THE CHINA MAIL, JANUARY 26, 1940
News Snack Bar
HOW OUR SHIPS COME HOME
IF YOU FIND IT difficult to cross a road in a black- out, with a torch in your hand and a pavement to keep on, try crossing the Atlantic some time in convoy.
Put your mast headlights and sidelights out, so that the other fellow doesn't even know that your 12,000 tons of dead weight is lumbering its way towards him through the pitch dark.
Try, too, to imagine that within half a mile of you ahead and astern, and some hundred yards on either side of you, are other big ocean tramps, ploughing their way monotonously over the top of the Western Ocean rollers.
"Marianne"
Paris
"AND even if the Blegfried Line is flooded, it is Just so that the English can't go there to dry their men.”
"Mustard Gas
Is Humane "
Mustard gas is the most humane of modern weapons, Dr. Charles C. Dennie told the American Academy of Dermatology and Syphilology in Philadelphia, says British United
Press,
Hardier Than Your Car
British railway companies have placed orders for 300 new engines, all of which will be delivered this year.
We say: These engines should last till 1970, for the average "life" of a
They've always said, those who win their living on deep waters. "Who wouldn't sell a farm and go to sea?" These days they find it even tougher and say it even more Ironically.
Yet somebody has to bring home the wheat and the tea and the sugar and the frozen meat from the far-flung corners of the earth. Somebody has to run the blockade organised by people who-to give 'em their due- are chockful of organising ability.
a
And the boys of the Merchant Navy are just the men to do it.
Never yet have I met a seaman- or an engineer or a steward—who, after a gruelling experience of being torpedoed once, twice, thrice, has ever dreamed of "swallowing the anchor." their picturesque phrase for giving up the sea.
BENSE OF SECURITY
The staff of the Ministry of Health, numbering about 3,000 on Jan- uary 4 began their much discussed move from Acton, London, to their. new quarters in North West England. Photo shows Ministry of Health girls, wearing the new Balaclava hat fashion, all smiles as they left`Lon- don. (Air Mail. Copyright).
It is too far on the horizon‘to see
Last time I was with a crew who, torpedoed off Point Lynas, where the Thetis went down, came back to Liver- pool in a P-boat and sailed again a couple of days later. Why not? Pro- bably you won't be unlucky twice run- ning. (We were, as a matter of fact- we shipped a "tin fish" in 18 degrees West, where the rollers come in heavi- ly and it's cold in the lifeboats).
Being in a convoy gives a man а Torpedoed in convoy? Well, why as they drop the "eggs" in rapid suc- sense of security. But one of the most shouldn't that happen sometimes? cession. nerve-racking jobs for a ship's officer The destroyers can't be everywhere in to be in charge on the bridge on a at once. What they are really there exactly what is happening, but the dark night steering to a prearranged for is to do their best to see that that ships in the rear of the convoy pro- course, yet entirely surrounded by particular U-boat doesn't get a chance bably do a bit of blazing away con other ships-none with a light showing to do it again, and to pick up sur- their own at anything they have seen anywhere. Even lighting a cigarette on vivors as soon as the hall of shot and which resembled the conning tower deck is strictly forbidden, which is do- depth charge is over.
of a submarine (Sometimes, it may be ing those lighters which don't show a flame quite a lot of good!.
That big ugly tramp way out on the confessed, they blaze away when they starboard quarter suddenly lets out haven't seen anything, just because Inside the wheelhouse the quarter- six yelps with her syren. That means gunners standing by a merchant ship's master is steering by compass and it she's been hit. She starts to heel guns for days on end occasionally get is the officer's worry to see he is not over almost immediately, and you can a little bored! And just you try to get approaching too closely to the ship see her crew scrambling Into the life- 'em to confess to that!) ahead or deviating sufficiently to hit boats quickly, for seawater the ship on either side.
on hot bollers usually means a pretty hefty explosion.
At night, everything looks different, It is almost impossible to tell how far be. And all the time you are talking away from you the fellow ahead may down the engine-room speaking-tube
message
A quarter of an hour later the con- voy reforms, the escort ships get back into position and a morse DROPPING THE "EGGS"
flashes round the ships. "Steamer
senting
The convoy scatters quickly, pre-ed up all the crew. Submarine bo- Blank sunk by torpedo. We have pick-
from which the torpedo came, so as
their sterns to the quarters lleved sunk." **
A LETTER TO ADA
passenger engine is thirty years. And "Put her up three revs, Mac." or toʻgive little broadside aim for another And the convoy, goes on its appoint-
by that time replacements have been so numerous that there is little of the original engine left.
P.O. On Track of
Secret Radio
Post Office experts expect to trace quickly a secret station which has been broadcasting "don't fight” pro- paganda...
“Action will be t
taken transmitter is- illicit, or
Licence is isstamil
Sweet
whether
"Slacken her down Afteen."
hope it's daytime, for it makes it a there is a rapid hall of shell fire puc
When you get torpedoed, you always over to the starboard quarter and one as possible. The destroyers dash
lot easier,
tuated by the boom of depth charges
below and adds a few lines to a letter while every, apprentice lact gols down. ed way, steadily ploughing onwartis,
he has been writing all the trip back. -- "Dear, Ada," it goes, "We sank a submarine this morning with the now gun they fitted on our poop at Gibral- tar. I hope to get some leave when we get back and will come to see you as soon as I can.
While the men on the big tramp who will probably have bee transferred-to-one of the convvy ships, because quarters of a destroyer are crowded and uncomfortable, and food a little short if you suddenly, add386 or 40 men to tite personnel will won- der what's going to happen #hout the Hear they have lost when their abi
if the "Admira
he torpedő
to every