The sun., 1918-12-24
HARBOR'S NOISES
ENDANGER TROOPS
Transport Mongolia Barely
Escapes Running Into
Governors Island.
SOUND browns SIGNALS
Mayor Hylan's Committee Car
ries Zeal to Danger Point,
Navy Men Say.

The United States transport Mon
golia, arriving last Sunday morning,
Just missed driving upon Governors
Island because the police yacht Patrol
kept sirening so loudly and .nsistently
that the navigators could not hear the
bell buoys Of the channel.
This near disaster alone has prompted
the navy commander at Hoboken,
Admiral Albert Gleaves; the force
transport officer. Capt. Casey B. Nor
gan. and the port captain, Capt. God
frey Garden, to appeal to Washington
to put a stop to the unnecessary hula
baloo Of sirening and whis;llng with
which all incoming transports have
been greeted.
At the request of Vice-Admiral
Gieaves THE Sun can state that the
navy officers here and the commanders
OF the incoming ships are gravely con-
cerned over the risk and peril that are
caused almost every day by the Patrol
and other small boats that go down
The risk and peril consist in this: that
the police yacht and accompanying
boats make so much noise that navi-
eating officers cannot hear when It is
necessary to hear and the fireboats
throw up such q screen and mist OF
water in front OF the ships that often
they cannot see when it is extremely
necessary to vision swiftly and surely.
This is particularly true in a fog. as
vas the case on Sunday morning when
the Mongolia so nearly beached her
self.
whistIing Confused Navigator.
AS the big transport approached the
south end of Governors Island In the
fog the Patrol, carrying Mayor Hylan's
committee, came out of the murk and
approached very near TO the trans
pert Her siren was going at a rate
utterly deafening to the officers of the
Mongolia. They were listening by the
second for every toll of the bell buoys
that marked the correct channel, but
the Patrols whistle. Joined with the
whistling from other boats. made 1t
tug and tow, outgoing, sheered to-
ward the Mongolia, and the big trans
port veered from the channel. In the
fog she got too far, and before her
navigating officer knew where he was
the transport was almost on top Of
Governors Island. Only the quickest
action and the coolest decision saved
trouble.
But this according to Admiral
Gleaves and Capt. Morgan. is moth
ing TO what might easily occur II the
Patrol and small boat fleet insist on
crowding around transports. They
fear that one of these days there will
be collision and possibly the sinking
OF transport with great loss OF life.
safety First" the Rule.
1T is all very WELL" said an officer
OF Admiral Gleavess stan with the
Admiral's approval. for the returning
soldiers to get the whistled welcome
but it is mighty bad for navigation.
Now let everybody get this matter
straight We want the returning SOL
diers TO feel as happy as they can
ppSSlDIS lCCI VII llltN HOMECOMING
Nothing is too good for them. But
our main duty is 10 provide for their
safety. We don't want a few hundred
OF them drowned in New York's front
yard. We don't want Grape on 500
doorWays in America Just because
small boats must whistle troops into
port. II ought to be stopped and IL
there is any way to accomplish it II
will be stopped"
Danger OF collision in fog is very real.
according 10 Admiral Gleaves, when
navigators can neither see nor hear
and in that sense the Patrol and other
boats and all the whistling hullabaloo
have simply been a nuisance and a
danger to the officers responsible for
getting the soldiers TO land safe and
sound. Because of this conviction
Capt Godfrey Garden, Port Captain in
charge OF anchorages and the enforce
ment OF navigation laws. has taken VI
the matter with Washington with the
entire backing OF Vice Admiral
Gleaves.