New Britain herald., 1918-12-14
SURRENDER OF HUN FLEET
 lMPRESSlVELY SPECTACULAR
Ensign Johnston Vance
 Writes Vivid Description of Great Historical Pageant Staged in Firth of Forth

Ensign Johnstone Vance of Maple street, a line officer on the U. $. 5. Arkansas, which took part in the great surrender of the German high seas fleet, has written a highly de- scriptivc and interesting account of this greatest of all naval surrenders. In the following letter, written a few hours after Germany had voluntarily relinquished any rights of might she might have had on the seas Ensign Vance not onlya relates the salient in- cidents in connection with the sur render, but also goes back to the days preceding the armistice when the Allied fleet lay in wait for the Ger mans, several apparently lone batte- ships, actually flirting with the en- emy in an attempt to lure them out for an engagement which would give the more powerful Allied ships an opportunity to cut off their retreat and end their career:
 U. s. $. Arkansas,
 
 The censorship restrictions have been lifted.
 The night is falling fast. The day of all days in the worlds naval his tory Is coming to a close. As the darkness closes in two fleets, two won- derful and powerful organiza tions ca pablo of the greatest destructio knOwn to man are becoming a mass of tWinkling lights. The massive tur~ rets with their grim guns are fad ing from view The war-painted monsters of the sea disappear against the dark horizon and the lattice masts of the American battleships kiss good night the ruddy western sky.
 Pictures Firth of Forth.
 The Firth of Forth, with Edin- burgh in the distance, becomes a riot of lights. The body of water which lay so dark, though it was thickly peopled with ships a few nights ago outrivals a thousand Coney Isand1 tonight. Ships of several nations add their luster to the scene. Proudly lies the British grand fleet with it's American and French attendants. Solemnly the German high seas fleet rides at anchor a few miles in the offing. Overhead a stately dirigible keeps a watchful eye over all while the acrobatic battle planes tumble madly about her like a group Of kit tens about their mother. In every soul, above, on and below the waters, is reverent feeling of thankfulness The spirit of carnival is not present, too much has been gone through for that. I cannot describe the true feel ing. Men who resolutely thrust all thoughts of their loved ones aside a few days ago the call to battle went are making plans for their homo coming. A few days ago the thought Of home meant pain, for none could count upon seeing it again. A few days ago the call to battle m cant to seal oneself in a compartment far be- low the water line from which escape 1 would be impossible in the event of a 1 hit, or to climb a mast to become the ! most obvious target for the enemy 1 guns. I'm sorry loved ones, but l thoughts of you are not carried into : those places. Our hearts could no, stand it. We simply did not think. ! Sealed in a water-tight compartment surrounded by tons of powder, the navy men strained their ears for the l first salvo announcing the presence of the enemy. Doubled up in the tops they waited for a sight of him ] The men below knew that, should { their compartment leak, they must drown behind the seals in the hopes 1 that the water would not penetrate ! into the rest of the ship and that ! they must take every pains to see that the seals were not broken. Tomorrow 1 this will be unnecessary. We cal 1 think of you again, with a menta. j, prayer for those that have lost theil l lives on other fields.
 Plan to Capture Enemy.
 But to get back to our day o1 days, or rather to go little further back in order to show you how we felt if I can. Some weeks ago we l were lying, the American squadron O five battleships and a squadron O. British battle cruisers, in Scapa Flow far to the north of England, ir thf 1 Orkneys. We had bearded the Ger man fleet by showing ourselves. We had been seen, We knew that, as { sub had been reported while we were 1 bound from the Firth to Scapa. True 1 the sub later became entangled i. l one of our nets and was sunk but no ] before it had time to get the news O our travels to the German fleet The grand fleet was in the Firth, we were the bait Separated from our Allie we were to fight to the last ditcI while the other ships were coming II, to cut off the Germans should the, come out. It would have been a goot fight but a, hopeless one for us we al felt. It was Sunday night Not ; light showed. Not a ship could b, seen. One could scarcely see iron one stanchion to another along hi
 own decks. The navy at war wa mighty dark at night. Suddenly tn, officers quarters was stirring. A sig nal came through, Prepare for sea
 The notes of q bugle sounded a.cros the waters and anchor chains wer