Evening star., 1918-02-16

Life on q transport in a submarine
zone is described in p letter received
by q District Official from his son, who
recently has arrived in France. It Is q
more detailed narrative than usually
Sans soldiers also make pretty good
sailors and that the best of feeling
exists on board the transports between
representatives of the Army and Navy.
Censorship Bar to News.
The letter in part follows:
I'VE have been at sea since few
days after writing my card, announc-
Ing our safe arrival. which presume
will have been duly forwarded to you
on the arrival of our ship. We are due
to land in France some time tomorrow,
provided we are SO fortunate as to es-
cape the submarines this one more
night
"On the whole the voyage has been
pleasant, though for the enlisted men It
has necessarily been attended with
some discomforts. There has been some
rough weather; for the hrst Iour Gays ,s
there was quite a lot of seasickness Dut
most of the men finally got their sea
legs and there has been scarcely any
for some time.
II should like to start in at the be-
ginning and give you a detailed story
Of the whole trip, but the censorship
rules are SO inclusive that it is scarce.
ly possible TO mention any feature ol
interest without encroaching on some
of them. We are not allowed to mention
the name of our vessel, nor of any o.
| the vessels in the convoy. nor any de-
scription of any of them. nor the names
numbers nor other description of any
vessels conveying us, nor OF any vesse
passed by US on the way, nor the rou..
| taken, nor the number of men ABOARD
nor the manner of handling them, mol
their health or morale, nor the de1en-
| sive measures taken.
Ships Plunge Through Sea.
ut was quite pretty sight during
| the rough weather to see the dlHefent
ships plunging through the seas. some
| times showing small part of their
| keels forward as they lifted over
| roll and then taking spray all over
their decks forward as they dived into
another. I saw one transport take a
| lot of Solid water over her forward
deck one day. 1t poured out OF her
scuppers for minute or SO after. a
| few moving pictures of the ships al
such times would take well, am sure
THE conveying destroyers are a
unique sight. They are camouhaged IN
the most picturesque ana ingenious
manner, noltwo of them alike. In the
halflight Of dawn and dusk when sub
] marine attacks are supposed to be par
| ticularly dangerous the camoufiagine
| is quite deceptive.
IncidentaIiy. there is probably not
man on board our fleet who would
| not take off his hat to the crewsx OF
| these destroyers to whom we shall he
| SO largely indebted if we get safely to
! land. 1t is hard to believe that men
1e
! rolling as thAse destroyers do, much
| if the crews would have to strap them
selves in their places.
"Steaming only fast enough to keer
| pace with the transports they are
constantly taking clouds of spray over
| their bows. But it is when they speed
up little that they make truly in
| spring sight.
"One of them put on a burst of speed
| for a short distance, this afternoon, as
| she crossed the bows of our vessel
Every one ran forward to get a good
view. 1t is not stretching the truth to
| say that she nearly buried herself in
spray several times, for the wind was
blowing strong and the sea was quite
! lumpy.
Men Wear Life Preservers.
"All the men have life preservers
which they are required to wear OF
have with them at all times Some
nights we have not been allowed tc
take off our clothes.
The dining saloon is the big gath