Friday,

HONGKONG TELEGRAPH

March 1, 1940.

Another Article by Somerset Maugham on the War Effort of France In which he Tells of the Splendid Work of the French Navy

by SOMERSET MAUGHAM

The

SPIRIT

of

the

NAVY

I SUPPOSE every of their passage of the Chan- Frenchman could roll off anel till their arrival in long list of famous French French harbours. generals, from Turenne and

I was fortunate enough Conde, Napoleon and his to be able to go to sea in a marshals to Joffre, Gallieni French heavy cruiser and and Foch; but I doubt in a torpedo boat while whether one in a hundred they carried out certain}

I found and when they please on board,

&D

We tore on through the night.

French warships on convoy duty could give you the name of routine exercises.

In the torpedo boat aboard which i any admiral of his country's that the first difficulty con- during working hours and out I was afterwards taken we were with all lights out, trying through set first of all to act as a target to our glasses to get a glimpse of the fleet but Suffren, and I am fronting the stranger in of them.

shore battery. The guns aimed erukser We were looking for. not sure that even he could a French man-of-war is the The food is extremely good, at us but their direction was de- Nothing could be seen of the rest of tell you why exactly this mode of address.

flected so that the shells foll six our flotila. I had a sudden reali- Lunch is at noon and is a sub- hundred metres to the right of us sation of the immense loneliness of great sailor has achieved

stantial and well-cooked meal. Except for this their first shell the sea and of its vastness. It renown.

I could not have eaten better would have sent us to the bottom. needs an experience like that to IN the army you address in a first-class restaurant, and these five were direct hite and two and then you cannot wonder that Ninteen shots were fired and of make you feel how immense It is, For the French

have a general as mon general, aja patriotic bias shall not prevent others fell so close that we should with dozens of ships looking for never taken the same in- major and a captain as mon me from saying that lunch in a have been badly damaged. If it her, a raider may escape detection. terest nor taken the same commandant and mon capi- French torpedo boat is a vastly had been real warfare not many of My commander was a big, vigor pride in their navy.

would ever have seen ous, energetic man, and now as he taine respectively; but in the more palatable meal than any I that crew

have eaten in 'an admiral's their home again.

stood on the bridge, his spirita rose It needed the determina-navy you say oui, amiral, to Flagship in the British navy. About four in the afternoon we with the excitement of the chase. put on steam to join a flotilla which His face was set and even in the tion of M. Leygues, Minister an admiral, and you address

Dinner, served according to was already on the way out to sen. darkness you could see the shining lieutenant commanders as and eight, is lighter but well miles away. We were to find and

We pounded on into the emnty officer who is now Admiral Commandant; other officers cooked, and the quality of the attack a cruiser which had been Darlan, Commander in you address by their names. food is as good. Messing is ordered to go from a certain point night and heavy seas swept over Then a wireless from on the mainland to a certain island, our bows. Chief, to induce the reluc- the officers' reintions with one and this

I received the impression that paid for by the government a distance of a hundred and twenty one of the torpedo boats told us

covers all drinks, 60 miles.

that the cruiser had been sighted; tant deputies to vote at last another were cordial and polite that there is no mess bill except sufficient funds to reorganisel without being intimate.

When night had fallen a heavy and changed our course and sud- for cigarettes.

sea was running and with all our denly there was a cry from a dozen speed on we were rolling a good throats. The moon was favourable deal.

and showed us a vague black mass faintly silhouetted against the skv. Although it was only make-believe, I WAS glad, standing on the it was a thrilling moment. bridge, to have a rail to cling! The commander gave an order, lo. "This is nothing," the we changed our course again to get commander told me, "sometimes position; a sudden crash of thun- she rolls so that when you're der and we had fired our torpedoes. "D'you think you got her?"I hanging on to that rail your asked. feet-are-swept-away-from-under-don't know, we shall hear to

morrow," he said.

of Marine, inspired by the captains, commanders and circumstances between seven They were waiting for us twenty of his eyes.

enthusiasm of

દી

young

A division of French Cruisers at sea

the French navy and thus The commander was proud of I am told that in some ships in due course bring it to its his ship, as a racing motorist bridge in normal circumstances present

might be proud of the car is played after dinner, but high state of

that had served him well, ofcers use the mess little ex- efficiency.

but it Was not his home; Jeept for meals. As a rule they The French navy goes his home was the house at Brest turn in early.

or Toulon where his wife and

for

about its job modestly and children waited for him. And discreetly, with the result perhaps it is natural that the IT was splendid to steam out! that the public, both in naval officer of to-day, a highly of harbour in a heavy cruiser France and in England, has trained specialist, should look passing through the channel little notion either of its upon the modern battleship as in the mine fields to the ap-

spot. an instrument under his hand, pointed strength or of the splendid

gunnery work it has been doing dur-ate instrument, rather than

a delicate, powerful but inanim practice.

It was strangely uncanny to mo ing the war.

with the warm feeling with to see the stealthy ease with which which the captain of old looked the heavy gune alowed round in upon his calling vessel.

their great steel turreta, IT has sunk many Ger-

They The officers. I was fortunato monsters lurking in their caves for were like huge primeval man submarines and seized enough to meet appeared to me their prey. hundreds of thousands of clever, keen and able. Promo- tons of German goods. It tion is automatic up to the rank With powerful glasses ono could has made the Mediterranean of commander; after that it is of water that was thrown up when as safe as the Lake of by merit. Lucerne.

I seemed to discern that, wide of its mark and the stagger- though disciplino was perfect, log of the target when there was n It has protected the great there was the same pleasantly direct hit. Atlantic ports in France and democratic feeling in the French The gunnery was wonderfully Morocco and has transported navy as I had found in the accurate. Wa spent the day in vast numbers of troops to French army. The sailor when, various exercises, we were attacked and from French Colonies he is speaking to an officer docs by a flotilla of torpedo boats, and We practised with anti-aircraft

sce quite well the great fountain

In shell foll a triflo short or a trille

not say monsieur to him, but machine guns. It was beautiful to It convoyed the British addresses him by his rank, see the shells speed through the troopships on the latter part officers and men smoke where air like a flight of red-hot hornets.

you."

*

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CURRENT ACCOUNTS opened and FIXED DEPOSITS received for One Year or shortar pertoda in Local or Other Cur- rencies at rates which will be quoted on application.

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RA. CAMIDCE,

Manager.

CONSIGNEES' NOTICE.

COMPAGNIE DES MESSAGERIĘS MARITIMES

Bringing Cargo from Dunkirk vio Haiphong

Consignees are hereby informed that their goods with the exception of Oplum, Treasure and Valuables are being landed and stored into the Godowns of the Hongkong Kowloon Whart and Godown Co., Ltd., Kow- loon, whence delivery may be obtain ed Immediately after londing.

All claims must be sent in to me on or before 6th March, 1940, or they will not be recognized.

Damaged Packages will be examin cd by the Company's Surveyor Messrs:-Goddard and Douglas in the presence of the Consignees at 10.00 T. a.m. on Saturday, 2nd March, 1940, Consignees must have a Revenue Officer in attendance when ang duti- able goods are exomined by the Company's Surveyors;

ST. JOHN'S MUSIC CLUB

No Fire Insurance will be effected

A concert was given by the st.by us in any ense whatever. John's Hall Music Club last night in

the Great Hall of the University, in ald of the British War Organisation Fund and the British Fund for the Relief of Distress in China. There was a large gathering present..

R. OHL, Agent,

V.D.M.A. MEETING

The annual general meeting of the Victoria Diocesan and Missionary

It was the first time the orchestra Association will be held at the St. had played in public. The burden of March 11. A buffet les will be John's Cathedral Hall on Monday,

the programme was borne by the orchestra, only

being! two liems

served at 5 pan., and the Bishop will provided by others. These were violin The Dalit on "Missionary Work in

Diocese" at

5.30

p.m., after which und piano items by Chao Pu-wei and J. R. Smith, respectively, and a plong held. All members are asked to duct "Overture to Zampa" (Herold) make a special effort to attend and to by J. R. M. Smith and Au Wal-man. bring friends who may be interested The orchestra played under thefin the Missionary Work which is be- baton of Mr. J. R. M. Smith.

ing done by the V. D. M. A.

the annual Keneral meeting will be

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acknowledging debi -Rom brandt sday

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At whole number 31-6mall rivar-duck 35–Language commun

#mons Mohammedan bation

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boundary

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