El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1920-11-26
ACROSS
In War Time
LEAVES FROM AN
OVERSEAS NOTEBOOK
%
BY II. ID. Slater.

5liiliHlilallliiu 1ar1l
The Overseas Notebook" contains q
variety OF material gathered by the editoi
Of The Herald n Europe during the wal
ard after. Excsrpts VIII be published h
this column daily during the next several
months Publication Of the Notes be-
gan October =. Today.s instalment con
tlnues The general narrative from the
diary with the story Of crossing in sub
marine time
It IS suggested that readers clip these
articles each day and paste them in scrap
books they VIII not be reprinted and back
numbers cannot be supplied The entire
connected story Is going 90 make mar
! rative not without interest 1t leads I'd
I 10 the battleiines IN France. through the
I period Of action into Luxembourg. into
D Germany and after that through the other
Z eolnlIles OF western i-uropei with intimate
! description and running comment on many
] different phases OF vivid human expert
cnce in surroundings where the romance
I OF history coiors everything and where life
has infinite variety and a deep mysterious
background. It viii be no guide book or
I dry encyclopedias stuff. but Just instant
l Impressions about everything and any
Z thing 1otted down moment by moment
I during 500 days away from America.
| CUNDAY, 2 July 1918, the sea IS ex-
- eeedngly rough, the highest since
we left New York. The ship rolls
a little. In the morning It is clear and
cold, and the sea is blue, with white
caps 1t Is crisp and bracing like win
ter. Later 1t becomes very cold and the
waves are ike Young mountains Of
water; high wind blows crests to
spume, great blows and boiling against
ship, rainboWs in spray; foam pure
turquois blue in dazzling matrix.
An last night the fleet unanswered
and changed course often; at one time
our ship heading west, then north.
probably on a scout.
Now we are entering the zone Of
extreme danger, all guards are in
creased, officers are coached on en-
eTeeney instructions and duties. and
ships crew IS exceedingly alert. Rails
are removed to facilitate launching and
loading hfeboats. Some Of the artil-
lerymen on board are instructed how
70 work the ships quick firing guns
and are detailed as assistants and am
munItlon carriers 10 the seamen gun
ners who stand constantly at the guns.
one each side, with a space guarded
around them SO they shall not be dis
tracted from constant watchfulness.
The gunners polish and rub their
cleaning guns and practice quick /
pointing. Expert riflemen are IN
structed how to blind the periscope of /
a submarine by aiming a little short /
70 make a rieOchet Of the bullet on
the water and splash the lenses. and .
the rlflemen are added TO the guard on I.
watch at The lookout posts around the /.
ship.
The horizon and every wave and I.
trough OF the sea become objects of I
keenesr interest and it is surprising .
how suspicious the tiniest floating OBJ I
Jet or discoloration Of the water be- Z
comes TO men keyed up Ike a Splinter I
waiting for the starters pistol shot I
Not only periscopes but torpedoes .
headed our way are TO be WBtched for
and rIflemen are told how 20 identify /
g torpedo should one appear on the SUP
face. determine Its direction, and en-
deaTor to smash Its steering gear OF I
damage its explosive head mechanism Z
by a well aimed rifle bullet: they are 4
Just how to aim allowing for I
the tOrpedo's speed and direction.
The rlflemen are ordered to let the
ships quick firing gun have the first
shots an in no case to fire first as the
-arget VIII become obscured BY the
iplashes Of the bullets and the quick .
firing gun Is the best reliance after
III. The thought crosses nv mind
hat the slender blond blue eyed rosy
,heeked seaman gunner standing be-
ide our starboard quick firer is at the
moment slngularlv calm and confident
lnder a considerable weight Of respOn-
utility. In any event II is no bust
less OF mine and the sensation Is that
u watching an interesting game at the I
ritical moment.
I note that the watchful gunner /
lever takes his ewes off the boiling {
.cean while he reaches for the tobacco
ack and the packet Of paper and rolls
us own. and be sticks tie cigaret be-
ween his teeth but does not light it,;
he cold cigaret helps to steady him ]
.ecause It links him with n0rmalitv
nd habit, and Just TO feel It in his
mouth Is a relaxation in itself. He
would make a pretty picture as he /
lands there, the embodied spirit Of ]
be word Ready ]
Fog IN afternoon; ram; clear late
Tening. Superb sunset, bright day
till at Q p. m, ships time Sun sets {
ar toward magnetic north; we are 7
caring latitude 60. s
S July 1916-Seas high windy, cold.
lear. At a. m fleet of seven British :
estroyers meets us and accompanies f
he destroyers enclose The convoy with
point and flank guards and one in
EAR.
At II, burial at sea Of man killed IN I
uarrel Saturday. Ceremony unim-
ressive, no formation, little dignity y
moug officers OF men. In midst of i
1rial service one officer loudly re- c
arks: Hell you can't see or hear Z
lything, Pm going down" {
At 1915 the Australian mail boat I v