The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1918-07-11
SAILOR WRITES.
Hickman Boy. Now a sailor. write
Interesting letter.

wonderful sea dogs. the dt~ii'f''
and its work among the subs. VII
herein give you q brief narrative
To many people living inland th''
conception Of destroyer i quite
vague. any how IL is long lean. Hight
constructed bont with a narrow beam
and tapcriug stream lines. She i
built for speed and as the name i'm
plies. is veritahle engine of destrue
ton with the maximum Of power Do
the minimum OF space. Her vitals are
unprotected by armor If any kind. nm ;
RELIES wholly on speed ca make an e.
cape from n more powerful craft
The interior Of destroyer is fiiie-l
with valves. intricate machinery. sail
ors and hard work. and anyone look
ing for sinecure will do well 10 in
ve~tigate the routine or these beats
then 90 elsewhere
They behave badly in rough sen
and with The pitching and rolling one
must wonder why people attend the
whirligigs Of Long Island. such A.
~I,ip oi Death shoot the Chr.c' srd
many crazy revolving motions Of pleas
urc when they could ship on "a speedy
destroyer and get "a far greater vari-
tty Of gyroscopic movements. and also
De- showing "a small bit of patriotism.
The proper vocation Of these boats
was never discovered until old -Fritz"
declared himself with his once might
little boats barring many parts 81
the occan Co the merchant ships. but
since the arriVsl Of Uncle Sans De
sfroyer Flotiilu in European waters
the subs have gradually begun 10 back
water. with great fear of having
her vital effects scattered around over
the ocean by the explosion 0f well
placed depth charge dropped from tn
stern Of "a destroyer.
This good ship has been on this side
for quite q while and any one who has
PASSED through the winter on one Of
these crafts T. fully qualified To- asso-
cinte with the most salty members Of
~Nepfune's Rex Royal Domain II
Byron when he said Roll on Thou
deep blue occan roll" was any way r.
sponsihle for some of the maneuvers
performed ia these seas. I would like
% meet up with him ia the next worll
and If the laws are uo strictcr fEs->
than on the high seas. he will receive
such a jolt on his domclef that the
ocean will seem like the old mill pond
as compared with the whirling turbu-
ent reaction taking place within his
brain. Poets who write such lines as
life on the ocean wave etc. must be
hermits living In ~cciusion Of grand
old forrest and the most aquatic
disturbance they ever witnessed
was the ebulition of the coffee water
as il came 10 boil \ home on the
raging deep j. all very well TO talk Of
while sitting beneath the shclteriue
palms of big morris chair but nv
own experience on the seas has con
WINGED me beyond the shadow Of a
doubt that it is altogether too unsta-
BILE a substance for "A permanent res
idence.
our duty here is to safely convoy
ships in and out Of the danger zones.
and for the rest. line drawn By the
censors forbid us stating but II we
could chance home occasionally and
give a few glowing accounts Of our
thrilling exploits. could make II much
more interesting. but as duty holds
us here we must leave such an honor
10 the more fortunate creatures. the
battle-Ship sailors and such on that
line. who never had a good shake-dowi'
and wouldn't know the direction 10 the
points where there are real sea-far-
ing men. doing bit 10 make the seas
safe for democracy. In such case
to their eyes trifiing incidents become
shark becomes a periscope. "A harmless:
pOrpOise becomes "a torpedo which JUS
missed them. all that forms the nu
cleus of a story of thrilling encOun
j. not personally looking for an en-
counter with a deadly destroyer an,
IL by any chance he j. sighted befor,
he has time - submerge sad day
FOR him" lie rarely makes AN escape
for "A few hundred pounds Of high ex
plosives j. usually dropped where h
was last seen and with such a con
cussion the result is scum of oil ris
ing 20 the surface along with othe
debris shows that the charge was e.
fcctive.
Not wishing 10 take up too much q
your valuable time. or infringe @
good nature. viii close. with best 0
luck 10 friends and readers. beg {
remain. Claude ;. Owens.
L. :. Destroyer "Flusser"