The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-08-24
ABOARD TRANSPORTS
AS SOLDIERS GO OVER
Picture of Cleanliness and Pro-
lection to the New Yanks.
Every Comfort Offered Despite
Crowded Condition of Ship.
NEVER SAW OCEAN BEFORE
Associated Press Man Visits
Boat Carrying Western Boys.
Very Little SeaSickneSs After
the First Few Days.

Correspondence of theN Associated Press.)-
American Port in Western France.
An American armada of thirteen
great transports. bringing $4,000
lighting men to France, had come
quietly into port during the night and
the landing of this little army was
soon to begin.
0ainR on board the transports, the
Associated Press correspondent hao
an opportunity 80 see the equipment
for this high undertaking, and now
the men had lived and fared on thelr
trip across. 1t was long clirno up
the rope ladder to the deck OF a Tor
nler Ward liner rebuilt as 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
promenade deck had disappeared, and
in its place were long lines OF
''standees," or metal hammocks, for
the men sleep in the open on deck as
well as between decks.
Men Looked Well.
The men looked well, and the re-
port from the sick bay showed only
six cases of sickness out of 5000 men
aboard, a very good showing, said the
doctor. In the mess hall a relief of
men were taking their breakfast
There was no sitting down at table.
The men stood at high troushs, 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 but
ter We tasted this bread and found
it a revelation-real bread, so differ
ent from the potato bread welfare used
to as war diet. And real butter, a
one begrudged them.
Between decks tiny blue lights were
burning to let the men see 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 days of this crowded life
afioat there was not a trace of odor,
the floors were scrubbed and there
was no litter about. 1t would have
cheered the heart of an exacting
housekeeper.
Transports Are Clean.
THE admiral says it is the cleanest
transport afloat," said the naval Off
Ger. with as much pride in the record
as one in marksma aship.
In the wash rooms the men were
at long porcelain wash troughs. Ev-
erything showed the spick and span
neatness of the efficient naval man
agement. In the kitchen galley savOry
dishes were bein5 prepared, and in the
bread making plant the long line of
ovens were turning out stacks of white
bread for these 5000 hearty eaters.
This was a meatless day, for all
civilians, but one of the negro cooks
offered Us a 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 hal been uneventful.
But. nearing this side lookout had
signalled the appearance of a peri
scope. Soon the deck guns got into
action. and two depth charges were
cropped overfhe spot where the peri
scope was last seen. But there was
no further sign of hostile craft. If
the depth charges took effect they left
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.
The ships Protection.
On the upper deck we saw the dead
ly depth charges and the long tobog-
san slide along whNh they are started
metal cylinders the size of a cask, two
on side ready to drop over.
Besides these the gunnery officer
y. - proud of the possession of guns
made for use on battleships but
mounted here on deck.
They will out-shoOt any submarine
afloat," said the officer, patting his
big We ons as tho they were pets.
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 a large number of
farmer boys who had meyer been on
the water before. This was a great
experience. a great adventure. and
they were eager for it. There was lit
tie seasickness after the first few
days. The men looked forward anx-
iously to getting into the fighting
front, for there was one common i'm
pulse running thru them all, as shown