Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-12-21
.HE admiralty in London was
the central nervous system of
a complicated but perfectly

TeGCutU the ItNuOteSl corners or the
world. Wherever there was port,
whether in South America, Australia
or in the most inaccessible parts of
India or China from which merchant
men sailed to any of the other coun-
tries involved in the war, representa-
tives of the British navy and the Brit
ish government were stationed, all
working tremendously with shipping
men to get their cargoes safely
through the danger zones. The dam
ger zones occupied a comparatively
small area surrounding the bellger-
ent countries, but the safeguarding of
the ships was an elaborate process which
began far back in the countries from
which the commerce started.
Until about July. 1917, the worlds
shipping for the most part had been
unregulated; now for the first time it
was arranged in hard and fast routes
and dispatched in accordance with
schedules as fixed as those of a great
railroad. The whole management of
conveys, indeed, bore many resem-
blances TO the method of handling
freight cars on the American system
OF Unconstitutional lines. In the
United States there are several great
headquarters of freight. sometimes
known as "gateways." places, that is,
at which freight cars are assembled
from a thousand places, and from
winch the great accumulations are
routed to their destinations Such
places are Pittsburgh, Buffalo, ST
Louis. Chicago, Minneapolis, Denver
san F'ranciscO-to mention only few.
shipping destined for the belligerent
nations was similarly assembled in
the years 1917 and 1918, at six or
eight great ocean "gateways." and
there formed into conveys for
through routing" to the British Isles.
france and the Mediterranean. Only x
rev OF the ships that were eXcep-
tlonaliy fast-speed in itself being a
particularly efficacious protection
against submarines-were permitted
to Ignore this routing system ard
dash unprotected through the infested
area.
rms was somewhat dangerous pro-
cedure even for such ships. however.
and they were escorted whenever de-
stroyers were available. All other ves-
sells. from whatever parts of the world
they came. were required to sail first
for one of these great assembling
points. or "gateways": at which places
they were added to one of the con-
stantly forming conveys. Thus all
shipping which normally sailed to
Europe around the Cape OF Good Hope
proceeded up the west coast Of Africa
until 1t reach tide port OF Dakar or
Sierra Leone. where it Joined the con-
voy. Shipping from the east coast of
South America--ports like Rio de ia
metro, Bahia. Buenos Aires and Mon
tevideo-instead Of sailing directly to
Europe. Joined the convoy at this same
African town. Vessels which came to
Britain and Fyance by way Of Suez
and Mediterranean ports, found their
great stopping place at Gibraltar-a
headquarters Of traffic. which, in the
huge amount. Of freight which 1T
created" became almost the Pitts
burgh OF this mammoth transporta-
ton system. The four "gateways" for
North America and the west coast Of
D"oth FhhSiiSd Ncto oyuucy \Sdpc
Breton). Halifax, New York and
Hampton roads. The grain laden mer-
chantmen from the st. Lawrence val.
ley rendezvoused at Sydney and Hall
fax. Vessels from Portland, Boston, q
New York, Philadelphia and other At
iantic points found their assembling
headquarters at New York, while ships
from Baltimore. Norfolk, the Quit Of
Mexico and the west coast Of South
America proceeded to the great con-
voy center which had been established
at Hampton roads.
In the convoy room of the admiralty
these aggregations OF ships were always
referred to as the "Dakar convoy" the
Halifax convoy" the Hampton Roads
convoy" and the like. When the sys-
tenn was completely established the con-
voys sailed from their appointed head
quarters OH regular schedules, like rail-
road trains. From New York one con-
voy departed every sixteen days for the
west coast Of England and one left every
sixteen days for the east coast From
Hampton roads one sailed every eight
days to the west coast and one every
eight days to the east coast, and con-
voys from all the other convoy points