here and a
very active chew of tobacco in his mouth
and that sort of an individual, you know.
Well now, | saw nothing of the sort.
These fellows were really boys and had
the most attractive faces you ever saw in
your life, young fellows, not very old,
and when saw the work they were doing
and when l saw their fearlessness and
their perfect behavior, l couldn't help
but admire them.
Now, think of this feature of it. This
destroyer came alongside of us, knowing
that that U-boat was out there in the
darkness, and that is another of the evil
characteristics of the U-boat. She waits
out there in the darkness, watches for
the destroyer or the rescuing ship to come
to the rescue of the crew or the passen-
gers, waits until the destroyer is packed
with people and then sends a torpedo
against it. But this destroyer utterly
disregarded all of the traditions of the
German U-boat commander. He brought
his ship directly alongside our ship and
took US off and then he cruised about
picking up as many as he could in the
water. 1t was splendid exhibition of
nerve and some of the men aboard our
ship said: "Captain, in Gods name, pull
away. That U-boat will get u.s." He
said: 4 won't pull away as long as can
see man afloat." tApplause.o
want to tell you, men, that if we live
to be hundred years old, all of us, we
thank God every day of our life for the
British navy. (Applause.)
We had most interesting five hours
aboard this little ship. She tossed and
rolled and worked her way over the
troublesome sea and finally landed us at
three o'clock in the morning in the north
of Ireland. We went alongside dock,
and clambered up long ladder and got
up onto the dock, and say, maybe that
dock didn't feel good. daughter and ap-
plause.) l walked to the end of the dock
and found the men forming in line, and
Just as was about to step off of the dock
stubbed my toe and in Fighting myself
put my hand out like that and put it on
top of the Ford Car that stood right there
Uaughter)
We formed in line then and marched
three miles to barrack where we met
regiment of Irish soldiers and enjoyed
worth while to be torpedoed Just to land
in Ireland and feel the grip of welcome of
an Irish hand. You would have thought
thUt VtCly WOuudu Qu0 NuAAu tuCAC was
related to us by intimate blood ties
They treated us as if we were long lost
sons and. brothers that had just come
back to the homeland from a trip to a
dangerous country, and then they began
asking us questions, right and left, TAX
ing it for granted that we knew every
Irishman in America. ''You don't know
Tim Dolan? Why, you ought to know
him because he is police officer in Chi
cago."
Ireland has her heart strings over here
to America in a way that you do not
with them. They have all got relatives
over here. They all love America. They
look upon America as the big brother.
They think that the finest thing in the
world would be to have Ireland annexed
to America. wish we could move 1T
over to us and attach it to US. It would