The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1919-02-06

mostly on TIC tAugeTs Va ~~'
abroad and the country we came from
our Fourth Of July was very inter.
cs,inr. consisting Of music, shows and
specche. and also furnishing US
srnall bu, very inspiring sight and one
I viii long remember, for our cruiser
which was mile or so IN the lead OF
ms fired a sor, Of salute with one OF
her large guns and then hosted up the
good old Stars and Stripes. The re.
mort from the gun echoed back aio
forth across the water for several
minutes with a sort Of a defiant cha!-
longing rinr TO Z, which indeed maze
ore think Of how futile were Germ ,
any's efforts. for 1T this time we were
GU, where Tripitz's gang used 10 hahg
ou, and we who were out ~here
secrecy should have reigned supreme
were firing off gun which seemed 70
shake the whole world, and with some
thirty or more ships in our convoy.
Having met up with eight other
ships who pu; out from New YORK,
one slight accident occurred TO one OF
our ships which caught fire, making u
necessary for her 10 transfer her car
90 to another ship and to return 70
port. The ship which took up her ioad
l.al;,y a direct course alone and beat
ing US to port by nearly six days ume,
Even though IL might have resul'ea
saricusly we viewed il from pictur-
esque angle and perhaps did not rea-
lie the amount of danger it may nave
contained, considering that 1t happen
ed Just at dark and as we were NOT
, permitted any lights this burning snip
with its long trailing column OF smoke
, furnished us a sight which is seldom
, duplicated. After this slight accident
we were left with but Is ships tmean-
, ing transports only) which number We
, later arrived with in about two days
M the Irish coast. Just at daybreaR
q we had a little excitement, when
speck appeared on the horizon IN ou'
. rear and an hour later a second one
b was visible along side of the hrst
0 Our outfit must have taken II io'
some enemy craft for immediately al
ships turned about in sort OF a oa"i'
d formation, our ship being last oecam'
D first now with all guns trained on IN
: object and the battleship which ha'
n been in the lead was now in the rea
d at the end Of long lane formed o.
n the other transports. After man
IS predictions and about two hours 0
d impatient waiting it was found 70 o
o one Of our destroyers which had ha
n some engine trouble and was iashe
d TO and being towed by transpor
s, she had met. !, =,
If To fully appreciate the thrill
ID such n position you have got 10 o
Y. out there where every shark leap'n
d I'M out of the water looks like sui
h marine and each flying fish ike
or torpedo. We passed a very large shl
ar outside of the English Channel whic
a was sunk some two hours late
st according to reports. At that tin
We she was making full speed with son
h. six destroyers acting as escort, r.
re member remarking at the time tn
ne Fritz wouldn't have much chance
at her. hut il seems / was wrong. IL
NJ a pretty picture to see one OF the
lis large ships pushing her way along
ng a high speed.
ay The most beautiful part Of the e
in tire trip was when we came back fro
ny dinner on the 18th Of July and cou
in family make out a lighthouse in y
n, distance. That was some happy CROW
nd YOU can tell the world. Late that q
ea ternoon a second picture presented
self and one l will long rememo'
un Owing TO the natural and aruhcl
Ill construction Of the Harbor OF Brest
al. was necessary for US to sail IN
i've single file which required little me
&c. than an hours time. 1t was inde
it'll wonderful with these thirteen gre
set big camouAaged Yankee filled tral
on ports in perfect lire led by a bat
old cruiser and fianked by dozen or me
, a small destroyers and with that oe'
,ou tiful rock coast of France for ba'
,ci- ground made it truly wonder
ird sight. We remained aboard snip .
for ~ anchor during the night and as
ne was dark by the time we got ms
mes the harbor we didn't get real g
Inn view of our surroundings until the
,eir lowing morning. 1t was indeed a "
the pretty sight that greeted US on CO
hey ing up, for there on one side lay a l'
nbs rocky hill similar to the fahsa
ned forming r very suitable position 10
Our fort to which purpose it was nnnz
on the opposite lay the docks a !,
ide, loon hangar ard a German pm
lter camp. In the rear Of this was q i
pine winding road leading up over the
II it to the city beyond, the cathedral
;aes ,,.h;nh was visible from our posit