Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1918-06-29
EVERY SAFEG UAAD
FOR OUR TROOPS
SAILING TO FRANCE
Absolute Secrecy Maintained to
Thwart Hun Spies; Even Trans
ports Name is Unknown to Men.
NOTHING LEFT TO CHANCE

An Atlantic Port. June l7-No greater
carc and secrecy could attend the SNIP
ment of royal Jewels than is observed III
SHINING American troops 10 FRANCE.
To safeguard his bows. ncle sam takes
evcry rossible prccauti n. from the time
tbey embark until the transport has
roacbcd its destination He leaves no
IoophoIc for the Vaccinations oi enemy
agents i,..
Usually. rs result Of this, elaborate
protective system the trip from M
Atlantic Port to the French or tnei'Sh
mort. AS the case may he, Is remarkaplE
,Incycntful All elements "i danger nave
been So carefully anticipated that 'hc
risk Is reduced To the lowest MINIMUM
Until the troops and civilian passengers
have reached the pier they do not know
the name Of their ship II IS only a
number to them On the regular troop
sb,ps il is difficult for CIVILIAN. unless
he is engaged in war work, 10 secure
massage Those who manage to do SO
are subjected 10 close scrutiny. and thcir
credentials and luggage are thoroughly
examined.
Fmbarkation often begins several DAYS
before the transport sails. Al good-hyS
have been SAID before the troops start
for the ship. No relatives or trends
NAV accompany them to the pier. ms
rule applies to the officers rs well as to
the men.
Once aboard. there they remain. no
shore communication hcIng permitted
This regulation imposes no hardship
other than inactivity. nth all troops
have been assigned 10 quarters ana or
ganization has been effected. the men are
left pretty much 10 their own devices
H-TYfN IN
and bags are kept open for soldiers
mail nm to almost the hour Of sailing.
Tins privilege gives many a chance 70
get oil neglected letters and postcards,
although these. as matter OF prccautlon.
arc not nut into the mails until tho ship
has passcd through the submarine zone.
The troops also take advantage ct m
srranremcnt devised by the government
for the sending Of safe arrival messages
Telccrams or postcards advising FANNY
and friends that the writer has made the
trip IN safety may he prepared IN advance
and left IN charge Of the authorities at
the mort Of sailing As soon as word Is
received hv cable Of the ships arrival
on the other side, the kilograms and cards
arc released to the wires and mails
Not onlv. Is much tlmc saved BY thus
plan. hit the soldiers are spared the
high cost oi cabling from Europe.
With tho exception Of tho ship cNccti-
tivc~ and the officers IN military command,
no one aboard knows the hour hXcd tor
sailing. and this becomes . favorlte topic
for SPECULATION among the mon. But
finally the last soldier has come up the
rangplank and the last piece Of freight
has been slowed away 4 busy little
tug appears alongside and begins 70 nose
-.-1l Il Ia TORI
greyhound
Suddenly there is blast from thC
ships whistle. and then are enacted :
lew details Of the familiar scene which
before the war was witnessed whenever
transatlantic liner left It's pier The
COMPARISON, however. is extremely limit
cd The call Of "All ashore that arr
going ashore" affects only q few steve
doHes and perhaps an official or two
vii move leisurely of.
Nhat excitement there is IS confined
To those on the ship There Is none or
thd pier for the reason that Il Is now emp
ty bnd its great doors are closed.
On deck the movement. instead o
being toward the transport rails, Il
away from them Orders have beer
gwen for the troops to 60 10 their quarters
SO that when the ship Is leaving harbo
no uniform may DC visible 10 any p1Nint
eyes on shore
Slowly the big vessel Is coaxed by The
tug into the stream. and majesticall,
she gets under way 4 few civilian
passengers, to the envy of officers ant
men. hang over the rails and watch TIN
city's skyline fade away.
Soon the port Is only blur IN a vel
of mist II Is safe now for the troops 4
appear-they rush out on deck, boyshl
eager for the sight-strange to man!
of the open sea. A glance Is cast towar'
the vague line on the horizon that
home. Then they turn and peer for
ward into the mystery Of the unknown
toward the scene Of the great adventure
over there.