The sun., 1918-12-27

a matter of fact when on one occa-
sion we came within a few miles OF
cutting OF from its base and engag-
ing the German fleet. the disposition
was such that the American battle
ship division would have been in the
van and have led into action had the
enemy not avoided action and taken
refuge behind his defence as usual be-
fore we could catch him.
Always After Enemy.
"It was our policy TO 90 after him
every time he showed his nose out
side Of his ports; no matter when or
where, whether in single ships, by
divisions, or his whole fleet, out We
went, day or night. rain or shine (and
there was mighty little daylight and
much less shine In the winter months)
blow high, or blow low. and chase him
back in his hole.
80 persistent was this performance
on our part, so sure were we to get
after him, that toward the end he
rarely ventured more than few miles
from his base, and Immediately we
would start after him, back he would
go in his hole and haul his hole in
after him.
I'm our operations in the North Sea
we were frequently attacked by sub
marines. and our battleshlps had
numerous narrow escapes, often only
by prompt and skilful handling
"On one occasion submarine
rammed the flagship New York,
dented the bottom, demolished the
starboard propeller. But there is
every reason TO believe that the
blows from the propeller sank the
submarine. En- route to drydock. to
make repairs and install new propcl-
Ter. three torpedoes in rapid succession
were fired at her by hostile sub
marines. But again she avoided them
by clever maneuvring and escaped.
Saved by Narrow Margin.
Once when guarding or support
ing a convoy OF thirty or forty ves-
sells on the coast OF Norway in mid
winter bunch OF hostile subs fred six
torpedoes at us. Again only our vigi-
lance and instantR neous mannuvrinE
saved US, but by a very narrow
margin.
Let IL be sufficient 10 say that
during our absence of a year there
was no other condition than that OF
constant and continuous readiness for
action. There was no liberty or leave
worth mentioning; no one allowed
away from the ships after dark, nor
for a period larger than four hours.
and then only in the immediate
vicinity OF the ship subject to recall,
All ships were completely closed and
darkened from sunset to sunrise as a
precauuon against air and other at
lacks; in winter this meant from
fifteen to eighteen hours per day. This,
in all but an Arctic climate, was one
OF our many hardships.
with all the demands which have
been placed upon the ships Of this d.
vision. in spite Of this constant readi-
ness for action, II is no evaporation
to say, that were they called upon TO
do so, they could steam around the
world as they are now. and still be
ready TO go into action.
% Mile Column of ShiDs.
ITO give an idea of the immense Size
and number OF vessels employed I'm
tho Grand Fleet, It might be OF interest
here TO state that entering or leaving
port, our column OF ships, excluding
destroyers, was on an average about
siXty-fve miles long; on one occasion,
sev"nty-siN miles, It's length was de-
pendent upon weather and other con-
ditions, as well az upon the number
OF ships.
And 30, after four years Of war for
tho Grand Fleet. no more complete
Victory was ever won, nor a more dis,
graceful and humiliating end could