The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-01-20
5000 HEROES, MANY
WOUNDED, ARRIVE
Admiral Strauss Tells of Lay
ing 10000 Mines for End
ing U-BOats' Careers.
AvIATORS TALK OF GLORY
Three Transports and Hospital
Ship Comfort Bring Men
From France.

Three transports ana the hospltai sh'P
Comfort, with nearly 5000 soldiers and
sailors and no. less than 1000 war
stories, arrived yesterday and kept the
welcoming forces OF the Mayors COM
mittee on the jump from early morning
until sunset.
The White Star liner Lapland, from
Liverpool and Brest, brought the largest
contingent. 2,065. made up chiefly OF
men Of casual companies from base hos
: pitfalls in France and England. and the
entire Hath Trench Mortar Battery, on
their way for Camp Beauregard. Loulsi-
ana, which did not reach the firing line.
In the casual companies nearly every
State was represented and there were
more than fifty officers OF the American
aviation forces.
Tempests that delayed the liner more
than two days contributed to the death
of Capt. John r. buckingham of the
Ordnance Department, who had been
seriously III with stomach trouble, and
died in midsea on Wednesday. The
Captain was once private secretary TO
Col. Clarence w. Watson, former United
States Senator from West Virginia. who
also was a passenger.
Rear Admiral Joseph Strauss who
has been thirty-seven years at sea and
yet completed yesterday only his third
trip aboard a liner, the Lapland, told
of his gigantic work In laying 245 miles
of mines In the North Sea to paralyze
the German submarine efforts. He IL
confident that the mine field, twenty
miles wide. completed before the armis-
tice came accounted for many undersea
pirates.
Sank Many Submarines.
I'VE began to take toll from the Hun
long before the armistiCe," he said,
and we have positive information that
many submarines were destroyed. Our
fleet consisted of the Black Hawk.
eleven steamships OF between 5000 and
5000 tons each, four ocean tugs, sew
eral tenders and force of 1000 men.
The British contributed three ships,
We laid 10000 mines and at one time
broke the worlds record by laying $500
in four hours. This is more than
hitherto had been planted in the entire
war We had perfected plans to lay
a complete mine barrier in the Mediter-
Eanean when hostilities ceased"
Admiral Strauss said his task was at
one time seriously threatened by an
epidemic of influenza that carried of
thousands of people in England. His
surgeons took charge and by the use
OF gas masks and the isolation of
patients the 1000 men of the feet were
almost exempt, only two fatal cases
occurring.
Commander William Glassford. who
was in charge OF the American destroyer
Shaw on October Q when she was
rammed by the Cunarder AQuitania, also
was among the arrivals. The Shaw s
steering gear jammed and Commander
Glassford was confronted with the alter
native Of rammng the Cunarder.
thronged with American troops. or sac
Tificing the Shaw. He permitted the
great AK prov of the Aquitania to
cleave the destroyer just abaft the
bridge.
Rammed Destroyer Is Repaired.
The Shaw was held up by other de-
stroyerS and made port. Commander
G!assford said the Shaw Was nearly
whole again and If he had not been
called home to take a new assignment
he wou.d have been delighted to bring
her back into an American port.
Lieut. Godfrey Edgar Duveen OF the
British navy. son OF the art dealer,
Henry ]. Duveen. who died last Tues
day, was a passenger by the l.apland.
He did not learn of his fathers death
until the Lapland arrived in Quarantine
yesterday morning He was aboard the
light cruiser Caesandra in the Baltic
Wnen Sne WAS plbNn ny pN n uEllAllls
mine on December and was among
several who were injured and got sick
leave.
Sir Charles c. Allom, yachtsman and
all-round sportsman. head of the Cos
port Aircraft Company. with a strong
ambition to cross the Atlantic in flying
boat, said that II the British Government
had permitted him to use an aircraft
engine that had been developed. the At
No. haA fott,
times before this. He gave no details OF
the marvellous engine. He said that his
company was building the largest fyine
boat in the world, and that il was logica
that this sort OF a boat should make the
transatlantic trip.
This boat, Sir Charles said. could make
the trip and return at an economical
speed OF seventy-flve miles an hour Il
necessary. While II would be sports
mans game to cross by airplane at high
speed. ii would be the flying boat tina
would be selected to make the voyage
complete success. fHe said he believed
no crossing would be made before mex
year.
Plans to Promote Water sports.
Sir Charles, who is the head OF IN,
Boat Racing Association Of England
said that this organization and th'
Yacht Racing Association OF England
would meet on January "a and make al
effort TO consolidate their interests I,
promote water sports There also will
be an attempt to bring about join
measurement rules between American
and English yachting organizations t,
promote international sport.
Wounded men of the Twenty-sevent,
Division aboard the Lapland had heart
rumors of Major-ien. Organ acting al
stretcher bearer in an eme ncy jus
before the breaking of the Iiindenbur,
line, Private J. j. Sherine OF the lO5tl
Infantry said he believed the reports
although he knew nothing PERSONAL,
about the incident. He was knocked gu
by mustard gas and had since been IL
hospitals.
Private Richard j. HOLMAN OF the lO2,
Engineers. living in The Bronx will
have the Joy OF receiving the ereetin,
of a baby born last July. He say
Gen. Organ on October In tear
watching the burial OF hundreds Of hi
men of the I06th Infantry. Holihal
was one of a large burying detail tina
laid the boys away, and the Rev Fathe
Kelly of Albany, headquarters chaplain
read the services.
Private Samuel Mcpherson. another q
Gen. Organs men, OF ass Hudson street
Brooklyn, lost his left arm I'm Flander
on August 81. but was cheerful, singing
with the other musical talent as the line
came up the river. Hail. hail, tn
gangs all here!
Capt. Clifford Il. Harmon, the frs
aviator who flew over Long Islam
sound holding lirenSe M & baI hoo