Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-08-24
AMERICAN FIGHTERS
CROSS BY THOUSANDS
Voyage on Packed Troop Ship
Usually Vcry "Drab;' Watch
for Periscope, Diversion.

American Port in Western France,
Aup l5-Ap American Armada of thir-
teen great transports bringing 36,0o0
fighting men to France had come quietly
into port during the night and the landing
Il this little army WAS soon to begin.
Going on board the transports, The
Associated Press correspon dent had an
opportunity TO see the equipment Tor tins
huge undertaking, and how the men had
lived and Jared on their trip across 1t
was long climb up the rope ladder TO
the deck Of former Ward liner rebuilt
as a transport. Soldiers packed the decks
and were thick as flies in every cabin,
hatch and between decks down to the very
bowels of the ship The spacious promen-
ade deck had disappeared, and IN is place
were long lines of ''standees, or met al
hammocks, for the men sleep IN the open
on deck as well as between decks.
MEN HALE AND PIT.
The men looked well, and the report
from the sick bay showed only six cases
of sickness out Of 5000 men aboard,
very good showing, said the doctor. In
the mess hall relief of men were taking
their breakfast. There was no sitting
down at table The men stood at high
troughs, very clean and practical, each
man with his own tin plate, knife, fork
and spoon, tossing off with relish the
hot coffee and good white bread and
butter. We tasted this bread and found
il revelation-real bread, so different
from the potato brea we are used TO as
war diet. And real butter, a luxury for
soldiers only, which no one begrudged
them.
Between decks tiny blue lights were
burning to let the men sec Their way
about with some degree OF freedom.
These are the only lights aboard, no
lights on deck of any kind to avoid danger
of FIRE. At night the men felt their way
about.
The living quarters between decks were
scrupulously clean, and even after ten
davs of this crowded life afioat there was
not trace OF odor, the floors were scrub
bed and there was no litter about II
would have cheered the heart OF an
! cxacting housckeeper.
PROUD OF THEIR VESSEL.
"The admiral says il is the cleanest
transport ailoat, said the naval officer,
with as much pride IN the record as one
In craftsmanship. Everything showed
the neatness of the efficient naval man
agement In the kitchen galley savory
dishes were being prepared, and In the
bread-making plant the long line OF ovens
were turning out stacks of white bread
for these g. 600 hearty caters. This was q
meatless day, for civilians, but one of
the Negro cooks offered us taste OF the
steaming meat curry, which would have
done credit TO Paris chef.
An exciting event of the trip was learned
as we passed along. Most of the voyage
had been uneVentful. But, nearing this
side a lookout had signalled the appear
ance of a periscope. Soon the deck guns
got into action, and two depth charges
were dropped over this spot where the
neriscoDe was last seen. But there was
no further sign of hostile craft. II the
deDth charges took effect they LETT no
trace for there was no wreckage on the
water. Very soon the incident had passed
and some Of the ships did not even know
ANYTHING unusual had occurred.
On the upper deck we saw the deadly
deptb charges and the long toboggan
slide along which they are started ON their
errand. The charges were IN metal
cylinders the size of cask, two on each
side ready to drop over
Besides these the gunnery officer was
proud Of the possession OF guns made for
use ON battlcships but mounted here ON
deck
'Ihey Will 0ut-SHRoA any SubIhdfliic
afioat," said the officer pattlng his big
weapons as though Ahey were pets.
MANY NovcEs AT SEA.
In the officers mess hall one of the
officers summed up the results of the
trip. Most of the men, he said were
| from the west, with large number of
/ farmer boys who had never been on the
water before This was great experience,
| a great adventure, and they were eager for
| it. There was little sea-sickness after
the first few days The men looked for
ward anmously to getting into the fight
ing front, for there was one common
impulse running through them all, as
shown by their letters home-that there
was big job ahead which had to be
done, and they wished to do it and
have done with it so as to return home
AS we came ashore two American air
plane sections were being debarked, with
their liberty motors and all the parapher-
malta of flight, These arrivals, long de
| ferred but now coming strong and fast,
were almost as cheering as the arrival
of troops, and together they signalled
that vital part in men and machines that
| America would soon be taking IN the
| critical stage of the great conflict