The Brinkley argus., 1918-10-18
HIS TRIP OVER THE SEA.
Somewhere in France"
 Sept. 27th, 1918.

loaded aboard train and all of us understood that we were bound for France tho none of us knew it. Four days after wards we unloaded in New Jer- sey. Passed thro' Brinkley in the night and didn't even know it.
 You asked e to give my im- pressions of the trip over for the Argus readers and accord ingly I comply-here it is:
 "The scene at the docks here is always one of great interest for the priviledged few who are permitted to see it. All day long the great troop-ships are load ing and departing. The process is a rapid one; everything moves with military precision.
 Five minutes before h e troopship starts there is warn ing blast on the siren. Soon the big ship slowly veers away from the pier and heads for the open water, it's rails lined with khaki-clad Americans. Out side another troopship is wait ing and the transport falls into line behind it's companion.
 Out of the nowhere three British destroyers suddenly ap- pear and take up position, one in front and one on either side of the transports. High above the horizon gleams the silver body of patrol airship, which with the destroyers will accom- pany the Americans to their destination. No submarine can creep along the sea bottom without these aerial observers detecting it's approach, and wireless call to the eager de- stroyers will bring about it's de- struction or speedy withdrawal The Germans have long since learned the dangers of these narrow seas, and very seldom do they venture within them.
 Mine" Alarm Given A sudden signal from the leading destroyer causes an in staneous change in the whole convoy. The leading destroyer has come to a dead stop right athwart the course of the troop ships. The speed of the trans ports drops. The word mine" goes around from mouth to mouth, and everybody rushes to the side, to see.
 A mine it is, sure enough. . As the transports draw near It can be seen floating scarce a cable length from the destroy CTS quarter. Only 6 small patch of it's rounded bulk shows a. . bove the surface But the
 small patch is girt with the - deadly horns, touch of which . fires the explosive.
 , As the transports move on
 at quarter speed, one destroy
 CT fingers behind. It moves a
 safe distance away from the
 floating mine. Suddenly there
 comes a spurt of flame and
 smoke, drowned immediately by
 a huge spout of seething waterr
 as the mine explodes. The de- stroyer resumes it's place at the head of the column
 "All Clear" Signals Flier The airship drifts back to
 give the "all clear" at a signal
 from the leader the convoy re-
 sumes full speed and without : further incident the passage is completed.
 :, As the first transport steams l within the breakwater of the !, French port, seaplane comes | sweeping in from the sea. Four
 red bombs are tucked side by
 side under it's right-hand wing, but three of the four are mis- ) ing from the rack on the other
 side. The captain of the troop
 ship notes this through his
 glasses and remarks upon the
 fact to the American colonel
 standing by his side. They z speculate for few moments as to what use may have been . the missing bombs.
 , Perhaps it was the same I submarine that laid that mine, 1" suggests the captain"