The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1918-12-24

feet that most of the destroyer,
would shortly return to the States
Though there is no substantial reason
for believing this, do nevertheless
tho have vague presentiment that
| shall not be at home for while yet
However, please don't let my imagin.
ings disturb you. If do come bach
on the Stevens, it will be at the head
of the destroyer force, for our cap.
tain is senior destroyer captain here
| should take considerable pride in
that.
Since the armistice was signed, we
have been lying in the harbor here
doing "just nothing at ALI. Then
the c. in c. here, Com. in Chief,
Queenstown granted to the Stevens,
Downes, Balch, and Duncan, liberty
to visit Belfast for four days, and
Holyhead, "a little port in Wales) for
four days. We left here on the 18th
and struck out up the southern coast
of Ireland at a leisurely pace with all
the lights burning FIRST time
the Stevens has ever burned lights
when not in an harbor behind sub
marine nets.
Arriving in Belfast the following
morning, liberty was given to as many
of the crew as possible and to all Of
ficers except the one having the days
duty, and the American Navy had full
possession of Belfast the remainer of
the time we were there. fully en-
joyed every day, for Belfast is more
like an American city than any have
yet seen over here. mad the people
most hospitable. There were num-
erous invitations to dinners, teas, etc.
On the first day followed the
beagles with Callaghan at the the in
vitation Of a Major Leathe, but saw
only one hare the whole afternoon,
tho we walked and ran fully ten or
twelve miles cross-country. was
not nearly so stiff the following morn
ing as expected to be.
Belfast is famous for her large
yards and linen mills;
the Titanic, Brittanic and nearly all
the White Star Liners were built
there. On the 10th, (my birthday,
tho | did not remember it at the time)
our officers were shown thru the
yards of workman, Clark and Co. Ltd,
and the same day taken thru the
Henry Matter Linen Mills. Both
trips were extremely interesting.
Rode thru the business section Of
town and noted the similarity to the
business houses of one of our Middle
Western cities.
Knowing that there is nothing at
all in Holyhead from having been
there twice before, got permission
to go to Liverpool for a day-that
was all the time ! could get, or |
should have gone to London.
| have grown so accustomed to
things English by this time that I'm
afraid that | shall not think to write
you of customs one notices when he
first arrives. have never become
used to these trains with their LIST,
2nd and 3rd class compartments, and
the funny little coaches and engines.
The service is rotten because of the
war. they say.
My appointment as Junior Lieut..
came over today from the flagship
when we arrived, and was given
fitting welcome by me.
To have been as near as | was to
the place of surrender of the sub
marines and Of the German Fleet ana
not to have seen either will always
remain a great disappointment to me.
1t must have been a great sight in
deed, something which happens only
once in a century.
From time to time | intend to
write you Of things have seen and !
done over here, reserving the most !
choice tales that you may hear them
from my own lips. must close for
this time for haven't written a let |
ter since we were in here last time,
and lowe" several. | promise that |
you'll hear real soon.
am glad that Grandpa is still as
well as could be expected. My love |
10 him and tell him think of him |
real often, especially in connection
with those rides of Sept. 1917
With lots and lots of love, from
Your son and your brother,
Lucien NJ. Grant"