Evening journal., 1918-12-06
zEEBRUGGE EXPLOIT
GRAPHICALLY told
s'Had to be Done--lt Was
Done" +" Said Captain
Carpenter
HERO PROPHESIES
PEACE AT TABLE

made him and his fellows accomplish
the wonderful achievement they did In
blocking the Zeebrugge channel, Cap
tain A. E. F. Carpenter. V c., OF the
British Navy. was given rouslng ova-
ton at the mass meeting In The Play
house yesterday afternoon. Incident
ally it was the frst public announce
ment OF the opening Of the Red Cross
membership drive on December i6.
The great audience that oiled every
seat Of the theatre. the occasion. the
object OF his coming. his achievement
and The man himself, combined TO make
the meeting, what will be perhaps, one
OF the most interesting OF any meeting
connected with the war. While the war
made many heroes. II Is not likely that
any more celebrated viii ever appear
before Wilmington audience.
Captain Carpenter was given an IN
formal reception in the lobby following
the close OF the lecture. He Will speak
in Newport. r. l.. tonight, where Mrs
French Vanderbilt will give a dinner IN
his honor He is one OF fourteen British
naval men to be awarded the Victoria
Cross in this war.
Captain Carpenters recital Of what
ne and his brave fellows went through,
was given In such an unobstrusive,
matter OF fact way, that there was III
tls opportunity for applause, certainly
none where any herolcs could be noted,
And little chance for the emotions 10
gain control. As his Philadelphia critics
EaId. his description OF the magnificent
manner in which the British Navy on
that occasion distinguished ITSELF was
given lust like dentist or physician,
might explain some technical process In
surgery before a class OF students.
Captain Carpenter wasn't nervous.
But he showed that he Is not accus-
Toned 10 standing before such audiences
as greeted him here. He didn't know
what 10 do with his hands, or MS feet.
But that didn't matter TO the men ana
women that welcomed him They were
ready and waiting for an opportunity
to cheer or applaud, or ever shout.
They applauded and applauded wnen
-Josiah Marvel introduced him. And the
welcome pleased the skipper He smiled
and despite his best efforts at compns
.ure almost laughed. or medium height,
with sharp features and turned up nose,
sattred In a uniform that was not over
-hurdened with gold braid and decora-
Hons and wearing a very low laydown
collar. no one would have accused MN
mad II not been for the officers en-
sigma on his sleeves, that ne was any
thing more than John Smith.
However, Wilmington people mao
been reading about his deeds. They
were glad to see and TO hear. MN. snu
even when he said Dam. the MEM
hers OF the cloth. who were tnere III
large numbers. grinned and chucklea.
One OF the things that Captain Car
penter said that touched q UNIVERSE
chord was hls reference to the rela-
fons of love and sympathy between The
English speaking nations. Only Ihe
ocean he said separated them.
: "If anv man says they are not 10
rether and will continue TO stand with
ZACH other for all time to come.
wouldn't saw he was liar. I'd say ne
vas a dam llar." said the captain.
sAnd when the peace delegates get
torether and begin discussing peace.
snd Won hear some one say. why hear
hat the French are going TO demand
This or that would not say that per
son was a liar. I'd say he was q dan
1iar." .Aa.,os ,he
most friendly relations at the peace
sshle and that everything would be ao.
tusted satisfactory to all. He referred
n the American navy In terms OF al
ro,rstion and said that their co-ope-a-
tion had been splendid. -.
In hsrinnIng his address Captain Gar
~,snter spologzed for not bringing the
iR,,nssratlons OF his narrative win nun
t,,,s negred the Indulgence OF the auol
80 because Of lack OF time. lie Deeab
So telling how the British navy nae
sr-o.,-n what Il had done. ana asserteo
<ss, a was the sea power OF hins
csorqs that had a great lot 70 90 VII
-,,nnsnc the war Just one hlusu slion
so 0on men were transporter OF
-hsns with a loss OF IN o,uvV ,l
I,s story OF The blocking OF tne cana
..,as conclse. There were i56 snips en-
raged In the operation. The eApeul
sson was MANNED for five months snu
.s'bi,a there were some things ABOUT tle
'rsneuver that went wrong, the mayo
nort,ons were well executed anu iiiau0
he lob a complete success
ue toid of the landing OF British sea
.ar and marines In the German uioie'
- the,r canture of the big guns. OF tne
,,,erno ~ shot and shell through which
VERY vessel near the mole was eA-
,osed. Al one time. said Captain Gar
oenter. lieutenant stood on one siuo
y him and petty officer on tne otnef.
poth were shot, the officer throueil
10Th legs and the petty officer through
he arm, The lieutenant refused 10 give
m hut walked around with Duliei
in both legs. and The petty Of
F,oer remained on duty also.
"One time during the light l went
he,oyy IN see how things were coming
an y said the Briton. "The scene below
decks was a shambles. Men dying ana
wounded were laid on every available
spot. The rumor had gotten out tnat
had been killed. When the men saw me
they cheered ! shall never forget IT.
Then l told then what was going on.
They all asked one question, and II was
curious to me at the time. They want
ed to know II we had won, Just as
though II was a baseball game"
Describing the return trip to Dover. |
Captain Carpenter said that his vessel |
was hit so many times that II was i'm
possible to describe the sensations on
The vessel, that either II was because i
3he craft was hit, or the rush Of water
<4rom proiectlles so close by that they
nlEeofed the motion OF the vessel, max
~ q seem as though 1t was moving
1ward In leaps.
u H description OF how the neet was
"A 25l6d At Dover thrilled every hearer.
I Captain said the job was done be-