The Washington times., 1919-02-09
BY LIEUT.. WELLS HAWKS.
L. 5. ,. r. #.

u ,. . H. H.
BREST, France. Dec. Is Cby mail.
In the ancient Notifications, whose
walls and battIements rise above the
harbor OF this quaint town OF Brit
tany, dwells the Robinson Cruso OF
the United States navy.
This Robinson Cruso was placed
amid the brown ruins of one OF
Frances most historic forts, and in
stead of wearing the skin of the first
wild goat that crossed his path, he
wears the uniform of a senior lieuten-
ant, United States navy. And it was no
shipwreck which put him there. but
rather the cold and unromantic Of
fetal orders Of his superior, Vice Ad-
miral Henry B. Wilson, L. :. ". COM
handing the United States naval
forces in France.
The officer is Lieut.. John d. Pen
nington, L. S. N, commanding officer
OF what Brest calls The Chateau. -
and which the navy refers. to as
Garcia Barracks"
became Busy Port.
When America entered the war
Brest became the busy port of disem-
baTkation, just as it is now and viii
be the place Of embarkation until the
last soldier and sailor has gone home.
Here the transports have landed their
thousands Of fighting men: here the
navy has operated a great base:
through here have passed all the sea
fighters for the coast Of France, and
these same walls have sheltered the
Survivors Of United States vessels
that were tropedoed.
Early in the war il was evident
that a receiving barracks for enlisted
men OF the navy. situated on the
French coast, would be essential. The
French having offered the chateau,
Lieutenant Pennington was placed in
charge. and with little lcse than his
own resOurcefulness begun to turn
one of the oldest Notifications in.
Brittany into a receiving barracks.
training station, patrol headquarters.
and all that il should be. That he
was Up-to-date in his methods l.. at
tested by the fact that a small store
h'--''.' ''.@ "I .icntll constructed as far
".'s"s 4 modern
up-to-date and electrically driven
..-. Is sailor lingo
49, v...h-- potatoes. ~ the time the
ttai.on was established the yacht
Garcia was used as an auxiliary and
moored near the fort, so the chateau
was given the name of Garcia Bar
racks.
Task Was HercuIean.
When the old buildings, which are
ideal types of the ancient fortified
citadel, many Of the steps being
carved out OF solid rock. was turned
over TO the navy a tas,l arose like a
mountain above those in charge.
But now the entire establishment
can be checked as up-to-datc and
worthy OF comparison with any war
time barracks. Thus. in such anti
quarian and nigh deserted surround
inzS this navy Robinson CrusOc found
himself. and all available man power
being needed in the lighting line "a"
40 .a--I 90 be his own man Friday.
There was water everywhere. but
none In tEc chateau for cleaning aud
fu.Eirr. Tho only thing 10 do was
KotcT OF tho harbor up to
the summit.
&c was at once stretched
from nc Garcia 10 tho chateau. and
- = aea- idea in hydraulics Licuten-
ant Pennington had the yachts pumps
sending steady stream of water up
to that Old fort.
Gave IL ScFubbIDE.
Then with nifty men from ships
based at Brest. the place was cleaned
\ range was borrowed from the hos
pitsi and installed. On February :, /
1918, Garcia Barracks was commits !
stoned. and the working force laid of /
and slept On hard but clean floor.
This naturally emphasized the need !
o. sleeping gear. \ foraGiug party /
located at TIE navy yard q number II (
discarded boiler :ubcs. These were !
cut into proper lengths. and after /
clips had been welded on. -Ingde good !
stanchions. Smaller tubes we're found