The daily Alaskan., 1918-07-09
HOW TROOPS DEPART FOR
 OVER THERE [:

Loadon,-No greater care and se- crecy could attend the shipment of royal jewels than is observed in shipping American troops to France. To safeguard his boys, Uncle Sam takes every possible precaution from the time they embark until the transport has reached its destina- tion. He leaves no loophole for the machinations of enemy agents.
 Usually, as a result of this elab- | crate protective system, the trip flom An Atlantic Port" to the French or English port, as the case may be is remarkably uneventful All elements of danger have been so carefully anticipated that the risk is reduced to the lowest mini mum.
 Until the troops and civilian pas sengers have reached the pier they do not know the name of their ship. It is only a number to them. On the regular troopships it is difficult for a civilian, unless he is engaged in war work, to secure a passage. Those who manage to do so are sut' jected to close scrutiny, and their credentials and luggage are thor oughly examined.
 Embarkation often begins several days before the transport sails. All goodbyes have been said before the troops start for the ship. No rela- tive or friend may accompany them to the pier. This rule applies to the officers as well as to the men.
 Once aboard, there they remain, no shore communication being per mitted. This regulation imposes no hardshop other than inactivity. Un- til all troops have been assigned 10 quarters and organization has been effected the men are left pretty much to their own devices.
 No restriction is placed on writ ing, and bags are kept open for sol diers' mail up to almost the hour of sailing. This privilege gives many a chance to get off neglected letters and postcards, although these, as matter of precaution, are not put into the mails until the ship has passed through the submarine zone. The troops also take advantage of an arrangement devised by the gov eTnment for the sending of safe arrival" messages. Telegrams or postcards advising family and friends that the writer had made tn tr:p in safety may be prepared in adyance and left in charge of the authorities at the port of sailing. As soon as word is received by cable of the ships arrival on the other side the telegrams and cards are 1 ASICNStu lO NuC "I4OS aiLu HAoA4S' sNSL only is much time saved by this plan, but the soldiers are spared the high cost of cabling from Europe.
 With the exception of the ships executives and the officers in mili- tary command, no one aboard knows the hour fixed for sailing, and this | becomes a favorite topic for specula- tion among the men. Finally, the last soldier has come up the gang plank and the last piece of freight has oeen slowed away. A busy little tug appears alongside and begins to nose the vessel like a terrier in vestigaung 8 greyhound,
 Suddenly there is blast from the ships whistle, and then are en- acted a few details of the familiar scene which before the war was witnessed whenever a transatlantic liner left its pier. The comparison, however, is extremely limited. The call of "All ashore that are going ashore" affects only few steVedores and perhaps an official or two, who move leiSurely off.
 What excitement three is is con fined to those on the ship. There is none on the pier for the reason that it is now empty and its great doors are closed. Only a blank wall looms there.
 On deck the movement, instead Of being toward the transports rails, is away from them. Orders. have been given for the troops to So to their quarters, so that when the ship is leaving harbor no uniform