davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1918-01-13

yacht one day soon after we had left
port, and 1 asked another officer
what the commodore generally did at
such a time
run for it." he answered lightly.
"The sub or homer" 1 asked. trying
to be funny, and in the laugh that
followed we almost forgot the lurk-
ing danger.
orders were quickly sent out to the
ships TO turn back, and 'H. NJ. s. No.
Q" set a good example. 1t hurt TO run
from the German, but there was moth
ing else to do. And I soon found my.
self scanning the water for a peri
scope. None OF the men exhibited
rany real fear. but l well remember
the furtive glances cast out over the
sea in all directions by everyone on
deck as our vessel steamed back TO
port with all the speed she and her
slower consorts could command.
personally recall taking AM extra
glance at the lifeboats to make sure
that they, too. were not dummies. and
felt relieved to note their solid ap-
pearance.
For German U-boats or raiders were
not our choice for boon companions
on the high seas, or even chance ac-
quaintancss, with our wooden guns,
lack OF armor and zero powers OF
defense. And from the high command
down to the humblest sailor, am sure
none OF US were anxious to get into
q fight that would not be a fight
after ALL although there were none
who would not have velcomed'a brush
on equal terms, could we have found
a German squadron as lightly armed
as we.
Many times during the seven
months in which ] served on the
Dummy Fleet we had submarine
alarms from the scout, but never a
closer call. thanks to the activity OF
the chasers along shore. Often, after
returning to port. we heard that the
motor-boat boys had bagged the sub
marine, but, according to the policy
of the admiralty, these Incidents new
er found their way into the news
papers.
But some Of our movements were
The Washington times., 1918-01-13
The camou-

floating kultur, and were unwilling tc
press the question for fear 1t might b
1npleasantly refuted. For them 1t wa,
an easy victory. and to us not a verS
serious defeat: and the prospect Of a
closer acquaintance with our nag evi-
IDENTIFY did not appeal to them, especi-
ally after'an exchange OF courtesies with
David Beatty.
In the battle of DoEgerbank we did
not take q very heroic part, so our
deeds were not included in the ad-
miralty report OF the engagement.
In fact, we ourselves did not learn
OF our participation until afterward.
And, needless to say, we all felt very
proud, and tried to feel like real vic
tors. but the earmarks OF victory
were lacking. We had not a single
honorable scar to show for our serv-
Ices to king and country.
For Ii took the admiralty experts
themselves to discover what we really
did in the spanking OF German's prize
squadron. David Beatty's famous
squadron OF battle cruisers, led by the
Lion. at that time the last word in
naval achievement. was inside Har.
wich or thereabouts, and not dis
cernible to scouts in or over the
@NcA Nh Ao-o- hC-~ llCGL AA
maneuvering about one hundred miles
north OF that point, in easy view, and
experts deduce that the German
scouts saw US and reported the way
clear for another raid on the English
coast.
And when the Germans came out
bent upon the manly pastime OF
shooting from their iron ships into
the wooden houses OF women and
children, Beatty appeared at uncom-
fortably close quarters and offered
them n better sport. But for this
they seemed to have little relish. And
in the running fight that followed.
the Blucher made port in Davy Jones
locker before the discounted visitors
reached their mine fields. That was
the last experiment at raiding the
English coast. This particular ap-
plication OF kultur had become un-
profitable, and the Germans never
knew that wooden warships helped
make II so, or they would have added
new stanza to the Hymn Of Hate
and rescued US from the oblivion to
which we were consigned.
One of Dummies on Nantucket.
Two OF our Dummies. however, at
tained world notice, and even then
nobody guessed that they were not
real ironclads of frst-class speed and
power One of our number was os-
The Washington times., 1918-01-13

crew. On the aft deck he. stopped
and turned to the group of officers
behind him, addressing our commo-
dore.
"whst ship do you represent, sir?''
he asked quickly.
The Ajax, sir" replied Haddock.
Then that boat doesn't belong
there, sir" returned JeIlicoe. pointing
to a small skiff suspended amidships.
In some embarrassment, the COM
modore ordered it removed Immediate
ly. Jellieoe, however, turned his at
tention elsewhere, as though the Incl
dent which displayed his marvellous
familiarity with every ship in his
fleet were already dismissed and for
gotten. In the same businesslike e
manner he expressed approval of the
Dummy as a whole. and departed. We
never saw the grand admiral after
that, but We felt his dynamic presence
in the alertness and energy which
marked the activities OF the grand
fleet
Our cruises oftenGarried us nosing
In and out along the coast OF Great
Britain, as IL we were Stimulating an
Ambuscade, or seeking to be as Incon-
spicuous as possible for some other
reason. But sometimes We steamed
out In line OF battle, ana II was an
imposing show of lighting strength
We made. Standing on the aft deck
of the flagship IL was difficult to re-
press a feeling of power and exulta-
tion at the sight, as IL we were the
real rulers OF the seas. One could
hardly realize that re were the most
harmless ships ahoat in those troubled
times and that the effective weapons
aboard the leader OF the battleI1ine
consisted OF two toy rifles which their
owners kept for sea birds:
Had to Trust to Luck.
We are not given destroyers like
other squadrons to ward of subma-
rine attacks. We had to trust to luck
chiefly in that particular. But when
ever we put TO sea fast steam
yacht always went ahead 10 scout for
US, and TO the vigilance of her crew
we all. doubtless. owe our lives.
"Submarines!" reported the scouting
The Washington times., 1918-01-13

reported in Berlin. although oul
identity or fraudulent appearance wa'
not known or disclosed. German Of
ficIal communicates. containing only
victories and sops to German naional
vanity. have become proyerbial fol
their usual manipulation of facts &c
these ends. So, when the German
admiralty frequently announced dur
ing the SKINNER OF 1918: -Our naval
scouts sighted a squadron OF British
warships which fled at our approach
the neutral world, well knowing
British naval traditions, smiled al
Teutonic simplicity. This tale was
regarded as merely one OF the many
circulated by official Germany for
home consumption. afrecognized part
OF the political program.
But II was probably true. although
the Germans themselves knew no
more than the rest OF the world, that
those British vessels declined battle
because they couldn't fght. and were
''warships" only to the eye. We on
the Dummy Fleet felt amply justified
In our rough handling OF the naval
tradition for reasons more obvious to
ourselves than to the Germans. Cur
commodore undoubtedly had orders 10
that effect. For when we saw smoke
on the horizon. we took M chances,
and went about our business with
"full steam ahead"
Not Sole Reason
But this WEAKNESS on our part was
not the sole reason why we had no
exciting chases or hairbreadth es-
capes from hostile squadrons. The
Germans themselves, for all their real
guns and fast ships. evidently did not
feel comfortable out in the North sea.
the domain OF the grand fleet. At
least they were content to let us with
draw at our best speed. which was
only half their own, IL indeed. the un-
known smoke from whicE we always
fed was sometimes they. No doubt
they enjoyed the belief that one OF
finest squadrons (for so we
seemed) was afraid TO face their
The Washington times., 1918-01-13
PUTS PEACE UP TO GERMANS

PETR0GRAD, Jan. 13.-Nico-
lai Lenine, of the Russian Boil
shevih government, formally
praised President Wilson's
speech yesterday on receiving a
full copy Of that measure. He
found fault, however, with the
Presidents failure to criticise
England as eoncretely as Ger
many.
Lenine ordered that the Presi-
dents speech be sent at once to
TrOtsky by telegraph to Brest-
Litovsk.
The Washington times., 1918-01-13
eide Squadron Greatest Naval Fake in the Whole Var
"CRUZSER" STOOD
OFF NANTUCKET:
CAUSED PROTEST

go GfshF eAAaeD9FtS SO SgDDe1
shtDs Easds ~ essseFS MefstsgEsEeoa
. basJ sce1Re - WRs 6tFJ8E 0ssss
opsrst1eas GfaG GtS BNNlpy, - n.
- >, No f4,~ 0sSt - ORss bsss o.
haFioa, - ~ foEAEsos Iase, 49,
sunk ~ . ssSNsFsss
Ha11s SseaassfsL
Several submagfnS Fal6s were n,oFO
or less Suee,ssfgi among ne IarsO
NUMBER Of ships ssssnbied there. aaA
the enemy announced the sinking Of
several British mea-of-war, alf e
which our war offIee admitted save
one. ThatswaJ the Dummy, the IasG
Of the old scareerows, ana its Ioss
caused no gray hairs At the admire
atty. She was serving a. q mall car
rier to the men Of the aset. and was
sunk well back Of the scene Of opora-
tions. Everybody there knew she Va
q fake, couldn't help knowing Il, when
word came that her biz guns and tur-
rets were floating fof days near the
spot where she went down. But the
submarine. had gone with Its glory,
and the enemy rsJoiced. although We
did not mourn. Her crew was saved,
but the mail she carried went down
with her. II was the only actual loss.
the men missed their letters from
home, but the floating guns furnishsa
them with joke that compensated
In part at least. -
Tiny submarines belonging 70 tha
italian navy attracted wide tnteroot
during those drst few days In the
Neriterr1nean- How effective thsY
were I do not know but they csF.
tainIy behaved we'll In the water.
from their small size and crews OF
from one to three men. they became
known as the ''fiivvsr-subsL"
When the British troops raads their
landing At Gallipoll. I was an eyswit-
ness from the deck OF the Olympic. I
shall never forget the sigPt OF those
lion-hearted boys charging scross the
open breach swept BY a nurderous
hre from Turkish machine guns.
Whole battalions fell In lines. but
their comrades went on and came to
grips with the enemy. 1t turned ones
heart sick to see the fine tads we had
learned to admire while they were our
passengers, struggling and dying like
nies on that beach a mile away.
turned my back a. Jaw others
essay the tall cliffs bev nd. with
Turkish rinemen and machine gun
uers on every ledge above them. But
behind kept up the advance.
until they planted their COZ afry's nag
on the topmost heights- We could
hear their cheers family. sdd we an
swered with hearts heavy for the
heaps Of writhing bodies upon the
beach between
Uneovere6 ~ Press.
But these are weIl-knoWn events Of
the world war. Every phase Of that N
fated GaIlipoH expedition to relieve the
Muscovite has been uncovered by press
or Government inquiry.
save the incident OF the noating 'tnrrsts
u the Dummy. This. Ike every other
part Of the history. Of the special servieS
squadron Of fake warships. - known
only to the. inner shrine Of British ship
ping circles. The romance Of the Dunn
my feet Is q secret that has been lost
IN the rapid succession Of momentoug
events and enterprises that make up the
war on land and sea With The possible
exception Of a vague. half imaginary
-umor. even the British public has
Known nothing Of Il even yet.
Copyright. 19ls. by Wheeler Syndicass.
Incl .f.
The Washington times., 1918-01-13
B0LSHEVIKl TO STAND
BY FIRST PEACE TERMS;
BERLIN MAY CHANGE HERS

AMSTERDAM, Jan. lathe Bolshe
vik envoys at Brest-Litvosk will stand
upon the peace terms previously an.
uOunced. according To a dispatch from
Copenhagen.
Germany is expected to present new
terms.
Following the decision to renew the
parley at BTest-Litovsk, both the Rus
sian and German delegations went in.
to separate caucuses to discuss the
new trend the negotiations are TAX
ing.
German officers on the eastern
front have issued orders against fra
ternization, evidently fearing the in
nuence OF the Bolsheviki upon the
German soldiers.
The Washington times., 1918-01-13

Instead Of Lime or Ammonia let The
boy put some nerve and tissue build
Ing iron in your drink. Costs moth
ing extra Everybody needs iron IT'S
Nv The thirty-year famous "A-I-M'
trademark, Of one OF the largest
Chemical corporations Absolutely
harmless.-AdVt-
The Washington times., 1918-01-13
Nv LOWELL MELLETT.
Iited Pres. staff corre.psns.ut.

United Press staff Correspondent.
LONDON. Jan. l3.-Trotsky has put
the next move up to Germany. Dis
patches Offering through from Brest-
Litovsk. indicate that the Russians
have out-maneuvered the trusted dip
Iomatic experts of Germany's mill
tarism and put up to them the onus
of continuing or breaking off the
peace negotiations.
Trotsky formally notified the peace
conference Friday. dispatches said.
that rather than have the whole
peace discussion terminated. because
OF Germany's technical objections
the Russians would withdraw their
demand for transfer of the delibera-
tion to Stockholm. and agree to con-
tinuation at Brest-Litovsk.
ArnIstIee Extended
PetroErad dispatches today an
nounced that the armistice heretofore
signed had been extended by mutual
agreement for another month
'This will give the Bolsheviki an
other thirty days in which to prepare
for possible resumption OF the war
and those preparations are going on
apAce.
In the meantime there are indica-
tions the Russians have great hopes
that Germany will be forced by pres
sure of her liberal elements to make
sweeping concessions on the peace
terms heretofore announced.
That hope was not shared here to-
day, but the Russian efforts to reach
the German masses were regarded as
being directly in line with the allies
political offensive led by President
Wilson, to convince the plain people
OF Germany that the rule of their
military masters was toward ruin.
P1neIpIes UnehsnEed.
The Russian delegates. under Trot-
skys leadership. have notified the
Germans OF their unchanging Ad-
herence to the Russian principles as
previously announced. This would
seem to leave &c Germany, either af
frmation OF the previous German
terms with their Rnnexationist
schemes craftily covered-or advance
ment OF concessions.
The Washington times., 1918-01-13

tile efforts TO halt this fraternizing
and to stop the flooding of the Ger
man trenches with liberal propaganda.
The Washington times., 1918-01-13
Principles Unchanged.
PETR0GRAD QUIET AS
RUSSIA PREPARES TO
FIGHT FOES AGAIN
ny JOSEPH sHAPLEN.
United Prsss Special CorresRendent.

PETROGRAD, Jan. l3.-Petrograd
Is quiet while revolutionary Russia
prepares once again to fight.
1t Is not to be mistaken that the
The Washington times., 1918-01-13
Had Assigned Anchorage.

At the base of the Grand Fleet we
had an assigned anchorage, and In the
great panorama OF gray fighting mon.
sters. eternally belchIng forth clouds
Of smoke. we felt like the frauds We
really were. But even here the dunn.
mics held their own, so perfect was
their disguise. From our deck the
other ships OF the squadron looked
like fit comrades for the real fight
ers famed for speed and power.
The grand admiral OF the British
navy on board q dummy flagship
sounds like German satire. but II was
q fact for a short time on one occa-
sion. When we learned that Sir John
Jellicoe was coming with his steel
marvel OF q flagship to inspect our
poor, benighted dummy. we grinned
at each other sheepishly. But we
were eager TO make a good showing.
because we had heard that Jellicoe
objected to the dummies, when pro
posed, asserting that good men could
not be found to man them. We
thought IL a good chance to show
him his mistake, as we were sure
he was wrong.
In our preparations for the visit,
we had very little steel or brass to
shine, so We tidied up the old hull as
best we could and waited for the sig.
nal The entire crew was drawn up
at attention on deck when the ad-
mirars launch touched at our COM
psnionway. A second later Sir John
Jellico bounded lightly up the steps
followed by members of his staff. He
Is small man, despite his deceptive
pictures about the size they say Lord
Nelson wGs-dapper. quick in his
actions. the very embodiment OF alert
ness and energy. He seemed to take
In -eVerythIng with his restless eye, as
he passed before the ranks. OF the
The Washington times., 1918-01-13

EDITORS NOTE-The officer of
= Royal Novdl Reserve from tchon!
is information IUds secured, dHf
lose RGnts for obvious reasons cGai-
q be used, has made affidavit (ToiU
our possessioR) that this story IS
'rreet IN every detail. In addition
, British admiralty has consented
+ tie publication of the storg Of the
Emmy fleet.
The Washington times., 1918-01-13

Bolsheviki will rule new Russla-but
the future cannot now be foretold.
Today IT seemed likely that the
/ Trotsky-LenIne government would
join with the social revolutionarIes
OF the left in a jcint congress.
which would include in its elements
the workmens and soldiers congress
scheduled for January %, and the
Pan Russian congress OF peasants,
scheduled for January %.
Such q joint congress would auto
matically eNtInguIsh the constituent
Hssembly-and be equally represen-
tatiye OF all Russia.
UkFaInIa FaVOrs BoIsheVIkL
Word today was that the Ukrainia
situation was adjusting itself. Dele
gates to the Russian congress
OF workmen, soldiers, and peasants
declared that the Ukrainian' peasAntry
and proletarIat were repudiating the
Rada and favored the rule OF the peo-
pies commissiarles-the Bolsheviki
government.
General Kaledine and his Cossacks
still appeared to be In control. with
strong armed forces along the Don.
AAN OhlS h6hhAub ItpOINSu Noudy
was that by which the BolsheYiki
captured Snovsksya and Semenovka,
south OF Novozitkova. Dispatches
from Kieff declared that opposition
to the Central Rada was increasing.
Here in the capital the food situa-
ton is distinctly improved-and in
the face OF predictions of famine
The orderly general air OF the city
is In distinct opposition to the eN-
tensive preparations which the Boil
sheviki are apparently making for
war against Germany.
No Attack Expected
Every official. however, Is convinc-
ed that no German troops will at
tack on the Russian front. They
base this belief on the success of the
Russian fraternaI miugling with
their erstwhiIe enemies. German
officers have made desperate but fu-
The Washington times., 1918-01-13
Utmost Secrecy Of Movements.

Destination unknown" is aivayS
exciting, and with men in most
branches Of the service It happens
but seldom; with US, however. II WAS
the constant state. We never knew
where We were going when we
steamed out Of port, or where We
were on the sea when out OF sight Of
familiar landmarks on shore. Like
other squadrons Of the British navy
we were continually Joining and
quitting the grand feet. where il Law
at its base ready TO dash to sea at
any moment.
1t was the men OF the grand fleet
who named us "the suicide sQuadrop:" :"
to them IL was no small thing to
venture out upon the sea unarmed
and defenseless in the Earb OF the
submarines' legitimate prey. Some
times. upon quitting the main feet,
We left one or more OF our own
squadron and brought out an equal
number OF the real boys" exactly
like them During the cruise they
would leave US to go on some busi-
ness that was none OF ours, and we
would return without them for our
dummy pals in port.
The Washington times., 1918-01-13
Knew Precious Little.

lndeed there was small chance OF
the ruse being discovered, as we our
selves knew precious little Of the
schemes OF the squadron in their en-
tirety. During my yhole term of serv-
ice, never learned what vessels the
other dummies represented. and In
wartime curiosity Is regarded as un-
befittIng. Both officers and men were
almost prisoners, being allowed shore
leave only at the little home port,
where no one was allowed outside the
reservation.
1t was a tiny town Of exactly ten
houses, all inhabited by McKenzIes,
and there was a little hundred-year-
old cemetery at the foot OF the hill
full of previous McKenzies. Our
neighbors were good, honest Scotch
folk, with countless little provincial
isms that afforded us many a good
laugh among ourselves. They
seemed to possess an optimism about
their weather that was the marvel of
even our hardened tars. For, though
II might be raining 'cats and dogs"
they would greet US on the street with
q CHEEKY "Foine marnin'," and in time
we learned to assent without DEBATE.
The Washington times., 1918-01-13
DUMMY FLEET OF
lWOODFOOLEDFOE
| FOR MANYMONTHS

struggle, and became the leader OF
British impostors to frighten her
former cOnsorts off the seas - '-'r'
The Dummies were an Irish Joke"
according to our chef, who haile6
from Belfast, where the ships had
been fitted out in garb of war And
IL seemed that the Celtic port Of
ficials there were proud OF us, for
they continued to send Us our sup
plies in spite OF the distance A
small fast boat used to make the
trip through the Irish sea, English
Channel and North sea every menth
20 bring us what we needed for sue
cess in our task Of tricking the Ten
ton.
The Washington times., 1918-01-13
Old Liners RenodsIed.

{ fAntiquated merchantmen Of about
tsqD3 tons burthen, unfit for sea traf-
10 - ordinary times, were the ma
terra. out OF which the admiralty
plstructed this squadron of make
pclIe7e warships. Some OF the old
tuoe had been in the Canadian Pa
elele service prior to 1914, carrying
rtr1-claSs passengers across the At
fstlc such as the Montezuma, Non
tenirIe, Aontroyal, and Montrose.
ne flagship, however, was a bet
~ lpttom than the others. The
fsp4'ehl part OF her history was that
- as q German boak and In her
Jays had been q pioneer in the
= 1lsAfs merehant maFine. known I'm
erS important port IN the world
u1 to the war the Prineessin
had been serving Germany in
edterrsneaR trade; and among
Eieissitudes which overtake men
ships alike In war, she was cap
caring the arst week OF the
The Washington times., 1918-01-13
Rigid System Prevailed.

u
our only immunity.
The men had to drill with life
boats and race with the crews of
other ships when IN port. And at
specified intervals we all had to effect
landing on a supposedly hostile
shore and charge up a hill in a life
belt and collar; and learned by ex-
perience how steep are someNof those
picturesque hills OF bonny Scotland.
Encountered with the heavy equip
ment, we fat fellows had a tough
time OF ii, always reaching the top
too jaded to hurt a toad and too
late to serve even as re-enforcements
to our comrades.
In the admiralty classification we
were not allowed the names of the
vessels we duplicated. Our ships
, were known as His Majesty Ship No.
L. ?, ,, 4. and so on. there being
fourteen OF them in all.
Commodore Haddock, who COM
manded the squadron. had been for
years a captain on the White Star
liner Olympic before the war. He
has since. been appointed aide-de-
camp to the King. He was assisted
by both merchantmen and naval Of
hcers, the latter directing the maneu-
vers OF the squadron. They were
magnificent seamen, keen and quiet
when on duty, but they possessed the
most marvellous store Of oaths have
ever heard. They could make the best
talent in the merchant feet sound
like novices, and their ACCOMPLISH
ments were the admiration and de-
spair Of all on board who were NOT
recipients OF their epithetS