The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1918-06-17
Departure of Vessel Known to
Very Few, and Name
Known to None.
PRECAUTION FROM
START is STRICT
No Greater Care or Secrecy
Could Attend the Shipment
Overseas of Royal Jewels.

LONDON, June 16-(By The Asso-
ciated Press3-No greater care and
secrecy could attend the shipment of
! royal jewels than is observed in ship
ping American troops to France To
safeguard his boys Uncle Sam takes
every possible precaution, from the
time they embark until the transport
has reached its destination. He leaves
no loophole for the Vaccinations of
enemy agents.
Usually. as a result of this elaborate
protective system, the trip from An
Atlantic Port" to the French or Eng
lish port, as the case may be. is re-
markably uneyentfuL All elements of
danger have been so carefully antici-
pated that the risk is reduced to the
lowest minimum.
Until the troors and civilian passen-
gers have reached the pier they do
not know the name of their ship 1t
is only a number to them. on the
regular troopships it is difficult for
civilian, unless he is engaged in war
work. to secure a passage. Those
who manage to do so are subziected
to close scrutiny. and their credentials
and luggage are thoroughly examined
Embarkation often begins several
days before the transport sails. All
good-bys have been said before the
troops start for the ship. No relatives
or friend may accompany them to the
pier. This rule applies to the officers
as well as to the men
Once aboard. there they remain, no
shore communication being permitted
This regulation imposes no hardship
other than inactivity. Until all troops
have been assigned to quarters and
organization off
men are left pretty much to their own
devices.
No restriction is placed on writing
and bags are kept open for soldiers
mail up to almost the hour of sailing
This privilege gives many a chance
TO get off neglected letters and post
cards, although these, as a matter of
precaution. are not put into the mails
until the ship has passed through the
submarine zone.
The troops also take advantage of
an arrangement devised by the gov
ernment for the sending OF "safe-ar-
rival messages. kilograms or post
cards advising family and friends that
the writer has made the trip in safety
may be prepared in advance and left
in charge of the authorities at the port
of sailing. As soon as word is receiv-
other side, the kilograms and cards
are released to the wires and mails.
Not only is much time saved by this
plan, but the soldiers are spared the
high cost of cabling from Europe
With thot exception of the ships ex-
cutives and the officers in military
command, no one aboard knows the
hour fixed for sailing, and this becomes
favorite topic for speculation among
the men. But finally the last soldie,
has come up the gang plank and the
piece of freight has been slowed away
A busy little tug appears alongside
and begins to nose the vessel like a
terrier investigating a greyhound.
Suddenly there is a blast from the
ships whistle. and then are enacted
a few details of the familiar scene
which before the war was witnessed
whenever a transatlantic line left its
pier. The comparison, however is ex-
tremely limited. The call of "An
ashore that are going ashore" affects
only a few stevedores and perhaps
an official or two. who move leisurely
off
What excitement there is is confined
to those on the ship. There is none
on the pier for the reason that it is
now empty and its great doors are
closed. Only blank wall looms
there
On the deck the movement. instead
of being toward the transports rails
is away from them. Orders have
been given for the troops to go to their
quarters, so that when the ship is leav-
ing harbor no uniform may be visible
to any prying eyes on shore.
Slowly the big vessel is coaxed by
the tug into the stream. and majestic
ally she gets under way. A few civil
liam passengers, to the envy of officers
and men hang over the rails and watch
the city's skyline fade away
Soon the port is only blur in veil
of mist. 1t is safe now for the troops
to appear. They rush out on deck,
boyishly eager for the sight-strange
ts many-of the open sea. A glance
is cast toward the vague line on the
horizon that is home. Then they turn
and peer forward into the mystery
of the unknown, toward the scene of
the great adventure-over there.