The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1919-09-18
B0CHE SKIPPER'S
POOR SPELLING
HIS UNDO|NC
Exciting Incident in the Life of a
: Raider Patrol of British
Navy.
SINKING OF The TUaRlTELLA
Germans Nearly Fooled the English but
Were Betrayed When They Spelled
Alden With a "T"-Destroysd
the Vessel ThemseIves.s

London.-Little by little the worlt
is learning some of the romance an(
excitement that at times punctuateC
the rather prosaic lives of the men wht
patrolled the seas and kept the ocear
Traffic lanes open for allied shipping
The dangers that lurked in the Arabian
seas and Indian ocean have been
known in general way from the too
frequent admiralty reports of ships
sunk there by submarines and raiders.
An episode in the life of raider pa
troll is told by correspondent of the
London Times, as follows:
AT the beginning of March, 1917, l
was in II. M. S. on the Alden
patrol-a dull job, as all patrolling
jobs are But we did not pretend to
/ be pining for the more thrilling occu-
patton of searching for the German
raider Wolf. Her guns could outrange
the guns of our little ship, so effectual-
~, that, had we met her, we should
probably have been blown out of the
sea before we could put a shot any
where near her, and, frankly, we had
~ SfNot dCSii Z " meet H6E.
About 10 o'clock one evening a sig
mailman appeared at the wardroom
door with a message from the bridge,
"from the officer of the watch, sir.
Ship on the starboard bow showing no
lights
Probably an old tramp scared out
of his wits by these yarns about the
Wolf" suggested someone.
"All these merchantmen are going
about without lights nowadays"
The captain and the navigator went
up to the bridge, where they were
Joined by the first lieutenant.
The moon was nearly full, casting a
white track across the dark blue car
pet of the sea. 1t was the kind of
night that brings back memories of a
Thames regatta, of lounging in we'll
cushioned punt, and listening to good
band. To connect such a night with
German raiders, guns, mines and tor
)edoes was quite Impossible; the whole
setting was entirely wrong
The mysterious ship was now two
points on our port bow, and about
hree miles ahead. A thick volume of
moke pouring from her funnel sug-
tested that she was in a hurry, or, at
III events, was not disposed to be So
liable with US. We had been ambling {
long comfortably at eight knots; the {
rider was given to increase to ten.
he shutter of our signal lamp began
D rattle. !
''What ship is that?" {
Claimed British Registry.
The signalman had to repeat the :
lestion twice before he evoked an q
lsWer. :.
"Toritella," was the belated reply.
"What nationality" we asked 10
'omptly. fl
British" was the answer.
"What are your signal letters?" was Fl,
II next question.
81. f. X. L." came the answer.
We hunted up the name in LlOyd's
It, but without success. III
care you sure you have got his lor
me right, signalman? Ask him III
aim"
what is your name?" asked the
tient signalman. This time the mys- tn,
'ious stranger expanded volubly. tn,
Turritella, London. Runs for Brit hil
admiralty, Port Said for ORDERS"
What manner of ship was this who ma
elled her name at one time with an str
md one r, and at another time with
V