The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1918-05-17
men OF NAv|ES
LIKE Big FAMILY
American and British Sailors
Best of Friends, Says
Writer.
JACKIE LIKED IN ENGLAND
Fight Among Themselves and All That
Sort Of Thing, Says Charles Daw-
barn, but No Happier Crowds
Could BE Imagined.

barn, but No Happier Crowds
Could Be Imagined.
London.-Writing in the Daily
Chronicle on 1.-THE United States Fleet
In Being" and discussing Americas in
valuable services, Charles Dawbarn
says:
at is not the American way to fear
publicity. Uncle Sam likes to act in
the broad eye of day and to have his
deeds emblazoned for his own encour-
agement. But the English are secre-
tive-perhaps this is one Of the revela-
lions of the war. In any case, veil Of
silence has been dropped over Ameri-
can naval action in the service of the
allies-in conformity with British ira
ditions. Being In Rome, the good
Americans do as Rome does. In this
particular Rome holds its tongue and
looks wise. Not the least of American
services to England Is her readiness to
become dumb and anonymous, because
that is the immemorial way with the
British navy.
"And yet 1t would not do to suppose
that our. cousins have not contributed
very sensibly to the reduction of the
peril which awaits us on the water
round the coast. Sir Eric Geddes paid
handsome tribute to them in his
maiden speech as first lord in the COM
mons. The United States Jackie Is
q fine fellow, and one Of his finest at
tributes Is his speedy adaptation to the
new conditions Of service in European
waters. He has become our own Jack
Tar's firm friend.
The Family Feeling.
Gratifying examples Of cooperation
between the two services are fur
nished every day. officers and crews
Of the two fleets like each other so we'll
that they get mad at each other, as
the Americans say-just as If they
were members Of the same family.
"In courts Of inquiry both services
participate when both are involved.
Perhaps the senior officer will be Brit
fish and the two juniors American, or
the senior will be American and the
others British. The unity is such that
British and American destroyers swing
at the same buoy and follow each
other in their sea practices. At sea
they exchange signals; on shore they
use the same clubs and huts. At one
base a converted cinema hall is now
rendezvous for the bluejackets Of the
two nations. There they fraternize in
the most cordial manner. Between
scenery painted by sailors and In front
of an orchestra of destroyer musicians
English and American artists sing their
songs and deliver their monOlogues to
their brothers Of the sea.
"The incessant work of the Destroy
ers and patrol boats in conveying
troopships or merchant ships, or In
chasing the submarine, has not blunted
the edge Of the sailorman's keenness.
If you speak to him about his present
METER and compare 1t with his
peacetime labors, he will declare that
the latter were heavier to bear. There
was the eternal maneuver for the ac-
ton which never came, and, after 1t,
officers had to analyze the theoretical
results. Navigating and engineer stats
lived in an atmosphere Of paper prob
lens. Nowadays they are swept away.
There Is no time for them. And the
spice Of danger has given zest to the
daily round. To understand that, one
must understand the psychology of the
sailor.
Danger IL Real.
Ellis danger is real enough. Hydro
planes and other appliances have not
proved sufficient solution. The only
real solution is man and ship power;
the policeman on the spot to catch the
thief.
"a hit, a palpable hit, perhaps, and
vet the result is uncertain. This is the
common experience Of submarine chas-
ing. You are never certain of your
bag. But whatever German apologists
may assert, the number of tin fish dis
posed of by our ally steadily grows
greater, and the system Of convoys-a
number of ships lin a bunch surround
ed by destroyers-has at least this ad-
vantage, that 1t brings the enemy to
the defense force and thus obviates a
search for him. And in taking care
of the traffic, British ind neutral, In
the sea lanes leading to these isles, the
United States navy Is performing q
duty essential to our existence and re-
| affirming the old maxim-consecrated
once before at sea-that blood Is thick