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diff --git a/old/65761-0.txt b/old/65761-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 57c09d3..0000000 --- a/old/65761-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,3752 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of A Merchant Fleet at War, by Archibald Hurd - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: A Merchant Fleet at War - -Author: Archibald Hurd - -Release Date: July 4, 2021 [eBook #65761] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -Produced by: deaurider, Charlie Howard, and the Online Distributed - Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was - produced from images generously made available by The Internet - Archive) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A MERCHANT FLEET AT WAR *** - - - - -Transcriber’s Note: Italic text is indicated by _underscores_. - - - - -[Illustration: (cover)] - - -[Illustration: MAP SHEWING INCIDENTS, DETAILS OF WHICH ARE GIVEN IN THE -TEXT.] - - - - - A MERCHANT - FLEET AT WAR - -[Illustration: “AQUITANIA” LEADING THE TRANSPORTS] - - - - - A MERCHANT - FLEET AT WAR - - - By - ARCHIBALD HURD - - Author of “The British Fleet in the - Great War,” “Command of the Sea,” - “Sea-Power,” etc. etc. - - - [Illustration] - - - CASSELL AND COMPANY, LTD - London, New York, Toronto and Melbourne - 1920 - - - - -_All rights reserved_ - - - _Over the warring waters, beneath the wandering skies, - The heart of Britain roameth, the Chivalry of the sea, - Where Spring never bringeth a flower, nor bird singeth in a tree, - Far, afar, O beloved, beyond the sight of our eyes, - Over the warring waters, beneath the stormy skies._ - - ROBERT BRIDGES. - -[Illustration] - - - - -PREFACE - - -During a war, which was at last to draw into its vortex practically -the whole human race--the issue depending, first and foremost, on sea -power--there was little time or opportunity or, indeed, inclination -on the part of British seamen to keep a record of their varied -activities. The very nature of many of the incidents recorded in the -following pages precluded the preparation of detailed reports at the -time. Nor can we forget that many of the officers and men, to whose -resource, courage, and devotion this volume bears testimony, have -joined the great silent army of the dead to whose exploits the freedom -of conscience of every man and woman in the British Empire, as well as -their state of material comfort, bear witness. - -This book has been written under not a few difficulties, and it owes -whatever merit it possesses to many individuals--captains, officers, -engineers, pursers and other ministers to British sea-power--who have -assisted in its preparation, whether by recounting incidents in which -they took part, by placing written records at my disposal, or by -lending photographs from which the illustrations have been prepared. I -would especially emphasise that the illustrations have been made from -photographs of all sorts and shapes, taken by all kinds of cameras, -though for the most part of pocket size. Many of the pictures were -snapped under dull and forbidding skies, and some were secured in the -very presence of the enemy in mad pursuit of his piratical policy. Some -of these pictures were soaked with sea water, and other were recovered -from destruction at the last moment. The value of the illustrations -lies not so much in their perfection as in the knowledge that they were -taken “on active service.” - -Finally a word should be said, perhaps, of another difficulty which -confronts any one who endeavours to tell the story of what merchant -sailors did during the Great War. These men dislike publicity and their -modesty disarms the inquisitor. Like their comrades of the Royal Navy, -they are content if they can feel that they have done their duty. -They would leave it at that. But were silence to be maintained, later -generations would be robbed, for the progress of humanity depends, in -no small measure, on the manner in which the memory of great deeds -is preserved, and handed down from age to age. No man can live unto -himself. - -The story of the contribution which British seamen have made to the -happiness and well being of the world can never be half told, and these -pages form merely a footnote to one of the most glorious epics in human -annals. They go forth in the hope that they may help to perpetuate -those sterling virtues which find increasing expression in the British -race throughout the world. James Anthony Froude once declared that all -that this country has achieved in the course of three centuries has -been due to her predominance as an ocean power. “Take away her merchant -fleets; take away the navy that guards them; her empire will come to -an end; her colonies will fall off like leaves from a withered tree; -and Britain will become once more an insignificant island in the North -sea.” So I hope this book may be regarded not merely as a footnote to -history, but may remind all and sundry of the priceless heritage which -our seamen of all classes and degrees have left in our keeping. - - ARCHIBALD HURD. - - - - -CONTENTS - - - PAGE - Foreword xvii - - CHAPTER - - I. Mobilisation 1 - - II. Combatant Cunarders 12 - - III. Carrying on 38 - - IV. The Ordeal of the “Lusitania” 58 - - V. The Toll of the Submarines 87 - - VI. Shore Work for the Services 119 - - - - -ILLUSTRATIONS - - - _In Colour_ - - “AQUITANIA” LEADING THE TRANSPORTS _Frontispiece_ - - _To face page_ - “AQUITANIA” ESCORTED BY DESTROYERS 4 - - “MAURETANIA” ESCORTED BY DESTROYERS 12 - - TORPEDOING OF THE “IVERNIA” 28 - - “CARMANIA” SINKING “CAP TRAFALGAR” 36 - - TORPEDOING OF THE “AUSONIA” 44 - - TORPEDOING OF THE “LUSITANIA” 52 - - “PHRYGIA” SINKING A SUBMARINE 60 - - TORPEDOING OF THE “THRACIA” 68 - - “VALERIA” SINKING A SUBMARINE 84 - - TORPEDOING OF THE “VOLODIA” 92 - - “AQUITANIA” AS HOSPITAL SHIP 108 - - “CAMPANIA” AS SEAPLANE SHIP 124 - - - _In Monochrome_ - - _To face page_ - “AQUITANIA” AT SOUTHAMPTON WITH CANADIAN TROOPS 2 - - EMBARKATION 6 - - TRANSPORT IN SOUTHAMPTON WATER 6 - - CANADIAN TROOPS ON “CARONIA” BEING ADDRESSED BY THEIR - COMMANDER 8 - - THE “CAMPANIA” SINKING IN THE FIRTH OF FORTH 10 - - THE “CARMANIA” STARBOARD FORWARD GUNS 14 - - ROPE PROTECTION ON “CARMANIA” AGAINST SHELL SPLINTERS 14 - - LIFE ON A TRANSPORT (i): KIT INSPECTION 16 - - LIFE ON A TRANSPORT (ii): RIFLE DRILL 16 - - THE “CARMANIA” READY FOR ACTION 18 - - SOUTH AFRICAN INFANTRY ON BOARD THE “LACONIA” 22 - - THE “CARONIA” LEAVING DURBAN 24 - - H.M.S. “MERSEY” ALONGSIDE THE “LACONIA” OFF THE RUFIGI - RIVER 26 - - THE “CARMANIA” APPROACHING TRINIDAD 30 - - ONE OF THE “CARMANIA’S” GUNS 30 - - “ABANDON SHIP” DRILL AT SEA 32 - - AFTER THE FIGHT 32 - - CHART-HOUSE AND BRIDGE OF THE “CARMANIA” AFTER THE FIGHT 34 - - THE “LACONIA” AT DURBAN 38 - - FINAL OF THE S.A.I. HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP ON THE “LACONIA” 38 - - THE NELSON PLATE PRESENTED TO THE “CARMANIA” 40 - - CREW LEAVING THE “FRANCONIA” AFTER SHE WAS TORPEDOED 42 - - SCENE ON BOARD AFTER THE TORPEDOING OF THE “IVERNIA” (i) 46 - - SCENE ON BOARD AFTER THE TORPEDOING OF THE “IVERNIA” (ii) 48 - - THE TORPEDOING OF THE “IVERNIA”: SURVIVORS AFLOAT ON RAFT 50 - - THE TORPEDOING OF THE “IVERNIA”: SURVIVORS BEING TAKEN - IN ONE OF THE BOATS 54 - - THE “LUSITANIA” 56 - - THE “MAURETANIA” AS A HOSPITAL SHIP OFF NAPLES HARBOUR 58 - - THE “ALAUNIA” AS AN EMERGENCY HOSPITAL SHIP 62 - - THE “LUSITANIA” PASSING THE OLD HEAD OF KINSALE 64 - - THE “WHITE WAKE” THAT STRETCHED TO THE BEACHES OF GALLIPOLI 66 - - OFFICERS, NURSES AND R.A.M.C. ORDERLIES OF H.M.H.S. “AQUITANIA” 70 - - “HOMEWARD BOUND.” 70 - - THE SUN-CURE 72 - - THE “FRANCONIA” PASSING THROUGH THE SUEZ CANAL 72 - - AMERICAN TROOPS NEVER FORGOT THE “LUSITANIA” 74 - - IN THE SPRING OF 1918 THE “MAURETANIA” BROUGHT 33,000 - AMERICAN SOLDIERS TO EUROPE 78 - - THE “AQUITANIA’S” STAGE 80 - - THE “SAXONIA,” CAMOUFLAGED, LEAVING NEW YORK WITH - AMERICAN TROOPS FOR EUROPE 80 - - WELCOMING THE FIRST CONTINGENT OF RETURNING AMERICAN - TROOPS, NEW YORK, DECEMBER 1918 82 - - THE “MAURETANIA” ARRIVING AT NEW YORK, DECEMBER 1918 82 - - BOAT DRILL ON A CUNARD HOSPITAL SHIP 86 - - THE “AQUITANIA’S” GARDEN LOUNGE AS HOSPITAL WARD 88 - - THE “AURANIA” ASHORE AFTER BEING TORPEDOED 90 - - THE “IVERNIA” SETTLING DOWN 90 - - THE “IVERNIA” SURVIVORS ARRIVING IN PORT 94 - - TROOPS LANDING FROM THE “MAURETANIA” 94 - - THE “DWINSK” SETTLING DOWN AFTER BEING TORPEDOED 96 - - SURVIVORS FROM THE “DWINSK” AFTER EIGHT DAYS IN THE - LIFEBOAT 96 - - THE “MAURETANIA” LEAVING SOUTHAMPTON 98 - - “FATHER NEPTUNE” CARED LITTLE FOR THE PREYING SUBMARINES 102 - - AN ARMED CRUISER’S RANGE FINDER 102 - - THE “THRACIA” FAST 104 - - THE “AQUITANIA” RE-APPEARS IN THE MERSEY 106 - - OFFICERS OF THE TORPEDOED “FRANCONIA” 110 - - A CUNARD CREW BUYING WAR SAVINGS CERTIFICATES 110 - - ONE OF THE AMERICAN HOWITZERS, ASSEMBLED AT THE CUNARD - WORKS 112 - - THE “AQUITANIA’S” CHAPEL 112 - - CUNARD NATIONAL AEROPLANE FACTORY 114 - - INTERIOR OF THE AEROPLANE FACTORY (i) 118 - - INTERIOR OF THE AEROPLANE FACTORY (ii) 118 - - INTERIOR OF THE AEROPLANE FACTORY (iii) 120 - - RUSSIAN REFUGEES ON THE “PHRYGIA” 120 - - ONE OF THE ROOMS IN THE CUNARD SHELL WORKS 122 - - A RECORD OF “STRIKING” VALUE 122 - - A HOSPITAL WARD IN THE LOUNGE OF THE “MAURETANIA” 126 - - THE “AQUITANIA” LOUNGE AS ORDERLY ROOM 128 - - OFFICERS’ WARD IN THE SMOKING ROOM OF THE “AQUITANIA” 128 - - MEN’S WARD IN THE LOUNGE OF THE “AQUITANIA” 132 - - THE “FRANCONIA” SINKING 136 - - - - -FOREWORD - - -There was never a time in our history when the value of the Mercantile -Marine to our national life was as apparent as it is to-day. After -passing through the crucible of war, we are what we are, mainly, -because we are the possessors of ships. - -When the Great War came, we possessed only a small, though highly -trained, Army, and the guns of our Navy extended little further than -high-water mark. How could we, a community of islanders, in partnership -with other islanders living in Dominions thousands of miles away, -hope to make our strength felt on the battlefields of the Continent -of Europe, where the military Powers were mobilising conscript armies -counted not by thousands, but by millions? The original Expeditionary -Force, as finely tempered a fighting instrument as ever existed, was -at once thrown across the Channel in merchant ships and it held in -check the victorious army of Germany, saving by a miracle, the Channel -ports; then, having mobilised on the eve of the declaration of war, -the Royal Navy, the great protective force of the British peoples, we -mobilised also the Merchant Navy, their essential sustaining force, -bridged the oceans of the world, and concentrated on the conflict -the enormous and varied powers of the 400,000,000 inhabitants of the -Commonwealth. In Belgium and France as in the Pacific, in Gallipoli -as in Eastern Africa, in Salonica as in Mesopotamia, and in Italy as -in Palestine, British troops were soon confronting the forces of the -Central Alliance; every ocean was dominated by British men-of-war. -The enemies had the advantage of interior military lines, but by the -aid of ships--carrying troops, munitions, and stores--we gradually -forged a hoop of steel round them and slowly but irresistibly drew it -tighter and tighter until, their economic power having been strangled -by sea power, their naval and military power was weakened and they were -compelled to sue for peace. If it had not been for our ships--ships of -commerce drawing strength from the seas, and ships of war, efficiently -policing those seas--the Allies could not by any possibility have won -the Great War and Germans would to-day be the dominant race, not only -in Europe, but in both hemispheres. - -It is a common error to think of sea power in terms only of -battleships, cruisers, destroyers and submarines. The secret of the -spread of Anglo-Saxon civilisation, with its ideals of fair play, -tolerance and personal liberty, its hatred of tyranny and love of -justice, is not to be found as much in these emblems of organised -violence as in merchant ships. Out of our island State the Merchant -Fleet, a purely individualistic institution, developed by the -compulsion of geographical necessities; the British people could not -exist without ships even in days when their numbers were small and -the standard of living was relatively low. The population has trebled -in the last hundred years and the level of comfort of all classes -has risen, and to-day the very existence of the 45,000,000 people of -the British Isles, as well as their commercial and social relations -with the other sections of the Empire, depends on the sufficiency and -efficiency of the Mercantile Marine. - -We possessed a trading Navy, with fine traditions of peace and war, -long before we had a Fighting Navy. The owners of merchant ships for -many centuries defended this country from raids and invasions, just -as it was the early merchant-adventurers who laid the foundations of -the Empire. Thus as far back as the reign of Athelstan, we find this -Saxon king granting a Thaneship--or, as one might say, a knighthood--to -every merchant who had been three voyages of length in his own trading -vessel. It was largely with the ships of merchant owners that in 1212 -the English, by raiding France, prevented a French invasion, and that -in 1340 one of the greatest British naval victories was won over vastly -superior forces at the battle of Sluys. And though, by the time of the -Armada, merchant ships were but as it were the core of the fleets that -fought and destroyed the threatened world domination of Spain, they -played an exceedingly important part in that epoch-making struggle, -which marked the emergence of this Island as a world power. Similarly -the Indian Empire, the early American Colonies, and many other British -Possessions all over the world, were founded by merchant shipping -enterprise alone. From time immemorial, the British merchantman has -carried the flag to the outermost parts of the world and thus helped to -maintain its prestige. - -The Mercantile Marine and Navy have always been so closely knit that -it is often difficult to separate their histories. The Mercantile -Marine was in reality, as has been said, the parent of the latter. -As the State grew, and civilisation became more complex, a process -of separation between the ships of commerce and the ships of war was -inevitable, and the Navy became more and more a distinct Royal Service. -The increasing difficulties of the problems of defence, armament, -and so on, led to a process of specialisation, and could only be -adequately studied and the Empire’s growing needs supplied by a State -Department. On the other hand, the Mercantile Marine remained, and -still remains, individualistic, each merchant ship-owner, or company of -ship-owners, building the sort of vessel best adapted to the particular -enterprise in hand. Thus we have sailing from our ports, ships of -all descriptions, ocean-going liners carrying passengers, cargoes -and mails, as well as tramps, colliers, cold-storage vessels, and an -infinity of other types. - -But while this process of separation, or specialisation, has been -both inevitable and fruitful, the Mercantile Marine has, in every -war, been called upon by the Navy to provide transports, auxiliary -cruisers, hospital and munition ships, and, in the recent Great War, -minesweepers, submarine chasers, ‘Q’ ships, and many other equally -vital subsidiaries. Similarly, in the personnel of the Mercantile -Marine, the Navy has always had a powerful reserve, not only of -experienced sailors, but of actual navally-trained officers and men. -Without these, it is safe to say that the Navy could never have -undertaken, or accomplished, those vast and world-wide, and many of -them unforeseeable, tasks, so magnificently and successfully carried -out; and it is equally true that but for the Mercantile Marine, the -armies of the whole Alliance would have been paralysed. - -In no history, however long and laboriously compiled, would it be -possible to do full justice to the war-work of the British Mercantile -Marine, but the present volume supplies, at any rate, an index to the -scope and value of what it performed. In the re-action of one unit, -of one old, honourable, and successful merchant shipping Company -to the demands of the world war, it is perhaps possible to realise -more clearly than by making a wider sweep of research, the amazing -accomplishments of the whole; and where all rose, with magnificent -unity, to heights of service never surpassed in our annals, none -excelled either in the prescience or organizing ability of its -directors, in the courage and resource of its captains and crews, or in -the loyalty and ingenuity of its skilled and unskilled employees, the -record of the Cunard Steamship Company. - - - - -A MERCHANT FLEET AT WAR - - - - -CHAPTER I - -Mobilisation - - _Oh hear! Oh hear! - Across the sullen tide, - Across the echoing dome horizon-wide, - What pulse of fear - Beats with tremendous boom? - What call of instant doom, - With thunder-stroke of terror and of pride, - With urgency that may not be denied, - Reverberates upon the heart’s own drum - Come! ... Come! ... for thou must come!_ - - HENRY NEWBOLT. - - -In order to obtain the truest conception of what the Cunard Company -stood for in 1914, it will be well not only to consider very briefly -its first origin and steady growth, but to refresh our memories by -recalling one or two of the tidemarks of ocean-going navigation. Thus -it was in 1802, in the year, that is to say, following Nelson’s great -victory at Copenhagen, in the year of the Peace of Amiens, and three -years before the Battle of Trafalgar, that the first successful, -practical steamer was launched. This was the _Charlotte Dundas_, built -by William Symington on the Forth and Clyde Canal, and fitted with an -engine constructed by Watt, which drove a stern wheel. This vessel -proved to be an inspiration to Robert Fulton, who in 1807 built the -_Clermont_ at New York, a wooden steamer 133 feet long, engined by -Bolton and Watt. In the autumn of that year, this vessel made a trip -from New York to Albany, a distance of 130 miles in 32 hours, returning -in 30 hours, and thenceforward maintained the first continuous long -distance service performed by any steam vessel. Five years later Bell’s -famous steamer, the _Comet_, began the earliest, regular steamer -passenger service in Europe. - -In 1814 the _Marjory_, the first steamer to run regularly on the -River Thames, began her career; but it was not until 1819 that the -_Savannah_, a wooden sailing ship of American construction, but fitted -with engines and a set of paddles amidships, crossed the Atlantic, -arriving at Liverpool after 29½ days. In the following year the -_Condé de Palmella_ was the first engined ship to sail across the -Atlantic from east to west, namely from Liverpool to the Brazils. - -[Illustration: “AQUITANIA” AT SOUTHAMPTON WITH CANADIAN TROOPS] - -These were but tentative experiments, however, and the Transatlantic -Steamship Service, as we see it to-day, did not really begin till -the year 1838, when the steamers _Sirius_ and _Great Western_ sailed -within a few days of each other from London and Bristol respectively. -Both ships crossed without mishap, the _Sirius_ in 17 days, and the -_Great Western_ in 15. In the same year, the _Royal William_ and the -_Liverpool_ crossed from Liverpool to New York in 19 days and 16½ days -respectively. - -It was now clear that a new era in transatlantic navigation had dawned, -and the Admiralty, who were then responsible for the arrangement of -overseas postal contracts, and had hitherto been satisfied to entrust -the carrying of mails to sailing vessels, invited tenders for the -future conveyance of letters to America by steam vessels. One of their -advertisements, as it happened, came into the hands of Mr. Samuel -Cunard; he was the son of an American citizen of Philadelphia, who -had settled in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in which city he had been born -in 1787. For some time the idea of developing a regular service of -steamers between America and England had been simmering in Mr. Cunard’s -brain. He was already in his 50th year, a successful merchant and ship -owner; and he now resolved to visit England with the intention, if -possible, of raising sufficient capital to put his ideas into practice. -Armed with an introduction to Mr. Robert Napier, a well-known Clyde -shipbuilder and engineer, he went to Glasgow, after having received but -little sympathy in London. Through Mr. Napier he became acquainted with -Mr. George Burns, a fellow Scotsman of great ability and long practical -experience as a ship-owner, and through him with Mr. David McIver, -also a Scotsman of sagacity and enterprise, then living at Liverpool. -Between the three of them the necessary capital was obtained, and Mr. -Cunard was able to submit to the Admiralty a tender for the conveyance -of mails once a fortnight between Liverpool, Halifax, and Boston, -U.S.A. His tender was considered so much better than that offered by -the owners of the _Great Western_ that it was accepted, and a contract -for seven years was concluded between the Government and the newly -formed British and North American Royal Mail Steam Packet Company, as -it was then called. - -[Illustration: “AQUITANIA” ESCORTED BY DESTROYERS] - -Such was the beginning of the Cunard Company in the shape of four -wooden paddle-wheel steam vessels, built on the Clyde, the _Britannia_, -_Acadia_, _Caledonia_, and _Columbia_; and its history from then -until 1914 was one of steady and enterprising, cautious and daring, -development. This is not the place to linger in detail over the -technical strides made since 1840 by the Cunard Company’s directors, -but one or two of the more important milestones should perhaps be -noted. In the year 1804, John Stevens in America had successfully -experimented with the screw-propeller, and in 1820, at the Horsley -Iron Works, at Tipton in Staffordshire, Mr. Aaron Manby had designed -and built the first iron steamer. It had always been the policy of the -Cunard Company to keep in touch with every new marine experiment, but -at the same time it had been their wise habit, both from the commercial -point of view and that of the safety of their passengers and crews, -to move circumspectly in the adoption of new devices. It was not, -therefore, until 1852 that the first four iron screw steamships were -added to their fleet, namely the _Australian_, _Sydney_, _Andes_, -and _Alps_, four vessels that were also the first belonging to the -Company to be fitted with accommodation for emigrants. For the next -ten years, however, it was found that passengers still preferred -the old paddle-wheel system, and side by side with their iron screw -steamers, the Company continued to build these until, in 1862, the -_Scotia_ proved to be the last of a dying type. Meanwhile, in 1854, -the Government was to realise another side of the value to the nation -of the Cunard Company. During the Crimean War, in response to a strong -Government appeal, the Company immediately placed at the Admiralty’s -disposal, six of their best steamers, the _Cambria_, _Niagara_, -_Europa_, _Arabia_, _Andes_, and _Alps_; later adding to these their -two most recent acquisitions, the _Jura_ and _Etna_. Throughout the -campaign these eight vessels were continuously employed upon various -important missions, supplying the needs of the military forces. - -[Illustration: EMBARKATION: “ARE WE DOWNHEARTED?”] - -[Illustration: TRANSPORT IN SOUTHAMPTON WATER: COLONIALS’ FIRST VIEW OF -“BLIGHTY”] - -Perhaps the next most important era began with the invention in 1869 -of compound engines, and in 1870 the _Batavia_ and _Parthia_ were -fitted with these, and proved extremely successful, maintaining good -speeds, with a reduced consumption of fuel. The Company was now sailing -one vessel under contract with the General Post Office every week -from Liverpool to New York, calling at Queenstown, and from New York -to Liverpool, also calling at the South Irish port, and receiving a -certain subsidy for so doing. They were also maintaining services -between Liverpool and the principal ports in the Mediterranean, -Adriatic, Levant, Bosphorus, and Black Sea, and between Liverpool -and Havre. In 1881 the first steel vessel, the _Servia_, was built -for the Cunard Company. This was the most powerful as well as the -largest ship, with the exception of the famous _Great Eastern_, that -the world had then seen. She was followed in 1884 by the _Etruria_ -and _Umbria_, the former of which in August, 1885, set up the record -for speed from Queenstown to New York, the journey being accomplished -in 6 days 6 hours and 36 minutes. In the meantime, research work, in -the construction of marine engines had been continued, and Dr. Price -had invented the triple expansion engine, which effected further -considerable economies in the consumption of fuel; and these were -fitted by the Cunard Company into the two great twin-screw vessels, the -_Campania_ and _Lucania_, built in 1893. With the _Campania_ we shall -deal again, as she performed valuable services in the late war, and -it is interesting to note that it was on board the _Lucania_ in 1901 -that Mr. Marconi carried out certain important experiments in wireless -telegraphy, this vessel being the first, under the Cunard management, -to be fitted with a wireless installation. - -Through all these years the Cunard Company had of course been submitted -to very great competition in the transatlantic trade, not only by -British lines, but by American and Continental shipping companies -also; and in the year 1900 with the _Deutschland_ and in 1902 with -the _Kaiser Wilhelm II_, what has been called the “blue ribbon” of -the Atlantic passed to Germany, these vessels having an average speed -of 23½ knots. It was then decided that the supremacy in this respect, -should, if possible, be regained by Great Britain, and, with Government -help, and in return for certain definite prospective services if -required, the Cunard Company laid down the _Lusitania_ and the -_Mauretania_. In 1907, these vessels making use of Sir Charles Parsons’ -turbine engines, were put into service and soon afterwards attained a -speed of over 26 knots, and the mastery, in respect of speed, of the -Atlantic. - -[Illustration: CANADIAN TROOPS ON “CARONIA,” BEING ADDRESSED BY THEIR -COMMANDER] - -Enormous as were the proportions, however, of these huge vessels, they -were yet to be eclipsed by the Cunard Company’s later and most recent -giant, the _Aquitania_, a vessel that might more fitly be described -as a floating city of palaces, libraries, art galleries, and swimming -baths, than the steamship child of the little _Britannia_ of 1840. -Let us for a moment compare them, remembering that only the ordinary -span of a human life-time intervened between them. The _Britannia_ -was 200 feet long, a wooden paddle-wheel steamer of 1,154 tons, 740 -horse-power, and a speed of 8½ knots. The _Aquitania_ is 902 feet -long, of 46,000 tons, with quadruple screws driven by turbine engines -of a designed shaft of 60,000 horse-power, maintaining a speed of -24 knots. With her Louis XVIth staircase, her garden Lounge, her -Adams drawing-room, her frescoes, her Palladian lounge, her Carolean -smoking-room, and her Pompeian swimming bath, she can carry in the -comfort of a first-class hotel more than 3,200 passengers, together -with a crew of over 1,000. - -Such then has been what one may best call, perhaps, the technical -advance of the Cunard Company, and in 1914, at the commencement -of hostilities, it had in commission 26 vessels, apart from tugs, -lighters, and other subsidiaries. Of these, since we shall presently -deal with their individual adventures, the following list may be found -convenient: - - Name of Ship. Tonnage. - Gross. - - AQUITANIA 45,646 - MAURETANIA 30,703 - LUSITANIA 30,395 - CARONIA 19,687 - CARMANIA 19,524 - FRANCONIA 18,149 - LACONIA 18,098 - SAXONIA 14,297 - IVERNIA 14,278 - CARPATHIA 13,603 - ANDANIA 13,404 - ALAUNIA 13,404 - CAMPANIA[A] 12,884 - ULTONIA 10,402 - PANNONIA 9,851 - ASCANIA 9,111 - AUSONIA 8,152 - PHRYGIA 3,353 - BRESCIA 3,235 - VERIA 3,228 - CARIA 3,032 - CYPRIA 2,949 - PAVIA 2,945 - TYRIA 2,936 - THRACIA 2,891 - LYCIA 2,715 - - [A] This vessel was sold for breaking up a few weeks prior to - the outbreak of war. Her career as a warship is referred to - in these pages. - -[Illustration: THE “CAMPANIA” SINKING IN THE FIRTH OF FORTH] - -From this it will be seen that the total tonnage possessed by the -Cunard Company in 1914 was considerably over 300,000, and the Company -was operating services not only between the United Kingdom and the -United States of America and Canada, but also between the United States -of America and the Mediterranean, as well as from Liverpool and other -British ports to the Mediterranean and France. - - - - -CHAPTER II - -Combatant Cunarders - - _Sleep on, O Drake, sleep well, - In days not wholly dire! - Grenville, whom nought could quell, - Unquenched is still thy fire. - And thou that hadst no peer, - Nelson, thou needst not fear! - Thy sons and heirs are here, - And shall not shame their sire._ - - WILLIAM WATSON. - - -With the war now over, and after five years, during which the public -mind has been accustomed to emergency arrangements of all sorts, -nothing is more difficult than to reconstruct the enormous and -unprecedented activities that were called so suddenly into being in -the first war weeks of 1914; and in these the Cunard Company had a -typical and vitally important part to play. Of the number of navigating -officers in their employment, namely 163, no fewer than 139 were in -the Royal Naval Reserve, and as such were immediately mobilised, being -instructed to report themselves for naval duty upon their arrival -in a British port; and by the end of the year 131 of these officers -had actually done so. Nor was this the least of the problems that the -Company had to face, in that, at a time when not only every reliable -officer and man was worth his weight in gold to them, so large a -proportion of their best and most highly trained servants had thus to -be yielded up to the senior service. - -[Illustration: “MAURETANIA” ESCORTED BY DESTROYERS] - -In the latest agreement arrived at with the Government in 1903, the -whole of the Cunard Fleet was, in time of war, to be placed at its -disposal, and there was considerable uncertainty at first as to the -various purposes to which the ships might be allocated. In the present -chapter we shall confine ourselves to dealing with those of the Cunard -vessels that were commandeered by the Admiralty for strictly combatant -purposes, of which the more important were the _Aquitania_, _Caronia_, -_Laconia_, _Campania_, and _Carmania_; and since the _Campania_ had -only just passed from Cunard control, it may be well, perhaps, in view -of her distinguished and lengthy service under the Company’s flag to -deal with her first. She became a seaplane carrier; after having at -first however, taken a large share in repatriating Americans stranded -in the British Isles owing to the exigencies of war. Her after funnel -was removed and a smaller one put abreast of the forward funnel; and -this alteration, together with the dazzle paint with which she was at -a later date covered, rendered her almost unrecognisable even to the -old Cunarders who had been familiar with her for many years. Throughout -the war she was fortunate in escaping injury both from enemy gunfire -and submarine attack, and her honourable career only came to an end -at the conclusion of the armistice, when she was accidentally sunk in -collision with H.M.S. _Revenge_ in the Firth of Forth. - -Turning now to the other vessels, the _Aquitania_ and _Caronia_, these -were fully dismantled and fitted out as armed cruisers in the first -days of August, 1915. This, of course, meant the ruthless stripping -out of all their luxurious fittings and those splendid appointments to -which reference has been made in the last chapter; and for all these -articles storage had to be found on shore at the shortest notice. Some -idea of the work involved in this conversion can best be gathered -perhaps, by realising that no less than 5,000 men were employed upon -this herculean task, and that more than 2,000 waggon loads of -fittings were taken ashore from these two liners. While these two ships -were thus being fitted, yet a third, the _Carmania_, arrived in port -to be similarly transformed; and a brief account of what took place -on board this famous vessel may be taken, perhaps, as typical of what -occurred in all three. - -[Illustration: THE “CARMANIA’S” STARBOARD FORWARD GUNS] - -[Illustration: ROPE PROTECTION ON “CARMANIA” AGAINST SHELL SPLINTERS] - -Arriving at Liverpool landing stage at 8 o’clock in the morning of -August 7th, 1914, she was almost immediately boarded by Captain Noel -Grant, R.N. and Lieutenant-Commander E. Lockyer, R.N., who were to be -respectively her Captain and First Lieutenant under the new conditions. -At that moment she looked about as unlike a man-of-war as she could -well have done. From half a dozen gangways, baggage was being landed at -express speed, while first and second class passengers were also going -ashore from the overhead gantries. Owing to the fact that there were -known to be Germans amongst the passengers on board, a considerable -number of police and custom officials were present upon the vessel; -and this necessitated the detention of a large number of third-class -passengers, who had to be carefully scrutinised and sorted out. - -While all this was going on arrangements for the new equipment -and personnel of the vessel were already being discussed, and the -proportions of Cunarders and Naval ratings for the _Carmania’s_ future -war service being determined. It was decided that the engine staff was -to be Cunard, the men being specially enrolled for a period of six -months in the Royal Naval Reserve, while the Commander of the ship, -Captain J. C. Barr, was to remain on board as navigator and adviser to -Captain Grant, with the temporary rank of Commander R.N.R. The Chief -Officer, Lieutenant Murchie, with certain other officers, also remained -on board, Lieutenant Murchie, owing to his special knowledge of the -ship, ranking next to Lieutenant-Commander Lockyer for general working -purposes. The ship’s surgeon, her chief steward and about 50 of the -Cunard ratings for cooks, waiters, and officers’ servants, were also -retained, as well as the carpenter, who was kept on board as Chief -Petty Officer and given six mates, the cooper, blacksmith, plumber, and -painter, being also retained with the same rank. - -[Illustration: LIFE ON A TRANSPORT (i): KIT INSPECTION] - -[Illustration: LIFE ON A TRANSPORT (ii): RIFLE DRILL] - -Leaving the stage about noon, the _Carmania_ was immediately docked at -Sandon, where after some further delay the third-class passengers -were landed. Owing to the fact that the _Caronia_ was already in the -_Carmania’s_ proper berth, being fitted out as an armed cruiser, and -that both she and the _Aquitania_ were already well on the way to -completion for their new task, the _Carmania_ could for the moment -neither discharge her cargo nor bunker owing to the shortage of labour. -As many painters, however, as could be assembled began at once to alter -her hull and funnels, blackening out her well-known red and black tops, -while a gang of shipwrights started to cut out the bulwarks fore and -aft on the ‘B’ deck, in order to allow of the training to suitable -angles of the guns that were to be placed in position there. Other -Cunard stewards and joiners also concentrated at once upon the task of -clearing out passenger accommodation from the vessel. During Saturday -and Sunday the _Carmania_ remained in the basin, and it was on this -day that her future midshipmen turned up, and had to be provided with -accommodation in the midst of the existing confusion. On Monday she -was able to get an empty berth, where she began at once to discharge -her cargo, and to bunker at express speed. Armoured plates were now -being put in position upon all her most vulnerable parts, and these -were also being re-inforced with coal and bags of sand by way of extra -protection. All the woodwork in the passengers’ quarters was being -taken away; two of her holds were being fitted with platforms and -magazines were being built on them; while means for flooding were also -being installed, speaking-tubes fitted in the aft steering gear room, -control telephones being run up, and her eight guns placed in position. - -These were all of 4.7 inch calibre and with a range of about 9,300 -yards. In addition a 6 ft. Barr and Stroud range-finder was being -fitted, together with two semaphores. Two searchlights were being -mounted on slightly raised platforms on the bridge ends, while two -ordinary lifeboats and eighteen Maclean collapsible boats were retained -for war purposes. By Wednesday all the coal was in, all the bunkers -being full, and the protection coal was in place. At 5 o’clock the next -morning, the Naval ratings in charge of Lieutenant-Commander O’Neil, -R.N.R., arrived from Portsmouth, most of them being R.N.R. men, but -a good many belonging to the Royal Fleet Reserve, while the Marines on -board were drawn in equal proportions from the Royal Marine Artillery, -and the Royal Marine Light Infantry. The able seamen were for the most -part Scotch fishermen of the finest type. - -[Illustration: THE “CARMANIA” READY FOR ACTION] - -On the same day messing, watch, and sleeping arrangements were made, -ammunition was taken aboard and stored in the magazines, together with -a limited number of small arms, in addition to the marines’ rifles: and -so unremitting had been the work of all engaged, and so efficient the -organisation evoked by the crisis, that the _Carmania_ was actually -at sea as a fully equipped armed cruiser by Friday, August 14th, only -a week after she had entered port as an ordinary first-class Atlantic -liner. With her later adventures we shall deal in a moment, but before -doing so let us follow the adventures of the other three vessels that -were converted into armed cruisers. - -The _Aquitania_, fitted with 6-inch guns, sailed on August 8th, but -unfortunately was damaged in collision and on returning to port was -dismantled at the end of September. From May to August, 1915, she was -employed in carrying troops, when she was fitted out as a Hospital -Ship, in which capacity she continued to work until April of the -following year. She was again requisitioned as a Hospital Ship in -September, 1916, plying between England and the Mediterranean until -Christmas. She was then laid up by the Government for the whole -of 1917, and in March, 1918, was again put into commission by the -Admiralty as a transport, and played an important part in bringing -American troops to Europe at that critical time. - -The _Caronia_ had a somewhat longer career as an armed cruiser. She -was commissioned on 8th August, 1914, by Captain Shirley-Litchfield, -R.N., with Captain C. A. Smith, Cunard Line, as navigator. She sailed -from Liverpool on August 10th, for patrol duties in the North Atlantic, -being attached to the North American and West Indies Station, under the -command of Rear-Admiral Phipps-Hornby, with Halifax (N.S.) as base. - -She was employed on the usual patrol duties, stopping, boarding and -examining shipping. In the very early days of the war, she captured at -sea and towed into Berehaven the four-masted barque _Odessa_, and, some -little time after, she took over from a warship and towed to Halifax a -six thousand ton oil tanker. - -Eight 4.7-in. quick-firing guns were originally mounted in the -_Caronia_, but, on her return to England for refit in May, 1915, they -were replaced by a similar number of six-inch. - -She was at sea again in July, 1915, for another commission on the same -station, with Captain Reginald A. Norton, R.N., in command, and Captain -Henry McConkey, Cunard Line, as navigator. She remained away until -August, 1916, when she returned to this country to pay off. - -The _Caronia_ was then employed in trooping between South and East -Africa and India until her return to the Company’s service. - -During the whole of this time, she was manned chiefly by mercantile -marine ratings, enrolled for temporary service in the R.N.R. for the -duration of hostilities. - -The _Laconia_, for the first two years of the war was also used as -an armed cruiser, seeing special service on the German East African -Coast, and taking part in the operations which ended in the destruction -of the German cruiser _Konigsberg_ in the Rufigi River. She was then -taken out of commission, and returned to the Company’s transatlantic -service. She was finally sunk by a German submarine on the 25th -February, 1917, American lives being lost aboard her. There is no doubt -that this was the “overt act” that helped to confirm the decision of -America to enter the war on the side of the Allies. - -It is safe to say that all these vessels maintained in their new naval -roles, not only the best traditions of the Cunard Company itself, -but those of the Mercantile Marine of which they had once been so -distinguished a part, and the British Navy of which they became not the -least useful and honourable units. To the _Carmania_, indeed, fell the -singular honour of being the only British armed auxiliary cruiser to -sink a German war vessel in single armed combat; and the five years war -at sea produced few more kindling and romantic stories than that of her -duel with the _Cap Trafalgar_ in September, 1914, near Trinidad Island -in the South Atlantic. - -[Illustration: SOUTH AFRICAN INFANTRY ON BOARD THE “LACONIA”] - -Leaving the Mersey, as we have seen, on Saturday, August 15th, she -first went up the Irish Channel examining merchant vessels, on her way -to the Halifax trade route; where she was to carry out her first -patrol duties. Having kept this track, however, for twenty-four hours -without adventure, she received orders to sail for Bermuda, and on her -way there seized the opportunity of dropping a target and carrying out -some practice, firing which not only proved that her gun-layers were -exceptionally skilful, but which gave all on board considerably greater -confidence in the ship as a fighting unit. On the evening of August -22nd, she sighted the searchlights off St. George, Bermuda, and early -next morning performed the difficult task of navigating a channel that -no vessel of anything like her great size had ever before been through. -Here for the next five days she coaled, while officers and men were -able to obtain certain articles in the way of tropical clothing, that -they had not had time to procure at Liverpool. - -On August 29th she left the Bermudas, and on September 2nd passed -through the Bocas del Dragos, at the mouth of the Gulf of Paria. Here, -amidst scenery new and entrancing to many on board, she approached -the Port of Spain, whence after a couple of days’ coaling, she -left to join Admiral Cradock’s ill-fated squadron, which was then -searching the coast of Venezuela, and the mouths of its rivers, for -the German cruisers _Dresden_ and _Karlsruhe_. To this squadron -she became attached about a week later, and soon received orders -to investigate Trinidad Island in the South Atlantic. On September -11th, however, while on her way there, she received orders to try and -intercept, in conjunction with the cruiser _Cornwall_, the German -collier _Patagonia_, which was supposed to be leaving Pernambuco that -night; but she was not found, and, as a matter of fact, did not sail -for another three days, when she succeeded, in the absence of the -_Cornwall_, in getting away. Before this, however, the _Carmania_ -had received orders to continue on her original mission, namely the -examination of Trinidad Island, and she accordingly headed down -for it. This is a small and lonely piece of land, about 500 miles -distant from the South American coast, rising to a height of some -2,000 feet, and being only some 3 miles long by 1½ miles broad, but -with a good anchorage on its south-west side. Though often sighted by -sailing vessels homeward bound from Cape Horn, this island was well -out of reach of any ordinary steamer, and was thus an extremely -likely place for an enemy vessel desiring to coal in a convenient and -unobserved position. Moreover, although both Great Britain and Brazil -had at various times attempted to form small settlements there for -the purpose of cultivating the castor oil plant indigenous to the -island, these attempts had never been successful, and the island was -uninhabited. - -[Illustration: THE “CARONIA” LEAVING DURBAN] - -It was at nine in the morning of Monday, September 14th that the -_Carmania_ sighted the island ahead; and soon after 11 a.m. a large -vessel was made out, lying on the island’s westward side. It was a -bright clear day, with a gentle north-easterly breeze blowing, and the -mast of the unknown vessel showed distinctly above the horizon, two -funnels becoming visible a little while later. It was at once concluded -that she must be an enemy, since it was known that there were no -British war vessels in the neighbourhood, and that no British merchant -vessel was at all likely to be here. Her exact identity, however, -remained a problem that was not to be solved, as it happened, until -several days afterwards. The only enemy vessels that might possibly -be in the neighbourhood according to the knowledge of those on board -the _Carmania_, were the _Karlsruhe_, with four funnels, the _Dresden_ -with three funnels, the _Kron Prinz Wilhelm_ with four funnels, and the -_Konig Wilhelm_, an armed merchant cruiser which had one funnel. Even -had the funnels been altered it could not have been any of these, since -the outlines of all these vessels were known to one and another of the -experienced and widely travelled observers on board the _Carmania_, -and this uncertainty added to the excitement of a peculiarly thrilling -occasion. The sudden pouring out of smoke from the strange vessel’s -funnels showed at once that the _Carmania_ had been sighted and that -the enemy was getting up steam, while the position of the island added -further to the thrilling possibilities of the situation. - -[Illustration: H.M.S “MERSEY” ALONGSIDE THE “LACONIA,” OFF THE RUFIGI -RIVER] - -It was true that there were no other vessels in sight, but the -_Carmania_ had approached so as to head for the middle of the island, -in order that any observer who might be on the look out should be -unable to tell on which side the armed cruiser meant to pass. This -meant, however, that the greater part of the island’s lee side was -out of sight, and behind its shelter other enemy vessels such as the -_Karlsruhe_ or _Dresden_, might well be lying in wait--the visible -vessel merely acting as a decoy to the approaching Britisher. That -other ships were indeed present, became manifest almost at once, as a -smaller steamer, a cargo vessel, as it appeared, of about 1,800 tons, -was now seen backing away from behind the enemy ship. This vessel -at once began steaming away to the south-east, probably in order to -discover whether or no the _Carmania_ was accompanied by consorts at -present hidden by the land. There were also to add to the anxiety of -the _Carmania’s_ commanding officer, two more masts appearing above the -side of the unidentified ship that obviously belonged to a vessel still -out of sight. Fortunately, however, this proved to be only another -small cargo boat, who very soon detached herself and steamed away to -the north-west. - -This left them up to the present only the one big vessel as an -opponent, a vessel of some 18,500 tons, and an armed cruiser like the -_Carmania_. It promised, therefore, as regards numbers at least, to be -an equal fight, and in preparation for it dinner was ordered for all -hands that could be excused duty, for the hour of 11.30, in accordance -with the old naval principle--food before fighting. Meanwhile every -endeavour was being made to identify the mysterious enemy, and the -conclusion arrived at was that she must be the _Berlin_, a German -vessel of 17 knots. She was, as a matter of fact, although those on -the _Carmania_ were not to learn this for several days, the _Cap -Trafalgar_, the latest and finest ship of the Hamburg South American -Line--a vessel of 18 knots that had as yet only made one voyage. She -had been built with three funnels, one of them being a dummy one used -only for ventilation, and this had been done away with, reducing the -number to two. She had been in Buenos Aires when war broke out, and had -left that port, as it chanced on the very day that the _Carmania_ had -sailed from Liverpool, her destination being unknown and her cargo one -of coal. - -[Illustration: TORPEDOING OF THE “IVERNIA”] - -The _Carmania_ had by this time gone to “General Quarters,” and all on -board were ready for the encounter. The largest ensigns floated both -from the flagstaff aft and the mastheads, and the _Cap Trafalgar_ now -ran up the white flag with the black cross of the German Navy. It was -still, however, not quite certain that the enemy was armed, and it was -therefore necessary that the usual formalities should be attended -to. Well within range, Captain Grant ordered Lieutenant Murchie to fire -a shot across her bow, and the shell, very skilfully aimed, dropped -about 50 yards ahead of this. The reply was immediate, the enemy firing -two shells which only just cleared the _Carmania’s_ bridge, and dropped -into the water about 50 yards upon her starboard side. - -The fight had now begun in earnest, and the firing on both sides was -of a high order, although the first round or two from the _Carmania_ -fell short, while those of the _Cap Trafalgar_ erred a little in the -opposite direction. Quite soon, however, hits were being made by both -sides, and soon one of the _Carmania’s_ gun layers lay dead, his No. 2 -dying, and almost the whole of the gun’s crew wounded. - -For the first few minutes of the duel, only three of the _Carmania’s_ -guns could be brought to bear, but soon by porting a little she was -able to bring another gun into action, and some very successful -salvoes at once followed. The British gun-layers, firing as coolly -as if they had been at practice, were now hitting with nearly every -shot, and the vessels were closing one another rapidly, when at -about 5,500 yards the new and sinister sound of machine-gun firing -began to thread the din of the bursting shells. By this time a well -placed enemy shell had carried away the _Carmania’s_ control, so that -it was no longer possible for ranges to be given from the bridge to -the guns by telephone, and it was evidently the _Cap Trafalgar’s_ -intention to disable the bridge entirely, shell after shell hitting its -neighbourhood, or only just missing it. It was at once clear to those -on board that if the enemy’s machine-gun could now get the range, the -guns and ammunition parties on the unprotected decks of the _Carmania_ -would be inevitably mown down. The order was therefore given to port, -and the _Carmania_ wore away in order to increase the range. This -brought the enemy astern and another of the _Carmania’s_ guns into -action, and for a brief moment she had five guns bearing upon the _Cap -Trafalgar_. Still porting, however, the guns on that side ceased to -fire, and the turn came for the starboard gunners to take their hand. -The enemy now also ported, and as she did so, it became clear that she -was visibly listing to starboard; she had already been set on fire -foreward, but this fire seemed to have been extinguished. - -[Illustration: THE “CARMANIA” APPROACHING TRINIDAD (“Cap Trafalgar” to -the right)] - -[Illustration: ONE OF THE “CARMANIA’S” GUNS] - -The _Carmania’s_ gunners, on the soundest principles, were steadily -aiming at the _Cap Trafalgar’s_ water line, and there was no doubt that -as a result of this policy she was already beginning rapidly to make -water. It was by no means, however, the case of the honours resting -with one side entirely, and the enemy was constantly registering hits -on the _Carmania’s_ masts, ventilators, boats, and derricks, and it -is an amazing fact, considering that at one time the range was not -more than 1½ miles, that her casualties should have been so few. -The _Carmania’s_ gunners were now firing so fast that the paint was -blistering off the guns, and at the same time she herself was on fire -to an extent that might have proved very serious. The main pipes having -been shot away, no water could be got through the hose pipes and -brought to play upon this fire, and reliance had therefore to be placed -upon water buckets handled under the most difficult conditions of smoke -and heat. - -It was now evident that the _Carmania’s_ bridge would in a very short -time be untenable, and her Captain therefore ordered the control to be -changed to the aft steering position, and this was accordingly done, -the enemy being kept at about the same bearing. The bridge was now well -alight, and the flames were licking upward with increasing ferocity. -The port side of the main rigging was hanging in festoons from the only -remaining shroud. The wireless gear had been shot away in the first -moment of the action. Many of the ventilator cowls were in ribbons, and -a large hole yawned in the port side of the aft deck. - -Battered as she was, however, it was now clear that the _Cap Trafalgar_ -was in a far worse case. She was listing heavily, and her firing, -though still rapid, was becoming wild. She was badly on fire, and -almost wholly wrapped in smoke. Suddenly she turned abruptly to port -and headed back for the island, leaning right over with silent guns, -and already beginning to get her boats out. - -[Illustration: “ABANDON SHIP” DRILL AT SEA] - -[Illustration: AFTER THE FIGHT] - -Upon this all the _Carmania’s_ hands, except the gun layers, were -employed in trying to extinguish the fire. Bucket gangs were formed, -and at last a lead of water was arranged from the ship’s own fire -main once more. It was, of course, hopeless now to attempt to save -the bridge and the boat deck cabins, but there was still a hope of -preventing the fire from spreading, and in order to stop the draught -the engines were slowed down. It was a fierce task, and one that -demanded every energy on the part of all on board, but it was one in -which they were encouraged, as they toiled and sweated, by the sight of -their heeling enemy, from whose sides half a dozen boats had already -cleared, pulling towards one of her smaller colliers who was standing -about 3 miles away. - -More and more the big liner fell over until at last her funnels lay -upon the water, and then, after a moment’s apparent hesitation, with -her bow submerged, she heaved herself upright and sank bodily. It had -been a good fight and she had fought honourably to the end and gone -down with her ensign flying, and when, as she vanished, the men of the -_Carmania_ raised a cheer, it was hardly less for their own victory -than as a tribute to the enemy. - -By now, thanks to their unremitting exertions, the crew of the -_Carmania_ had overcome the fire, but a new danger was already reported -and necessitated prompt action on the part of her Commander. Smoke -had been reported on the northern horizon, and soon afterwards four -funnels appeared, the new comer being undoubtedly another enemy, -probably summoned by wireless by the _Cap Trafalgar_. Crippled as she -was, and with nearly a quarter of her guns’ crews and ammunition supply -parties either killed or injured, it would have been the sheerest -madness for the _Carmania_ to risk another action at that moment, -and she accordingly increased her speed, shaping a course to the -south-west, and steering by sun and wind, until she could assemble what -was left of her shattered navigating gear. Afterwards it was learned -that the enemy sighted was the _Kron Prinz Wilhelm_, who, on learning -by wireless of the _Cap Trafalgar’s_ fate, decided that discretion was -the better part of valour and did not approach any nearer. - -During the night the _Carmania_ succeeded in getting into touch -with the cruiser _Bristol_, with whom she arranged a rendezvous for -the next morning, and under whose care, and afterwards that of the -_Cornwall_, she came to anchor near the Abrolhos Rocks at eight -o’clock on the morning of the day after. Here, with the aid of the -_Cornwall’s_ engineers, the worst of her holes were patched up, and -with what navigating gear she could borrow, and in company with -the _Macedonia_, the _Carmania_ set out for Gibraltar at 6 p.m. on -September 17th. Well did she deserve, as she did so, the hearty cheers -of the _Cornwall_, and the two accompanying colliers, and those of the -old battleship _Canopus_ whom she passed early on the morning of the -19th. - -[Illustration: CHART-HOUSE AND BRIDGE OF THE “CARMANIA” AFTER THE FIGHT] - -She arrived at Pernambuco on the same afternoon, leaving there Captain -Grant’s despatches for the Admiralty, and reached Gibraltar nine days -later. Her re-fitting took several months, but she remained as an armed -cruiser until May, 1916, when she was again restored to the Cunard -Company’s service. Her casualties in this brilliant action amounted -to nine killed or dying of wounds, and four severely and twenty-two -slightly wounded. There were no Cunarders among the casualties. Besides -other honours conferred upon participants in this fight, his Majesty -the King decorated Captain Barr with the well deserved Companionship of -the Bath, in recognition of his splendid services in what was to prove -a unique action of the war at sea. - -Twelve months later, on September 15th, 1919, there was an interesting -sequel on board the _Carmania_, which had then returned to the -Cunard Company’s service. A piece of plate which belonged to Lord -Nelson, and was with him at Trafalgar, was presented to the ship in -commemoration of her very gallant fight. Twenty-four of these pieces -of plate came into the possession of the Navy League who asked the -Admiralty to allocate them to various ships. The _Carmania_ was the -only merchant vessel to receive this honour. In notifying the Company -of the presentation, the General Secretary of the Navy League stated -that “the Navy League realises that while every unit of the fleet has -rendered service in accordance with the best traditions of the Royal -Navy, _H.M.S. Carmania_ has been able to render herself conspicuous -amongst her gallant comrades, and in accepting this souvenir, the Navy -League trusts that you will recognise it as an expression of gratitude -to the glorious fleet of which that ship was so distinguished a -representative.” - -The veteran Admiral, the Hon. E. R. Fremantle who was present, stated -that there never was a single ship action which reflected greater -credit, both on the R.N. and on the Mercantile Marine, and more -especially on the R.N.R. It had very aptly been compared with the -fight of the _Shannon_ and the _Chesapeake_. - -[Illustration: “CARMANIA” SINKING “CAP TRAFALGAR”] - -Captain Grant was unfortunately unable to be present, but in a letter -read at the function he claimed that “this action was the only one -throughout the war in which an equal, or as a matter of fact, a -slightly inferior vessel annihilated the superior force.... I shall -always feel proud of the fact that it was my great good fortune to -command a ship in action in which the glorious traditions of the -British Navy were upheld by every soul on board.” - -Captain Barr, who retired from the Company’s service in 1917, said that -the Captain of the _Cap Trafalgar_ put up a very gallant fight. “I do -not know his name,” he said, “but he is the only German I would care to -meet.” - - - - -CHAPTER III - -Carrying On - - _The lofty liners in their pride - Stem every current, every tide: - At anchor in all ports they ride._ - - _The menace of the berg and floe, - The blindness of the fog and snow. - All these the English seamen know._ - - _And still they calmly jog along - By Bay and Cape, an endless throng. - As endless as some dog-watch song._ - - MORLEY ROBERTS. - - -We have confined ourselves so far to the adventures of the Cunard -vessels that were used in the early stages of the war for purely -combatant purposes. They were, as has been seen, merely a small, though -important, fraction of the whole fleet, and indeed the distinction -that we have drawn is a somewhat difficult one to maintain. Thus, -from acting, as we have shewn, as purely combatant cruisers, the -_Aquitania_, _Caronia_, _Laconia_ and _Carmania_ passed to different -and even more valuable work; and at the same time many other Cunard -vessels were upon the outbreak of war withdrawn from their usual -avocation for more or less militant purposes. We find the _Mauretania_, -for example, originally intended for employment as an armed cruiser, -converted into a Troopship in 1915, and from this into a Hospital -Ship in 1916, while in 1917 she again became a Transport, fitted with -6-in. guns. In all these capacities she did magnificent work, not -without imminent risk of destruction, and it was only by the brilliant -seamanship of Commander Dow, one of the Cunard Company’s oldest and -most trusted skippers, that she escaped being sunk while plying between -England and Mudros, in her role of Troopship. Attacked by a submarine, -Commander Dow noticed the wake of the approaching torpedo on his -starboard bow, and immediately ordering the helm to be flung hard aport -the torpedo was missed by not more than 5 feet, the _Mauretania’s_ -great speed fortunately thereafter placing her beyond range of the -enemy. - -[Illustration: THE “LACONIA” AT DURBAN] - -[Illustration: FINAL OF THE S.A.I. HEAVY-WEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP ON THE -“LACONIA”] - -The _Franconia_ and _Alaunia_ were also employed in carrying troops -from September, 1914, onwards until both of them were sunk, curiously -enough within a few days of one another in October, 1916. During -this period they carried troops not only from Canada to England, but -made several voyages to India and various parts of the Mediterranean. -It was while she was on her way from Alexandria to Salonica, though -fortunately after she had disembarked 2,700 soldiers, that the -_Franconia_ (Captain D. S. Miller), was torpedoed, about 200 miles N.E. -of Malta. Twelve of her crew were killed by the explosion. The ship -sank fifty minutes after she was hit, the survivors being picked up -by H.M. Hospital Ship _Dover Castle_, whose R.A.M.C. Surgeon, Dr. J. -D. Doherty chanced himself to be one of the Cunard Company’s Medical -Officers. The _Alaunia_, again, as it happened, having landed her -passengers and mails at Falmouth, after a voyage from New York, was -torpedoed on her way to London, about two miles south of the Royal -Sovereign Light Vessel. Captain H. M. Benison, in command, hoped to -beach the ship, but unfortunately the water gained too rapidly, and the -necessary tugs did not arrive in time. Two members of the crew were -found to be missing, probably as the result of the explosion, the rest -being saved by patrol boats and destroyers and the _Alaunia’s_ own -lifeboats. - -[Illustration: THE NELSON PLATE PRESENTED TO THE “CARMANIA”] - -The _Andania_, _Ascania_, _Ivernia_, and _Saxonia_, were all for -several months used as prison ships in 1915, each of them providing -accommodation for nearly 2,000 German prisoners. They were afterwards -employed as Transports, both to India and the Mediterranean, the -_Ivernia_, _Ascania_ and _Andania_, in the end, all being sunk by enemy -submarines. These losses represented a heavy sacrifice by the Company, -particularly in view of the post-war needs of navigation. - -It was on January 27th, 1918, that the _Andania_ was torpedoed without -warning, having sailed the day previously from Liverpool, _via_ the -North of Ireland, with 51 passengers and mails. Captain J. Marshall, -in command, immediately ordered her boats to be lowered with the -result that within a quarter of an hour all the passengers and crew -were clear of the ship, except the Captain himself, the Chief, First, -Second and Third Officers, who made a special request to the Captain -to be allowed to remain on board. The manner in which the boats were -thus speedily lowered and filled and navigated to positions of safety -was an evolution which reflected favourably on the organisation of the -ship. Captain Marshall then made an examination of the ship and called -for volunteers from the nearest boat. The response was immediate and -unanimous, and the Chief Engineer, Purser, Wireless Operator, and two -Stewards, with two Able Seamen at once returned on board with a fine -carelessness to their own safety and rendered valuable assistance in -getting out hawsers forward and aft. At half-past two, these men were -again ordered to leave the vessel, and, with the occupants of the -other boats, were picked up by patrols. Captain Marshall himself and -his Chief Officer (Mr. Murdoch) boarded a drifter and stood by the -_Andania_ until 4 o’clock in the evening, when they again returned -on board to make her fast to a tug which had just arrived, still -entertaining the hope that it might be possible to save her. Unhappily -their efforts were of no avail, the vessel sinking about half-past -seven. Seven lives were unfortunately lost, probably as the result of -the explosion. - -[Illustration: CREW LEAVING THE “FRANCONIA” AFTER SHE WAS TORPEDOED] - -On the morning of the 28th December, 1916, the _Ivernia_ left -Marseilles with a crew of 213, 94 officers and 1,950 troops. Shortly -after her departure from Marseilles Captain Turner received orders to -proceed 11 miles south of Damietta (Malta), but prior to altering -course he received further orders to proceed north of Gozo Island -(Malta), where the _Ivernia’s_ escort, _H.M.S. Camelia_ (Destroyer), -was relieved by _H.M.S. Rifleman_ (Destroyer). On approaching the -Adriatic, Captain Turner was instructed not to pass through the danger -zone in daylight. As the _Ivernia_ was proceeding she received a signal -from the escort that permission had been requested and granted from the -Admiralty at Malta to proceed through the danger zone at daybreak. - -There was a fresh breeze which accounted for a heavy swell, the morning -sun was shining brightly on the starboard side, when Captain Turner -observed the wake of a torpedo approaching his vessel, too late to -enable him to do anything to avoid it. The torpedo struck the _Ivernia_ -on the starboard side, abreast the funnel, and consequently rendered -the engines out of commission, owing to the bursting of the steam pipe, -by the explosion. This explosion accounted for the loss of 13 stewards -and 9 firemen. - -Fortunately, at the time, all troops were mustered on deck and were -standing by boat stations. The boats were immediately lowered clear of -the water. - -The destroyer _Rifleman_ immediately manœuvred for the purpose of -locating the submarine, by which time several of the _Ivernia’s_ boats -were in the water. At this juncture an unfortunate incident occurred. -The destroyer dashed by the port quarter at full speed without having -an opportunity of avoiding a collision with the ship’s lifeboat, -containing Chief Engineer Wilson and Dr. Parker, among other members of -the crew, the boat sinking immediately. Dr. Parker was picked up but -died almost immediately from injuries received. Chief Engineer Wilson -was not seen. - -Two steam trawlers came alongside the _Ivernia_, after the destroyer -had left with 600 survivors on board, which took the remainder of the -Military and Crew, which apparently left only Captain Turner and Second -Officer Leggett remaining on board. The Second Officer, however, went -round the decks and discovered a soldier on the after deck who had -sustained a broken thigh. Two soldiers were immediately ordered aboard -for the purpose of assisting in strapping a board to the man’s damaged -thigh, he being eventually lowered on to one of the trawlers by means -of a bowline, where he was placed in charge of the R.A.M.C. - -[Illustration: TORPEDOING OF THE “AUSONIA”] - -The Second Officer then went aboard the trawler, later followed by -Captain Turner, who first of all made sure that the vessel was sinking. - -The trawlers then cruised around among the boats and wreckage picking -up survivors. - -One of the trawlers unfortunately became disabled owing to the ropes -fouling her propellers, which necessitated her being towed by the other. - -The trawlers proceeded to Crete, where the survivors were billeted for -14 days, after which time they were taken on board the P. & O. S.S. -_Kalyan_ and conveyed to Marseilles, from which port they were sent -overland to England. - -The _Ausonia_ was another of the fine Cunard vessels which the enemy -succeeded in destroying. In February, 1915, she had taken over 2,000 -refugees from Belgium to La Pallice, being afterwards employed as a -Troopship from February to May, 1916, working to Mediterranean and -Indian ports. She was then returned to the Cunard Company’s service, -and was sunk on the 30th of May, 1918. Once before, this ship had -been struck by a torpedo, off the south coast of Ireland, in June, -1917, while on a voyage from Montreal to Avonmouth. In this case she -was fortunately salved, and her valuable cargo of food stuffs safely -discharged. On the second occasion, while sailing from Liverpool, -she was less fortunate. The _Ausonia_ was some 600 miles west of the -Irish coast at 5 p.m. on May 30th, when a torpedo struck her, causing -a terrific explosion. As her Commander, Captain R. Capper, afterwards -said, he saw rafts, ventilators, ladders, and all kinds of wreckage -coming down as if from the sky, falling round the after part of the -ship. Captain Capper who, at the moment, was at the entrance of his -cabin, at once went to the bridge, put the telegraph to ‘Stop’--‘Full -Speed Astern’ but received no reply from the Engine Room. All hands -were at once ordered to their boat stations, and the wireless operator -tapped out the ship’s position on his auxiliary gear. Ten boats were -lowered, and, within a quarter of an hour after the ship was struck, -they had safely left her. When about a quarter of a mile astern, -Captain Capper mustered them together and called the roll. It was then -discovered that eight stewards were missing, having been at tea in a -room immediately above the part of the ship struck by the torpedo. - -[Illustration: SCENE ON BOARD AFTER THE TORPEDOING OF THE “IVERNIA” -(i)] - -Half an hour after the vessel was torpedoed, a periscope was sighted -on the port bow, and an enemy submarine came to the surface and fired -about 40 shells at the ship, some of these dropping within fifty yards -of the boats. After the _Ausonia_ had sunk, the submarine approached -the boats, and Captain Capper, who was at the oars was ordered to come -alongside. Upon the submarine’s deck several of her crew were lounging, -laughing and jeering at the shipwrecked survivors. After enquiring as -to the _Ausonia’s_ cargo, the submarine commander ordered the boats to -steer in a north-easterly direction; in callous disregard of the peril -which confronted the _Ausonia’s_ crew the submarine herself then made -off northwards. - -Captain Capper gave orders to the officers in charge of the boats that -they were to keep together, and endeavour to get into the track of -convoys, the weather being fine at the time. Until midnight the boats -were successful in remaining in each other’s company, but the wind, -having risen in the night, two boats, one of them in charge of the -first officer, and the other in charge of the boatswain were, on the -following morning, not to be seen. Captain Capper had assembled the -survivors in seven boats, and he now gave orders to the remaining five -that they should make themselves fast together. In this formation, they -continued throughout the following day and night, when the ropes began -to part. They were also retarding progress and were therefore cast off, -the boats, however, still continuing to remain pretty well together. - -On Sunday, January 2nd, to add to the misery of their occupants, the -weather became bad, heavy rain falling and soaking them all to the -skin. On Monday and Tuesday, conditions improved a little, but on -Wednesday a storm broke, and by mid-day a heavy sea was running, and -a gale blowing from the north-west. The boats were now running before -this, with great seas breaking over them and saturating everybody on -board. These conditions continued until Friday the 7th, when land -was at last sighted, turning out to be Bull Rock. A wise and strict -rationing had been enforced, only two biscuits a day and one ounce -of water having been allowed for the first two days, and one biscuit -and a half and four tablespoons of water the subsequent ration. The -crew were approaching the extremities of exhaustion when hope of -deliverance was awakened in them. Fortunately, on sighting land, the -wind fell a little, but it was another fifteen hours before the unhappy -survivors were picked up by H.M.S. _Zennia_, an American Destroyer also -assisting. Captain Capper’s boat had only 25 biscuits left together -with half a bucketful of water--but one day’s meagre supply when the -terrible ordeal ended. The little boats, it was calculated, had covered -900 miles since the _Ausonia_ disappeared before their eyes. Under -these conditions the conduct of the Cunarder’s crew was of the highest -order, that of the stewardess, Mrs. Edgar, of Orrell Park, Aintree, the -only woman on board the vessel, being particularly courageous. - -[Illustration: SCENE ON BOARD AFTER THE TORPEDOING OF THE “IVERNIA” -(ii)] - -Special mention must also be made of the butcher’s boy, Robinson. At -the moment of the explosion, together with the pantry boy, Lister, -he was in one of the cooling chambers, and the explosion made it -impossible for the two boys to get out. Robinson had several wounds -on his hips and thighs, and his left arm was lacerated. Both boys, in -addition, had both legs broken above the ankle. Robinson, however, -managed to crawl out on both his hands and knees and secure a board -and place it across the gaping hole in the deck, thus enabling Lister -also to reach a place of comparative safety. The two boys then crawled -on hands and knees up two sets of ladders to the boat deck, and -were placed in the boats. The doctor attended to the boy Robinson’s -injuries, as far as was possible, but it was not for 30 hours that -Captain Capper was able to transfer him to the boat in which Lister -was lying, so that he also might receive medical aid. In spite of -their experiences and injuries, both boys remained calm and cheerful, -and indeed in high spirits, but it is sad to record that Robinson -subsequently succumbed in hospital, as the result of his injuries. - -More, however, to Captain Capper than to any one man, was the salvation -of the five boat loads due, and it was in recognition of his dogged -determination and splendid seamanship that his Majesty the King -afterwards bestowed upon him the Distinguished Service Cross. - -[Illustration: THE TORPEDOING OF THE “IVERNIA”: SURVIVORS AFLOAT ON -RAFT] - -The _Ultonia_, in August, 1914, was the means by which some of the -old “Contemptibles” were brought from Malta to England, and she then -proceeded to India with Territorial troops. She was subsequently -returned to the Company’s Service and was finally sunk in June, 1917. -She was at this time eastward bound, and about 350 miles west from -Land’s End. She disappeared in ten minutes, so deadly was the blow she -received. Fortunately, she was at the time, being escorted by one of -the “Q” boats, by whom her crew was picked up and safely landed the -next day at Falmouth, one man unfortunately being killed during the -operation of leaving the ship. Captain J. Marshall was in command. - -Meanwhile, with their ordinary carrying power thus depleted, the Cunard -management had been looking about for reinforcements, and had entered -into negotiations with certain other lines for additional vessels. -Thus they took over from the Canadian Northern Steamship Company (The -Royal Line and The Uranium Steamship Company), the _Royal George_, -and three other vessels, which they re-christened respectively the -_Folia_, _Feltria_, and _Flavia_. They also purchased five additional -vessels which they re-christened the _Vinovia_, _Valeria_, _Volodia_, -_Valacia_, and _Vandalia_. - -Now during the years 1915 and 1916, merchant shipping, apart from -those ships especially chartered by the Government, continued under -the direction of its various owners. In 1917, however, the Liner -Requisitioning Scheme, came into being, and a Shipping Controller was -appointed. - -Under this scheme all British shipping came under the control of the -Government, the object being, in view of the shortage of tonnage caused -by the depredations of the submarines, to confine steamers to those -trades necessary for providing the Allies with the essential foodstuffs -and munitions of war. The greatest percentage of these had, of course, -to be obtained from America, and in consequence many steamers which had -been trading to other parts of the world, were diverted to the North -Atlantic, and placed under the management of the Companies already -established on these particular routes. The owners of these transferred -steamers were given permission to allot their ships to any of the -lines so established, and it came about that the Cunard Company, in -addition to their own ships, had the management of a large number of -vessels thus diverted. It is estimated, in fact, that the number of -additional steamers so handled by the Company, amounted to more than -400. In addition to this, the Company managed several prize steamers -captured from the enemy and neutral steamers that had been placed -at the disposal of the Allies, and it thus happened that the Cunard -management found itself in charge of vessels from the Indian, China, -South African, and Australian trades, assembled from the ends of the -earth in this vital emergency. - -[Illustration: TORPEDOING OF THE “LUSITANIA”] - -Some idea of the magnitude of the work thus carried upon the shoulders -of the Cunard management may be gathered from the facts that in one -year alone not less than 200 sailings were made from American and -Canadian ports, and that over 10,000 tons of cargo were often carried -in one steamer. - -With the entrance of America into the war, the carrying problem became -at once more complicated and greater in bulk; and in its solution the -Cunard Company may once more justly be said to have played a major -part. Let us consider first its work in the carriage of troops. The -Cunard organisation was responsible for the transport during the war of -over 900,000 officers and men. This excludes the big total repatriated -after the Armistice was signed. When it is remembered that this -aggregate is greater than the total population of either Liverpool, -Manchester or Birmingham; that 900,000 men, marching in column of route -in sections of fours would take, without halting, nearly six days to -pass a single point, it becomes possible to visualise the immensity -of the task represented by these bald figures. When it is further -remembered that the total British Expeditionary Force first thrown -across the English Channel in August, 1914, was only 80,000; that this -was less than one-tenth of the number carried during the war by the -Cunard Company; and that the number so carried was equal to not less -than one-eighth of the whole British Army at its greatest strength, the -nation’s debt to this great Company can be estimated. - -Nor was the mere provisioning of these troops while _en route_ a -negligible feat of transport. Taking an average voyage as ten days, -the food required to feed this number of men amounted to no less than -9,750,000 pounds of meat, 11,250,000 pounds of potatoes, 4,500,000 -pounds of vegetables, 9,575,000 loaves of bread, 1,275,000 pounds of -jam, 900,000 pounds of tea and coffee, and among other things 900,000 -pounds of oatmeal, 600,000 pounds of butter and 127,000 gallons of -milk. - -[Illustration: THE TORPEDOING OF THE “IVERNIA”: SURVIVORS BEING TAKEN -IN ONE OF THE BOATS] - -Vast as these figures are, however, they are dwarfed when we begin to -consider what was accomplished during the five years of war in the -way of cargo carrying--in the humdrum performance of an unadvertised -and often little appreciated service, upon which, fundamentally, our -whole war structure rested. Between August, 1914, and November, 1918, -7,314,000 tons of foodstuffs, munitions of war, and general cargo were -carried from America and Canada to the British Isles; over 340,000 tons -from the British Isles to Italy and the Adriatic; over 500,000 tons -from the British Isles to other Mediterranean Ports; nearly 320,000 -tons from this country to France; and nearly 60,000 tons from France to -this country. In addition to this, huge quantities were also carried -westwards from this country, amounting to a total, in the same period, -of more than 1,000,000 tons. - -Not the least important service rendered in this way was connected -with the supply of oil fuel, of which the stocks in this country -were seriously depleted--so seriously that at one time they were -insufficient to supply the needs of the Navy for more than a few -weeks ahead. In this predicament the Admiralty, realizing the -danger, approached Sir Alfred Booth, Chairman of the Cunard Company, -and asked him to put the matter before other leading ship-owners. -He readily consented to do so, and all owners running ships in the -North Atlantic, at once agreed to take the necessary steps to allow -of oil being carried in the double bottoms of their ships, the Cunard -Company themselves adapting for this purpose the double bottoms of the -_Andania_, _Carmania_, _Carpathia_, _Pannonia_, _Saxonia_, _Valacia_, -_Vandalia_, _Valeria_, and _Vinovia_, each of which brought on each -voyage to this country, about 2,000 tons of oil. The Cunard Company -alone, in a little over a year, thus brought over 100,000 tons of oil -across the Atlantic. - -[Illustration: THE “LUSITANIA”] - -During all this time, of course, it must be remembered that the Cunard -Company, as throughout the war, plied in a zone particularly exposed -to hostile attack by enemy raiders and submarines; and as we have -already shown, and shall show again, a very heavy toll of their vessels -was taken by hostile torpedoes. How greatly the Cunard steamers were -concentrated upon dangerous routes will be seen on reference to the -map,[B] which indicates the most important services of Cunard Steamers -during the war. Finally, let it be stated that from August, 1914 to -November, 1918, without taking into account such outside steamers as -were working under the Cunard Company’s direction, its own steamers -steamed not less than 3,313,576 miles, with a consumption of 1,785,000 -tons of coal. This distance is equivalent to the circum-navigation of -the world no less than 132 times. - - [B] This map will be found in the inside front cover of the - book. - - - - -CHAPTER IV - -The Ordeal of the _Lusitania_ - - _Oh, have you ever seen a foundered horse, - His great heart broken by a task too great - For his endurance, but unbroken yet - His spirit--striving to complete his course, - Failing at last, eyes glazed and nostril wide, - And have not ached with pity? Pity now - A brave ship shattered by a coward blow - That once had spurned the waters in her pride._ - - N. N. F. CORBETT. - - -With the subsequent progress in infamy of Germany’s submarine campaign -it was natural that the sensibilities of the civilised world, so -shocked by the ruthless sinking of the _Lusitania_, should have become -somewhat dulled. But it is clear, in retrospect, that this tragic -event marked an epoch in the slow gathering of the non-combatant -world’s condemnation. Upon the general events preceding the loss of -this world-famous vessel, this is not, perhaps, the place to dwell. It -will be remembered however, that from February 18th, 1915, the German -Government announced that it proposed to consider the waters round -Great Britain and Ireland and the entire English Channel as what -they described as a “War Zone,” stating that they would “endeavour to -destroy every merchant ship found in this area of war, without its -always being possible to avert the peril that thus threatens persons -and cargoes.” - -[Illustration: THE “MAURETANIA” AS A HOSPITAL SHIP, OFF NAPLES HARBOUR -(The “Mauretania” was a sister ship of the “Lusitania”)] - -To this the British Government issued a reply on the following March -1st, that the German announcement was in fact a claim to torpedo at -sight, regardless of the safety both of the crew or passengers, any -merchant vessel under any flag. The British Government proceeded to -remind Germany and the world, that by all the accepted traditions of -the sea, and under the terms of international law, it was the duty of -an enemy vessel to bring a captured ship to a Prize Court, where all -the circumstances of the case could be impartially investigated, and -where neutrals might recover their cargoes. The sinking of prizes was -therefore, as the British Government pointed out, always a questionable -proceeding, and could only be justified in exceptional circumstances, -and after full provision had been made for crews and passengers. The -legal responsibility of verifying the status of any vessel always -rested with the attacking ship, while the obligations of humanity -required adequate provision to be made for the safety of all crews and -passengers of merchant vessels, whether enemy or neutral. - -It is now both common and tragic knowledge that these protests, as -well as all the canons, so long established, of sea chivalry, were -entirely ignored by the German Government, and it was on May 7th, 1915, -that this became finally and startlingly clear to every intelligent -observer in the civilised world. That the German Government possessed -any special spite towards the _Lusitania_ may not perhaps have been the -case, but, as we have seen, it was by means of the _Lusitania_ and her -sister ship the _Mauretania_ that the “blue ribbon” of the Atlantic, in -the matter of speed, had been wrested from German hands. - -[Illustration: “PHRYGIA” SINKING A SUBMARINE] - -Built in 1907 for the Cunard Company by Messrs. John Brown & Co., of -Clyde Bank, she had been constructed under Admiralty Survey, and in -accordance with Admiralty requirements, and was classed 100 A1. at -Lloyds. Built throughout of steel, she had a cellular double bottom, -with a floor at every frame, the depth of this on the centre line being -60 inches, and 72 inches where it supported the turbine machinery. -This double bottom extended up the ship’s side to a height of eight -feet above the keel. All her decks were steel plated throughout, and -the transverse strength of the ship was largely dependent on the 12 -transverse water-tight bulkheads which had been purposely strengthened -and stiffened to enable her to stand the necessary pressure in the -event of accident. Inside her hull was a second “skin,” running the -whole length of her vital parts, so that she was virtually a ship -within a ship. - -Her length all over was 785 feet. She was 88 feet in breadth, and -nearly 60 feet in depth, with a gross tonnage of over 30,000 tons, -and a load draft of 36 feet. Including the hold she had nine decks, -with accommodation for 523 first class, 295 second class, and 1,300 -third class passengers, together with a crew of about 800. She had -turbine engines of 63,220 horse power, four for ahead and two for -astern motion, and her speed in 1914 was from 24½ to 25 knots. Her -four great funnels rose to a height of 154 feet above the keel, and -the diameter of each being not less than 24 feet. Her masts were 210 -feet high, while the navigating bridge stood 110 feet above the keel. -At a moderate estimate, the cost of running her to New York and back, -including wages, victualling and fuel, was in 1914 about £30,000, and -she was operated, under the terms of the agreement with the Admiralty, -by a crew of which at least three-quarters had to be British subjects. - -She was provided with boat accommodation for 2,605 persons, the number -of persons on board during her last voyage being 1,959. She carried 48 -lifeboats, 22 of which were ordinary boats hanging from davits, with -a total carrying capacity of 1,323. The remaining 26 were collapsible -boats, with a total carrying capacity of 1,282. In addition, the ship -was provided with 2,325 life jackets and 35 lifebuoys, all of these -being conveniently distributed on board. - -[Illustration: THE “ALAUNIA” AS AN EMERGENCY HOSPITAL SHIP] - -Now at the beginning of the war it had been a very difficult question -for the directors of the Cunard Company to decide as to whether the -transatlantic traffic, under the new and unprecedented conditions, -would be sufficient to justify the continued running of two such large -and costly vessels as the _Lusitania_ and the _Mauretania_. It was -decided, however, after much consideration, that the _Lusitania_ -could be run once a month, providing that her boiler power was reduced -by one-fourth. The consequent saving in coal and labour of this would, -the Directors considered, enable them to run the vessel without loss, -although with no hopes of making a profit. Six of the _Lusitania’s_ -boilers were accordingly closed, and the ship began to run in these -conditions in November, 1914, the effect of the closing of the six -boilers being to reduce her maximum speed to 21 knots. It is to be -noted, however, that this reduction still left the _Lusitania_ very -considerably faster than any other transatlantic steamer. - -Nor had she lacked in exciting experiences before the fatal 1st of -May, 1915, on which she left New York for the last time. On the very -day that war was declared in 1914, she had started from New York -for Liverpool, under the command of Captain Daniel Dow, one of the -best-known and most respected figures in the Cunard Company’s service, -who retired after 43 years’ service in 1919. Within a few hours of -leaving New York, an enemy warship was sighted on the horizon, and -observed to change her course immediately, with the presumed object of -intercepting the _Lusitania_. Without a moment’s hesitation, Captain -Dow set his course for a fog bank to the south, where he was soon lost -to sight by the enemy. As soon as he was out of view, Captain Dow swung -the _Lusitania_ round again and steamed northwards at his highest -speed. Having thus out-manoeuvred the hostile commander, he resumed -his eastward course again, navigating his great ship by night without -lights, and safely reaching Liverpool. - -Again in February, 1915, while Captain Dow was still in command of her, -the _Lusitania_, on an eastward voyage, received a wireless message to -the effect that enemy submarines were cruising in the Irish Sea. He -received instructions to fly a neutral flag--a perfectly legitimate -ruse--and having on board some 400 Americans, together with the United -States mails, he decided to hoist the American flag. Having done so, -he crossed the Irish Sea at full speed, without stopping to take up -a pilot; steered straight for the Mersey, and once more brought his -vessel home in safety. Soon after this, Captain Dow, upon whom the -strain of responsibility had been very great, was retained ashore by -the Directors for a brief and much needed rest, and Captain W. T. -Turner, one of the Cunard Company’s most trusted commanders took his -place, with an assistant captain, Captain Anderson, also on board. - -[Illustration: THE “LUSITANIA” PASSING THE OLD HEAD OF KINSALE, WITHIN -A FEW MILES OF THE SPOT WHERE SHE WAS TORPEDOED] - -That an attempt was to be made upon the _Lusitania_ had for some days -been current rumour in New York, and on Saturday, May 1st, 1915, her -advertised sailing date, the following advertisement appeared in the -New York Times, New York Tribune, New York Sun, New York Herald, and -the New York World. “Travellers,” it stated, “intending to embark on -the Atlantic voyage are reminded that a state of war exists between -Germany and her Allies, and Great Britain and her Allies, that the -zone of war includes the waters adjacent to the British Isles, that in -accordance with formal notice given by the Imperial German Government, -vessels flying the flag of Great Britain, or of any of her Allies, are -liable to destruction in those waters, that travellers travelling in -the war zone in ships of Great Britain or her Allies do so at their own -risk. April 22nd, 1915, The Imperial German Embassy, Washington, D.C.” -It is safe to say, however, that but small attention was paid to this -notice, very few people contemplating that such a diabolical threat -as was implied in this notice would be seriously carried out by any -civilised Christian Power. On the 1st May, therefore, the vessel sailed -in fine weather, and with a calm sea. The voyage till May 7th was -marked by no untoward event. As the danger zone was approached, Captain -Turner took all the necessary precautions. All the lifeboats under -davits were swung out; all bulkhead doors, except such as were required -to be kept open in order to work the ship, were closed, the portholes -being also closed; the look-outs on the ship were doubled--two men -being sent to the crow’s nest, and two to the eyes of the ship; two -officers were always on the bridge, and a quartermaster was stationed -on either side with instructions to look out for submarines. - -Up to 8 o’clock on the morning of May 7th the vessel’s speed had been -maintained at 21 knots, but at 8 o’clock this was somewhat reduced, -the object being to ensure that the _Lusitania_ should arrive outside -the bar at the mouth of the Mersey at such an hour on the morning of -the 8th as would enable her to make immediate use of the tide, thus -avoiding loitering in a vicinity where Captain Turner had reason to -suppose enemy submarines might be watching for him. Soon after this -reduction of speed the weather became thick, and the fog into which she -had run necessitated a further reduction to 15 knots. Just before 12 -o’clock, however, the fog lifted, and the vessel’s speed was increased -again to 18 knots--a speed that was maintained until she was struck by -the enemy torpedo. - -[Illustration: THE “WHITE WAKE” THAT STRETCHED TO THE BEACHES OF -GALLIPOLI] - -At the same time orders were sent to the engine-room to keep the -steam-pressure as high as possible, so that in case of emergency the -_Lusitania_ might be able to put on all possible speed, should this be -ordered from the bridge. Land was now in sight, about two points abaft -the beam, and Captain Turner took this to be Brow Head. Owing to the -recent fog, however, he was not able to identify it with sufficient -certainty to enable him to fix the _Lusitania_ upon the chart. He, -therefore, kept her upon her course, which was S.87.E and parallel with -the land, until twenty minutes to one, when, in order to make a better -landing, he altered the course to N.67.E. - -This brought him nearer to the Irish Coast, and he shortly afterwards -sighted the old Head of Kinsale. Having identified this, at twenty -minutes to two, he altered his course back to S.87.E. and, having -steadied her on that course, began ten minutes later to have a four -point bearing taken, and this was being carried out when the ship was -torpedoed. - -This occurred at a quarter past two, when the _Lusitania_ was steaming -some ten miles off the Old Head of Kinsale, the atmosphere having then -cleared and the sea being smooth. A seaman, Leslie N. Morton, seems -to have been the first person on board actually to have seen the wake -of the torpedo, and he reported it at once to the Second Officer, -who in turn reported it to Captain Turner, then on the port side of -the lower bridge. Captain Turner looking to starboard saw a streak -of foam travelling towards the ship, and immediately afterwards the -_Lusitania_ was struck full on the starboard side, between the third -and fourth funnels, the explosion breaking to splinters one of the -lifeboats. Almost simultaneously a second torpedo also struck her -on the starboard side, the two having been fired apparently from a -distance of from two to five hundred yards. No warning of any kind had -been given. Immediately on being struck the _Lusitania_ listed heavily -to starboard, and in less than twenty minutes she had sunk in deep -water, carrying to their graves no less than 1,198 men, women and -children. - -[Illustration: TORPEDOING OF THE “THRACIA”] - -Perhaps the most lucid, and, since he was an American, the most -impartial account of the occurrence was that afterwards given by Mr. -James Brooks of Bridgeport, Connecticut, one of the saloon passengers. -Mr. Brooks, who was making the voyage to England for business purposes, -had, in common with most of the other American passengers, read the -warning notice issued by the German Embassy, to which we have already -referred. Like most of his fellow-countrymen, however, he had decided -to ignore it. “No one in America,” he said, “ever dreamed that the -Germans would dare to carry out their terrible threat to destroy such a -magnificent vessel, and with it hundreds of the lives of innocent men, -women and children.... A good many passengers were still at lunch when, -on Friday afternoon, the attack came in reality. I had just finished a -run on deck and had reached the Marconi Deck, when I glanced out over -the water. It was perfectly smooth. My eyes alighted on a white streak -making its way with lightning-like rapidity towards the ship. I was -so high in that position above the surface of the water that I could -make out the outline of a torpedo. It appeared to be about twelve feet -long, and came along possibly three feet below the surface, its sides -white with bubbles of foam. I watched its passage, fascinated, until -it passed out of sight behind the bridge, and in another moment came -the explosion. The ship, recoiling under the force of the blow, was -jarred and lifted, as if it had struck an immovable object. A column -of water shot up to the bridge deck, carrying with it a lot of debris, -and, despite the fact that I must have been twenty yards from the -spot at which the torpedo struck, I was knocked off my feet. Before I -could recover myself, the iron forepart of the ship was enveloped in -a blinding cloud of steam, due, not, I think, to the explosion of a -second torpedo, as some thought, but to the fact that the two forehold -boilers had been jammed close together and ‘jack-knifed’ upwards. This -I was told by a stoker afterwards. - -[Illustration: OFFICERS, NURSES AND R.A.M.C. ORDERLIES OF H.M.H.S. -“AQUITANIA”] - -[Illustration: “HOMEWARD BOUND”] - -“We had been in sight of land for some time, and the head of the ship, -which had already begun to settle, was turned towards the Old Head -of Kinsale. We must have been from twelve to fifteen miles from -land at the time the ship was struck. All the boats on the ship had -been swung out the day previous, and the work of launching them was -at once commenced. The attempt in the case of the first boat was a -tragic failure. The women and children were taken first and the boat -was practically filled with them, there being only a few men. The boat -was lowered until within its own length of the water, when the forward -tackle jammed, and the whole of its occupants, with the exception of -three, were thrown into the water. The _Lusitania_ was then on an even -keel. On the decks of the doomed vessel absolute coolness prevailed. -There was no rushing about, and nothing remotely resembling panic. In -just a few isolated cases there were signs of hysteria on the part of -the women, but that was all. - -“Meanwhile the ship had taken a decided list, and was sinking rapidly -by the head. The efforts made to lower the boats had apparently not met -with much success. Those on the port side had swung inboard and could -not be used, while the collapsible boats which were lashed beneath -them could not be got at. The ladies were standing quite coolly, -waiting on board to enter the boats when they could be released by the -men from the davits. The davits by this time were themselves touching -the water, the ship having sunk so low that the bridge deck was only -four feet or so from the surface of the sea. Losing no time, the men -passed the women rapidly into the boats, and places had been found by -now for all the people about the midships section. I stepped into one -of the lifeboats and attempted to assist in getting it clear. I saw -the list was so great that the davits pinched the gear, rendering it -improbable that they could be got away when the ship went down, so I -stepped on to the gunwale and dived into the water. I had no lifebelt -and am not a good swimmer, but I decided to take the risk. I had been -wetted right through when the explosion occurred, and I believe that -had I gone in dry I should have swallowed so much water that I should -not have lasted long. - -[Illustration: THE SUN-CURE] - -[Illustration: THE “FRANCONIA” PASSING THROUGH THE SUEZ CANAL] - -“I swam as hard as I could away from the vessel, and noticed with -feelings of apprehension the menacing bulk of the huge funnels as they -loomed up over my head. I expected them momentarily to fall on me -and crush me as I swam, but at last I judged myself to be clear, and I -turned round and trod the water in order to watch the great hull heel -over. The monster took a sudden plunge, and, noting the crowd still on -her decks and the heavily laden boats filling with helpless women and -children glued to her side, I sickened with horror at the sight. The -liner’s stern rose high out of the water; there was a thunderous roar -as of the collapse of a great building during a fire, and then she -disappeared, dragging hundreds of fellow-creatures into the vortex. -Many never rose again to the surface, but the sea rapidly grew black -with the figures of struggling men, women, and children. The wireless -installation came over with a crash into the sea. It struck my uplifted -arm as it fell, and I felt it pass over my body as it sank, almost -dragging me under. - -“The rush of water over the steamer’s decks swept away a collapsible -boat, and I swam towards it. Another man reached it shortly after, and -after we were rescued I found him to be Mr. James Lauriat, jun., of -Boston. Two seamen also managed to swim to the boat and to climb on -to it. One had a knife, and the other asked me for mine, and together -they set about cutting away the canvas cover of the boat. When they -had finished, I climbed inside, and the three of them followed me. We -started to rescue the unfortunate people in the water, or at least -those of them who were still living. We quickly had about 30 of them in -the little craft. Around us in the water were scores of boats. There -were no oars in our boats. We managed to raise the sides of the boat as -they should be raised when the boat is in use, and we collected five -oars from the mass of floating timber in the water. Then we started -to row towards the lighthouse, which we could see in the distance. -At the time the liner was torpedoed there was absolutely no ship of -any kind in sight, with the exception of a trawler--the _Peel 12_, of -Glasgow; she was close inshore under the lighthouse, and, owing to -the lightness of the wind, she was of no use so far as the rescue of -persons actually in the sea was concerned. She came along as fast as -she could, however, and was able to pick up about one hundred and ten -persons from lifeboats and life-rafts. Her limited capacity was pushed -to the utmost, and I even had to sit with one leg hanging over -the sides because there was no room to put it on the inside. We took -in tow a lifeboat and a raft, which were also filled to the gunwale, -and when the occupants were able to be taken out they were cast off. -The auxiliary boat _Indian Prince_ had by that time arrived from -Queenstown. The _Peel 12_ was the first boat on the scene, and she was -followed by a tramp Greek steamer, which came up from the west, and was -able to pick up several lifeboats which had got away.” - -[Illustration: AMERICAN TROOPS NEVER FORGOT THE “LUSITANIA”] - -Such was the experience of Mr. Brooks, and in his moving narrative we -can not only divine something of a tragedy beyond the scope of any -human pen, but gather also an impression of heroism, of unquestioning -devotion to duty, at which every member of the Cunard Company may well -thrill with pride. - -Particularly noticeable perhaps, was the conduct and sound judgment of -the young sailor, Leslie N. Morton, to whom we have already referred, -and he was especially commended by Lord Mersey, the Commissioner in -charge of the formal investigation afterwards held into the loss of -the _Lusitania_. This boy, for he was only 18, had been stationed -as extra look-out on the forecastle head, starboard side, during the -fatal watch; and it was, as we have said, he who was the first to -perceive the approach of the torpedo. This began, as he described it, -with a “big burst of foam about 500 yards away.” This was followed by -a “thin streak of foam, making for the ship at a rapid speed, followed -by another going parallel with the first one, and a little behind it.” -Having immediately reported this through a megaphone to the bridge, -Morton made for the forecastle to go down below to call his brother -who was asleep, and on the way there he saw what he took to be the -conning-tower of a submarine just submerging. - -Having called his brother, he went along the starboard side of the -main deck and up on to the starboard side of the bridge deck, where he -found the starboard boats useless owing to the vessel’s heavy list. -He then went to his own boat No. 13, and assisted in filling it with -passengers. Giving up his own seat, he then went to No. 11 boat, and -assisted in filling that one also; and it was in this one that he -eventually took his place. Unfortunately, owing it appears to the -unskillful action of some of the passengers, this lifeboat was unable -to push away from the ship, and it was eventually sunk. Morton then -swam for it and succeeded in reaching an empty collapsible boat, into -which he climbed, succeeding with the help of another young sailor, -Joseph Parry, in ripping off the cover and rescuing from the water some -50 people. He then made for a fishing kedge about five miles away, -and having reached it transferred his passengers to it, and returned -for some more, subsequently rescuing about 30 people from a sinking -lifeboat--the little collapsible boat being subsequently rescued by a -mine-sweeper. These two boys were thus instrumental in saving nearly -100 lives; and in recognition of their bravery they were awarded -decorations by the Board of Trade, Morton receiving the Silver Medal -for Gallantry, and Parry the Bronze Medal for Gallantry. - -Equally heroic was the conduct of the First Officer, Mr. Arthur -Rowland Jones, who was in the luncheon saloon when the torpedo struck -the vessel. He immediately went to his boat station on the starboard -side and began to fill his boat with passengers--a matter of extreme -difficulty, owing to the ever increasing angle which the ship was -presenting to the sea, which caused the boat to swing away from the -tilted surface of the deck. After great efforts, however, he succeeded -in getting about 80 passengers aboard before she was lowered into -the water, entered her himself when the boat deck was level with the -surface of the sea, and only some 15 seconds before the _Lusitania_ -sank. It was fortunate for the passengers that he succeeded in doing -so, since it was only by his skill and coolness, combined with that of -two or three members of the crew who had also clambered on board, that -the little lifeboat was able to survive the suction and disturbance -caused by the disappearing liner. - -[Illustration: IN THE SPRING OF 1918 THE “MAURETANIA” BROUGHT 33,000 -AMERICAN SOLDIERS TO EUROPE] - -She did so however, and afterwards transferred some of her passengers -into another empty boat, the two boats then putting back in order to -attempt further rescues. This they succeeded in doing, and the First -Officer again filled his boat up, thereupon pulling off to a little -fishing smack, the _Bluebell_, then about five miles distant. Having -disembarked his passengers, Mr. Jones once more went back to the scene -of the disaster, and after pulling some two and a half miles, fell in -with a broken collapsible boat in a bad condition with about 35 -people inside it. Some of these were lying exhausted in the bottom of -the boat and others were injured, so Mr. Jones took them all on board, -afterwards transferring them to a trawler. He then pulled off once more -and saved yet another 10 people, whom he took to the _Flying Fox_, a -Queenstown Tender. By this time it was 8 o’clock in the evening, and -his crew were at the last point of exhaustion, having been working hard -without food and water. There was too, by this time, a large number of -destroyers and patrol boats on the scene, so Mr. Jones and his weary -helpers themselves boarded the _Flying Fox_. - -Mention must also be made of the conduct of Alfred Arthur Bestwick, -the Junior Third Officer, who was responsible for the working of five -boats on the port side of the ship, and courageously remained there -endeavouring to launch them under practically impossible conditions, -until the _Lusitania_ went under. He was dragged down with her, -but fortunately came to the surface, and succeeded in reaching a -collapsible boat, into which, with the help of a companion, he dragged -several people from the water. These he transferred to a second and -more navigable empty boat that they afterwards came across; and he -then returned and saved three more people whom he had previously -noticed supporting themselves by means of a bread tank, besides taking -on board several others who were keeping themselves afloat by means of -lifebelts. - -All this time on every hand deeds of self-sacrifice, recorded and -unrecorded, were being performed. A typical one was that of one of -the able seamen of the watch, who had been sucked down by the sinking -vessel and coming to the surface again had managed to sustain himself -by means of a floating piece of wood. Clutching this he then found -himself drifting towards a woman struggling unaided in the water, -whereupon he pushed towards her his piece of wood, which could only -support one person, and swam away himself on the chance of finding -some other means of escape. Presently he found a collapsible boat -containing one of the ship’s officers, and a few other persons, but -this unfortunately proved to be extremely unseaworthy. Capsizing again -and again, it was only righted by the determination and skill of this -seaman and his comrades, and on each occasion, alas, lives were lost -until but a few survivors remained to be picked up by another of the -ship’s boats. - -[Illustration: THE “AQUITANIA’S” STAGE] - -[Illustration: THE “SAXONIA,” CAMOUFLAGED, LEAVING NEW YORK WITH -AMERICAN TROOPS FOR EUROPE] - -Such is the story of the greatest maritime crime in history and, now -that the war is over, it is well that it should not be forgotten, with -its record of heroism and self-sacrifice, of competent seamanship and -resourceful initiative, of suffering and death. Lord Mersey’s report on -the disaster, after he had heard a mass of evidence from officers and -men, as well as from surviving passengers, is a document which after -generations will read with pride. It contains not the personal opinion -merely of a former President of the Probate, Divorce and Admiralty -Division of the High Court of Justice, but is a considered judgment -in which Admiral Sir F. S. Inglefield and Lieutenant Commander Hearn, -both officers of the Royal Navy, and Captain D. Davies and Captain -J. Spedding, of the Merchant Service, acting as the four assessors, -concurred. The report contained a short, but consolatory statement of -the competency with which the sudden emergency was confronted when -the ship was attacked. “The Captain was on the bridge at the time his -ship was struck,” Lord Mersey recorded, “and he remained there giving -orders until the ship foundered. His first order was to lower all the -boats to the rail. This order was obeyed as far as it possibly could -be. He then called out ‘Women and children first.’ The order was then -given to hard-a-starboard the helm with a view to heading towards -the land, and orders were telegraphed to the engine-room. The orders -given to the engine-room are difficult to follow and there is obvious -confusion about them. It is not, however, important to consider them, -for the engines were put out of commission almost at once by the inrush -of water and ceased working, and the lights in the engine-room were -blown out. Leith, the Marconi operator, immediately sent out an S.O.S. -signal, and, later on, another message, ‘Come at once, big list, 10 -miles south Head Old Kinsale.’ These messages were repeated continually -and were acknowledged. At first, the messages were sent out by the -power supplied from the ship’s dynamo; but in three or four minutes -this power gave out and the messages were sent out by means of the -emergency apparatus in the wireless cabin.” - -[Illustration: WELCOMING THE FIRST CONTINGENT OF RETURNING AMERICAN -TROOPS, NEW YORK, DECEMBER, 1918] - -[Illustration: THE “MAURETANIA” ARRIVING AT NEW YORK, DECEMBER, 1918] - -Was the _Lusitania_ well found? Did she comply with the requirements of -the Merchant Shipping Acts? Was she armed? Did she carry war material? -Was the conduct of the Captains, officers and men consistent with -the high traditions of the Merchant Service? To all these questions the -report furnished satisfactory answers. The ship was well provided with -boats, which were in good order at the moment of the explosion, and -“the launching was carried out as well as the short time, the moving -ship, and the serious list would allow.” Lord Mersey added that he -found that the conduct of the masters--for as already stated there were -two--the officers and the crew was satisfactory. “They did their best -in difficult and perilous circumstances, and their best was good.” - -And what of Captain Turner, upon whom the chief responsibility for the -safety of the ship and the lives of passengers and crew mainly rested? -He remained upon the bridge until the very last. He went down with the -unhappy vessel and was only rescued by chance after having been in the -water for three long hours. The Wreck Commissioner and the Assessors -examined his every act from the moment when the _Lusitania_ entered the -so-called “war zone” until this devoted officer found himself in the -water confronted with death. In the opinion of Lord Mersey, Captain -Turner “exercised his judgment for the best,” and the report added -that “it was the judgment of a skilled and experienced man.” Captain -Anderson, whose duty it was to assist in the care and navigation of the -ship was, unfortunately, one of the victims of this German crime, but -in Lord Mersey’s own words, “the two captains and the officers were -competent men and they did their duty”--and higher praise than that -there could not be. - -“The whole blame for the cruel destruction of life in this catastrophe -must rest solely with those who plotted and with those who committed -the crime.” The disaster was regarded in all civilised countries with -horror. As Mr. Roosevelt said at the time, it represented “not merely -piracy, but piracy on a vaster scale of murder than any old-time -pirate ever practised,” and a Danish paper, in recording this terrible -incident in the war, declared that “whenever in future the Germans -venture to speak of their culture the answer will be ‘It does not -exist: it committed suicide on May 7th, 1915.’” A Norwegian paper -in denouncing the crime remarked that “the whole world looks with -horror and detestation on the event.” In fact, throughout the whole -civilised world the sinking of the _Lusitania_ with merciless disregard -for the lives of those on board, was condemned as an act of wholesale -murder which, as the _New York American_ added “violates all laws of -common humanity.” - -[Illustration: “VALERIA” SINKING A SUBMARINE] - -In defiance of the judgment of civilisation, this dastardly act was -hailed in Germany as a proud triumph. The _Kolnische Volkszeitung_ of -May 10th, 1915, stated “The sinking of the _Lusitania_ is a success for -our submarines which must be placed beside the greatest achievements -in this naval war.... The sinking of the great British steamer is a -success, the moral significance of which is still greater than the -material success. With joyful pride we contemplate this latest deed of -our Navy, and it will not be the last.” In the _Cologne Gazette_, of -five days later, it was stated that “the news will be received by the -German people with unanimous satisfaction, since it proves to England -and the whole world that Germany is quite in earnest with regard to -her submarine warfare.” In the _Neue Freie Presse_ of the same date it -was remarked, “We rejoice over this new success of the German Navy.” -The City of Magdeburg immediately proposed to honour the officers and -men who had slaughtered so many hundreds of defenceless men, helpless -women, and innocent children and brought the anguish of bereavement on -so many hundreds of homes on both sides of the Atlantic. And to crown -this achievement, which stands in isolation in the annals of the human -race, a medal was struck in Munich commemorating this exploit of the -German Fleet, which was afterwards to be surrendered and, then, to be -scuttled by its own officers in Scapa Flow. - -[Illustration: IN VIEW OF THE FATE OF SO MANY HOSPITAL SHIPS, BOAT -DRILL WAS REGULARLY CARRIED OUT ON THE GREAT CUNARDERS] - - - - -CHAPTER V - -The Toll of the Submarines - - _But some came not with break of light, - Nor looked upon the saffron dawn; - They keep the watch of endless night, - On the soft breast of Ocean borne. - O waking England, rise and pray - For sons who guard thee night and day!_ - - CECIL ROBERTS. - - -We have dealt at length in the previous Chapter with the loss of the -_Lusitania_ not only because, as we have said, her torpedoing marked an -epoch in the history of crime at sea, and was perhaps the determining -factor in the entrance of America into the war, but because the -Cunard Company was thus identified with this world-tragedy, and its -servants exemplified then, as always, the noblest traditions of the -British Mercantile Marine. Unhappily the _Lusitania_, although the -circumstances of her loss brought her, from so many points of view, -into the limelight of publicity was, as we have already seen, by no -means the only one of the Cunard vessels to be lost at sea in the -service of this country, and in the present chapter it is proposed to -deal briefly with some other of the Cunard Company’s vessels that fell -victims, many of them after the bravest resistance, to the submarine -menace. It will, perhaps, be the more convenient, for purposes of -after reference, to deal with these alphabetically, rather than -chronologically. - -Thus it was at 5.30 p.m. on February 4th, about 40 miles north of -Londonderry that Captain W. R. D. Irvine of the _Aurania_ saw a -torpedo approaching his ship, which eventually struck her between the -funnels. The _Aurania_ immediately listed heavily to port, but then -righted herself. The boats were immediately lowered and the crew and -passengers, with the exception of Captain Irvine himself and some of -his officers, were all safely aboard them within ten minutes after the -torpedo had exploded. No sooner had they got into the boats, than the -_Aurania_ was again struck by a second torpedo, a third following in -the wake of this, just as the Captain and the remaining officers were -coming down the ropes into the last boat. Seven men in the engine-room -were killed by the explosions of the torpedoes, and two others were -lost by drowning. The crew were in the boats for about one and a -half hours, when they were picked up by some mine-sweepers. - -[Illustration: THE “AQUITANIA’S” GARDEN-LOUNGE AS HOSPITAL WARD] - -It was then seen that the ship was not sinking, and Captain Irvine with -some of his crew, returned on board and made her fast with hawsers to -one of the trawlers that had arrived on the scene. During the night, -however, the ship broke adrift, and when day broke she was nowhere to -be seen. A message was then received from one of the naval patrols to -the effect that the _Aurania_ had drifted ashore at Tobermory, nearly -50 miles from the place where she had been torpedoed. Unfortunately, -she had grounded at a very exposed position and in the heavy weather -that followed she went to pieces, it being found impossible to salve -her. She was a particularly severe loss in that she was a new ship, -only on her eighth trip. - -The _Dwinsk_, one of the steamers being operated by the Cunard Company -for the Government, and in command of Captain H. Nelson, was torpedoed -on June 18th of the same summer, at about 9.20 a.m., while some 650 -miles east of New York, the torpedo striking her on the port side in -the region of No. 4 hold. Seven lifeboats were immediately lowered -and all the crew successfully embarked. The submarine then came to -the surface, and with a heavy calibre gun fired 19 shells into the -torpedoed vessel, sinking her about two hours afterwards. A passing -steamer then came in sight and firing five shots in the direction of -the submarine, passed on her course, the submarine submerging. When -the unknown steamer had disappeared, the submarine again came to the -surface, and overtaking the boats in which the crew had taken refuge, -hailed the one in charge of the Chief Officer, and after interrogating -him, moved off in an easterly direction. Meanwhile, during the night, -the little group of lifeboats became separated, meeting with various -adventures but all except one ultimately reaching safety, their crews -being landed as far apart as New York, Bermuda, Newport, and Nova -Scotia. As in the case of the _Ausonia’s_ boats described in Chapter -III, they underwent the severest hardships. The First Officer’s boat, -for instance, after sailing all that day and through the night, sighted -a steamer, but, though she showed signals of distress, received no -reply. Toiling on, a barque, and another steamer, were sighted in the -evening, but again the little boat was unsuccessful in attracting -attention. - -[Illustration: THE “AURANIA” ASHORE AFTER BEING TORPEDOED] - -[Illustration: THE “IVERNIA” SETTLING DOWN. (Photographed against the -sun from the rescuing trawler)] - -Fortunately, the weather up to then had remained favourable, and -continued to do so through the next day, on which another ship was -seen, but again failed to perceive the lifeboat’s dejected crew. Early -on the following morning an empty boat was sighted, and found to be one -of the _Dwinsk’s_ boats from which the crew had evidently been rescued. -On this day the wind began to increase and by the evening a furious -gale was raging. At six o’clock a great sea washed over the little -boat, carrying one of its occupants overboard, and almost filling the -boat with water. On the day after, a Sunday, the wind dropped again, -and remained variable until the evening of the following Wednesday, -when it again increased to such an extent that by midnight a fierce -gale was once more blowing. On Thursday morning this died down, but it -was not until half-past nine on Friday that a steamer which proved to -be the _U.S.S. Arondo_ sighted the now almost famished crew and took -them on board, clothed them, and provided them with medical attention. -They had then been drifting about in every condition of the weather for -no less than ten days, the highest ration allowed being one biscuit -and a half glass of water per man per day, for the first six days, -reduced on the ninth day to half a biscuit and a quarter of a glass of -water. To the invincible optimism and seamanship of the First Officer, -who himself steered the boat for the whole of the ten days, the crew -unanimously announced afterwards that they considered the saving of -their lives to be due. - -Of the other boats, one was at sea for eight days, three for three -days, and one for a day and a half; one of them was never accounted -for, probably having foundered in the storm, with the loss of 22 lives. - -It is pleasant to record that the First Officer Mr. Pritchard, as -well as the boatswain’s mate, who was in charge of another boat, were -specially commended in the _London Gazette_ for their great services. - -[Illustration: TORPEDOING OF THE “VOLODIA”] - -Nor must another incident in connection with the saving of the -_Dwinsk’s_ lifeboats go unmentioned although the hero in this case -was a gallant officer of the United States Navy, Lieutenant Ross P. -Whitemarsh, who was one of the convoy officers to the _Dwinsk_ and -went into No. 6 lifeboat with another American and nineteen British -subjects. This boat experienced an extraordinary severe storm some -four days afterwards, and Lieutenant Whitemarsh volunteered to take -the tiller and remained on watch without a break throughout the night -until five o’clock the next morning. One man was washed overboard and -Lieutenant Whitemarsh then ordered the other occupants of the boat to -lie down, two of them taking turns to hold on to this officer’s legs -to prevent him, while at the tiller, from being carried away. For this -Lieutenant Whitemarsh received from His Majesty the King, the Silver -Medal for Gallantry in saving life at Sea. - -It was three years earlier and in a far distant sea that the _Caria_ -was sunk, while proceeding in ballast from Alexandria to Naples in -charge of Captain J. A. Wolfe. In this case she was not torpedoed; the -‘U’ boat after signalling to the _Caria_ to stop and abandon ship, -fired some 10 shots at her, several of which struck her about the -bows and the bridge. The _Caria_ was unarmed, and Captain Wolfe and -his crew had accordingly no alternative than to abandon ship, having -first destroyed all confidential papers. This was fortunate, since -the submarine, hailing Captain Wolfe’s boat, ordered him alongside, -and demanded the ship’s papers, which were given him. After 12 hours -the crew of the _Caria_ were picked up by the _S.S. Frankenfels_, -ironically enough a German prize vessel in the employ of the India -Office, and landed at Malta. There were happily no casualties among the -_Caria’s_ crew. - -In this respect the _Carpathia_, which was sunk on July 17th, 1918, was -not so fortunate. Travelling in convoy, and at the time of the attack, -some 120 miles west of the Fastnet, the escort had left some 3½ hours -previously. Two torpedoes struck the _Carpathia_ within 30 seconds, -one on the port side between No. 4 hold, and the stoke-hold, and the -second, half a minute later, in the engine-room. After satisfying -himself that there was no possibility of saving the ship, her -commander, Captain W. Prothero, ordered everyone to the boats, and saw -them safely embarked, a third torpedo striking the ship just after this -was accomplished. Three trimmers and two firemen were unfortunately -killed by the explosion, but the remaining 218 members of the crew, -together with 57 passengers, were picked up by _H.M.S. Snowdrop_, and -safely brought to Liverpool. A letter was afterwards received from -the Admiralty in which the Lords Commissioners stated that in their -opinion the discipline and organisation on board the _Carpathia_ had -been of a very high order, and that Captain Prothero was to be publicly -commended in the _London Gazette_ in recognition of his conduct in the -crisis. - -[Illustration: THE “IVERNIA” SURVIVORS ARRIVING IN PORT] - -[Illustration: TROOPS LANDING FROM THE “MAURETANIA”; TWO DAYS LATER -THEY WERE AT SUVLA BAY] - -It was on May 5th, 1917, at 7.30 p.m., while _en route_ to Avonmouth -from New York, that the _Feltria_ was torpedoed without warning about -eight miles south-east of Mine Head off the Irish coast. A very heavy -sea was running at the time. No 1 boat was capsized during launching, -and No. 4 boat blown to pieces by the explosion of the torpedo. Boats -Nos. 2, 3, 5, and 6 were successful in clearing the ship’s side. -Most of the crew were in boats Nos. 3 and 5, the captain and chief -steward being alone in No. 2 boat, which had also been damaged by the -explosion. The last boat away, No. 6, contained the Chief Officer, -Second Officer, Purser, and three sailors, and it was this boat that -the submarine, coming to the surface, ordered alongside. Having -obtained particulars as to the _Feltria_ and her cargo, she then left -but stopped to pick up Mr. Stott, one of the _Feltria’s_ engineers, -and returned towards the lifeboat. From her deck, he was then assisted -into the water. The _Feltria’s_ Quartermaster, Mr. Burt, with great -courage, jumped into the water to meet him, and helped him to the -boat’s side, where he was taken on board in a very exhausted condition, -while huge breakers were washing over the little boat itself. Of the -boat containing the Captain, Captain W. G. Price, and Chief Steward, -nothing more was seen, their lives being lost, and by midnight, three -other members of the _Feltria’s_ crew in No. 6 boat had died from -exposure and exhaustion, one of the victims being Mr. Stott himself. -The remaining five in this boat were picked up early on Sunday morning -by the _S.S. Ridley_ and landed at Barrow; twenty other survivors were -landed at Queenstown; but out of a crew of 69 no less than 44 lost -their lives, 17 dying from exposure in the lifeboats. - -The _Flavia_ was the more fortunate in that the whole of her crew was -saved, when early on the morning of August 24th, 1918, she was sunk -off the Irish coast while on a voyage from Montreal to Bristol. Her -commander, Captain E. T. C. Fear, had been below resting at the time, -but the Officer in charge had kept the situation well in hand, and -_H.M.S. Convolvulus_, standing by, picked up the survivors from the -boats, landing them safely in Ardrossan. - -[Illustration: THE “DWINSK” SETTLING DOWN AFTER BEING TORPEDOED] - -[Illustration: SURVIVORS FROM THE “DWINSK” AFTER EIGHT DAYS IN THE -LIFEBOAT] - -The next loss to be recorded is that of the _Folia_, Captain Francis -Inch, which was sunk on Sunday, March 11th, 1917, at a quarter past -seven in the morning, off the Irish coast, while on a voyage from -New York to Bristol. The periscope of the attacking submarine was -first sighted by the Third Officer some 500 feet away and nearly -abeam. Immediately afterwards, he saw a torpedo approaching the ship, -two of her boats being smashed in the explosion which followed, and -the _Folia_ herself beginning rapidly to settle. Seven of the crew, -including the Second Engineer, were killed by the explosion, but the -rest of the officers and men were safely embarked in the four boats -which were lowered. - -While the lifeboats were still in the neighbourhood, the submarine -came to the surface, steamed round the ship and fired four shots into -her, following this up with a second torpedo. The Captain then got -his boats together and instructed the officers in charge to steer -N.W. by compass, three of them making fast by painters so as not to -get adrift from each other. About 11 a.m., the Captain, under the fog -that had crept up, sighted breakers ahead, and told the other boats to -follow in line behind him. Creeping along the edge of the breakers, -they at last sighted smooth water at the base of some cliffs, and, -pulling into shore, noticed the outline of a house high above them, -with people standing in front of it. Shouting in unison, the crew -succeeded in attracting attention and learned that the place was -Ardmore, Youghal, Co. Cork, and from there they proceeded to Dungarvan, -where they arrived at 8 o’clock in the evening, the inhabitants of both -places treating the shipwrecked officers and crew with the greatest -hospitality. - -[Illustration: THE “MAURETANIA” LEAVING SOUTHAMPTON WITH HOMEWARD-BOUND -CANADIAN TROOPS] - -In all these cases the vessels attacked were either unarmed or so -taken by surprise that no resistance was possible. But in the case of -the _Lycia_, Captain T. A. Chesters, which was sunk on February 11th, -1917, a most plucky action against odds was fought. It was nearly -half-past eight in the morning, and about 20 miles north-west of the -South Bishop’s Light, that the submarine was sighted, and by the time -Captain Chesters had picked her up on the starboard beam, his -vessel had already been struck by a shot from her. Captain Chesters -immediately altered the _Lycia’s_ course so as to place the submarine -astern, and himself opened fire at about 3,000 yards. His gun, which -was of Russian make and of a very light type, was one of the first -supplied to merchant ships under the Admiralty scheme, when there was -a great shortage of armaments owing to the needs of the Army and Navy, -and it misfired several times; the Third Officer, Third Engineer, and -Steersman had been already wounded by the fire of the submarine. - -In the unequal duel that now ensued, the _Lycia’s_ funnel, starboard -boats, forward cabin, chart room, officers’ and engineers’ quarters and -bridge were all wrecked, and being unable to steer the ship under the -growing force and accuracy of the enemy’s shells, Captain Chesters at -last had no alternative but to abandon his vessel. He, therefore, gave -orders to cease firing and stop the engines. As soon as the ship had -sufficiently lost way, the crew was safely embarked in the port boat, -with the exception of the Captain, Chief Officer, Third Engineer, the -Gunner, and one of the boys, who succeeded in scrambling into the -starboard boat which was dragging alongside. - -When the lifeboats cleared the ship, the submarine herself ceased -firing, submerged, and re-appeared alongside Captain Chesters’ boat. -The submarine commander then ordered Captain Chesters to go on board, -which he did, and where, by what, alas, proved to be a rare exception, -he was very courteously treated. The commander of the submarine then -put three of his crew into the boat together with eight bombs, sent her -back to the _Lycia_, and there the Germans hung the bombs on each side -of the rigging, and in the engine-room. The ship’s papers, the breech -plug of her gun, her telescopes and three cartridges, were lowered -into the boat, after which the bomb safety pins were removed, and the -bombs placed below the water-line. The boat was then ordered back to -the submarine. Meanwhile, Captain Chesters had been asked by the ‘U’ -boat’s commander why he had fired his gun without flying his Ensign. -Captain Chesters pointed out to him that before he could fire the gun, -he had to remove the flagstaff; and he was then allowed to return to -his boat, the bombs, a few minutes afterwards beginning to explode. -The submarine then went in chase of another vessel that had appeared -on the horizon, and shortly afterwards the _Lycia_ sank, stern first. -Her boats were picked up the same evening by two mine-sweepers, and the -_S.S. Ireland Moor_, the crew being treated with the utmost hospitality -and safely landed at Holyhead. Their conduct had been worthy in Captain -Chesters’ words “of all the traditions of British seamen.” - -Happily it now becomes possible to record an equally gallant fight on -the part of one of the Cunard Company’s vessels, with a successful -issue. This was fought by one of the Mediterranean cargo boats, the -_Phrygia_, a vessel of 3,350 tons, with a speed of not more than 9 -knots. It was at 2 p.m. on March 24th, 1916, when she was homeward -bound and off the south-west coast of Ireland, that a submarine, -whom she had not previously seen, fired two shots at her, probably -with the intention of bringing her to a stop. The skipper, Captain -F. Manley, immediately ordered his helm hard aport and the crew to -go to “general stations.” There was a big sea running at the time, -and this was fortunate, since the submarine, on divining Captain -Manley’s intentions, had continued to fire at the _Phrygia_. None of -her shells, however, struck the steamer. Captain Manley then succeeded -in manoeuvring his ship so as to bring the submarine astern, when -he opened fire, and there then began a duel lasting for 45 minutes, -during the whole of which time, both the submarine and the _Phrygia_ -fired continuously at one another under the most adverse conditions. -Then at last one of the _Phrygia’s_ shells found its mark; a great -rush of smoke poured up from the submarine; her stern suddenly jumped -out of the water; and she disappeared, amongst the loud cheers of the -_Phrygia’s_ crew. - -In connexion with this incident, the following resolution was passed -by the Directors of the Cunard Company at a meeting of the Board in -April, 1916. “That the Company place on record their high appreciation -of the gallant and successful efforts made by the Captain, Officers, -and crew of the _Phrygia_ to save their vessel, and of the efficient -preparations made beforehand by Captain Manley to deal with such an -emergency, which contributed towards this result, and finally extend -their heartiest congratulations to all concerned upon the splendid -gunnery and seamanship which put the enemy submarine out of action.” -Captain Manley and the _Phrygia’s_ crew also received recognition from -the Admiralty for their achievement. - -[Illustration: “FATHER NEPTUNE” CARED LITTLE FOR THE PREYING SUBMARINES] - -[Illustration: AN ARMED CRUISER’S RANGEFINDER] - -It was on March 27th, 1917, at 8 o’clock in the evening, that the -_Thracia_, Captain R. Nicholas, while on a voyage with ore from Bilbao -to Ardrossan, was sunk at sight and without warning, leaving only one -survivor. Disappearing in one minute, those on board were left with no -possible chance of saving their lives, and it was only by a miracle -that Cadet Douglas Duff, a boy of 16 years of age, was left to tell the -tale. He succeeded in saving his life by clinging for sixteen hours -to the keel of a capsized boat, during the early part of which time, -he was seen and jeered at by the crew of the submarine. One of them -indeed raised a rifle and aimed at him, whereupon he shouted, perhaps -characteristically of the service to which he belonged “Shoot and be -damned to you.” He was ultimately rescued by a French destroyer and -landed at La Palais, Belle-ile-en-Mer. The body of the Chief Officer -was also recovered, and it is touching to reflect that, as a mark of -their respect and honour to the personnel of the British Mercantile -Marine, a public funeral was accorded to him by the inhabitants of this -little French seaport town. - -Before her loss, however, the _Thracia_ had performed, like all the -vessels mentioned, most arduous and important duties, and one of her -voyages, since it throws a sidelight upon the multifarious activities -of the Company during the war, deserves special mention. She was then -under the command of Captain Michael Doyle, and it was on the 27th of -December 1914, that she left Liverpool for Archangel with stores for -the Russian Government. All the way to the North Cape, she steamed in -the teeth of heavy gales, and under stormy skies, and at this point, -at this season of the year, entered a region where there was but one -hour’s so-called daylight in the twenty-four. Entering the White Sea, -on the night of the 7th of January, she ran the next day into an -icefield, reaching out ahead of her as far as the eye could see. In the -hope of breaking through to clear water, Captain Doyle, however, kept -her going until, the ice becoming thicker and closer packed, it became -impossible for the _Thracia’s_ engines to drive her through. - -[Illustration: THE “THRACIA” FAST: CAUGHT IN THE ICE IN THE WHITE SEA] - -After prolonged and arduous exertions, the _Thracia_ was at last -extracted from her dangerous position in the ice and brought back to -the open water harbour at Alexandrovsk. From this port, accompanied by -an ice-breaker, she again made an attempt to reach Archangel on January -24th, 1915. Heavy field-ice was once more encountered as soon as the -White Sea had been entered, causing the utmost difficulty in steering, -and reducing progress to the slowest limits. After covering, with much -perseverance, a certain distance, huge floes of ice finally stopped -the _Thracia’s_ progress; the ice-breaker was also in difficulties, -and therefore unable to render any assistance. For a considerable time -the _Thracia_ remained wedged in the drifting ice, and meanwhile a -heavy north-east gale had packed the entrance to the White Sea. The -action of this wind, however, presently opened the ice in the immediate -neighbourhood of the vessel, and a certain amount of further progress -towards the south became possible. Here, however, the ice was found to -be once more heavily packed, while the north-east gale was choking the -entrance with ever more and more drifting floes. - -The _Thracia’s_ propeller had by this time become badly damaged, and -the ice-breaker herself was finding it all she could do to secure her -own safety. It was now clear that to remain in the drifting ice would -be bound in the long run to prove fatal, and thereupon Captain Doyle -made an effort to drive his vessel close to the land ice, where some -degree of shelter might be found from the gales which were constantly -driving enormous floes up and down with the ebb and flow of the tides -through the narrow neck of the White Sea. - -After many days and nights of the heaviest and most unremitting toil, -the _Thracia_ was finally brought close to land, and a net-work of -cables and ropes thrown out to secure her position there. For seven -weeks, until the 18th of March, she was held here, during the whole -of which time she was being submitted to the severest pressure owing -to the alternating flow and ebb of the tides driving the packed ice -against her side, under her bottom, and piling it up round her counter -to a height of as much as 20 ft. Serious damage was done to her hull, -and for three months her pumps had to be kept going constantly in order -to keep her afloat, while the greatest skill and ingenuity had to be -exercised in order to protect her rudder from the ice pressure under -her counter. - -[Illustration: THE “AQUITANIA,” HAVING ESCAPED THE FATE OF SO MANY OF -HER SISTERS, REAPPEARS IN THE MERSEY IN HER PEACE-TIME GUISE] - -So matters went on until the night of the 18th of March, when, owing to -heavy off-shore gales, the _Thracia_ broke adrift, her anchors, cables, -and ropes being lost and her windlass broken. Fortunately, a few days -later, the ice began to open here and there, and with the courageous -assistance of another vessel, and under her own steam, she succeeded -at last in reaching a position inside the bar of the Archangel river -on April 9th, when her cargo was landed in good condition on the -stationary river ice and conveyed by sleighs to Archangel. - -Her troubles, however, were not yet over, for within less than three -weeks, the river ice itself began to break, and the outgoing stream, -carrying this broken ice to sea, drove the _Thracia_ on to the Bar. Her -propeller blades were now reduced to the merest stumps, but in spite -of this, she succeeded, at high water, in working herself free again -by her own exertions. Obtaining ground tackle from another ship, which -had come down from Archangel at the first break-up of the ice, the -_Thracia_ was enabled to come to anchorage in the gulf, and here she -remained for about a week until the Dwina river was finally cleared -of ice. She then proceeded slowly up river to the town itself, where -she arrived on May 9th. So great had been the damage sustained by her, -that she was then dry-docked for the necessary repairs to enable her to -return to England; and when she at last arrived home, about the middle -of August, 1915, it was not until her voyage had lasted some seven and -a half months. - -After this diversion, let us return to the record of the war -experiences of other Cunarders. It was on March 30th, 1917, that the -_Valacia_, Captain J. F. Simpson, left London for New York, and it -was at 5.30 the next evening that she was struck on the port side by -a torpedo, when in the English Channel off the Eddystone Lighthouse. -An attempt was made by one of the torpedo boats, of which several -happened to be in the neighbourhood, to tow the _Valacia_, whose No. 6 -hold, engine-room, and stoke-hold were all full of water. She proved -too heavy, however, and tugs were accordingly sent from the shore, the -Admiralty officials intending to try and beach the ship. Although a -heavy gale was blowing at the time, Captain Simpson, in view of the -fact that the bulkheads were holding, strongly advised that this -course should not be pursued, but that an attempt should be made to -tow the _Valacia_ into Plymouth Harbour. This advice was taken, and as -it proved with complete success, the _Valacia_ being taken safely into -Plymouth Harbour, where she was subsequently docked for repairs, and -whence she was enabled, within a few months, to take her place again in -the Company’s fleet, and do much useful service. - -[Illustration: “AQUITANIA” AS HOSPITAL SHIP] - -The hole in the ship’s side caused by the explosion of the torpedo was -no less than 25 feet long by 20 feet deep, and the greatest credit -is due to Captain Simpson for his splendid judgment and seamanship -in bringing the vessel safely into port, and saving her both for the -country and the Company. - -To the _Valeria_, under the command of Captain W. Stewart, fell the -good fortune to destroy a German submarine on June 20th, 1917, while -nearing the end of a voyage from New York. It was at 3 o’clock in the -afternoon that both Captain Stewart, who was on the port side of the -bridge, and the Second Officer who was on the starboard side, felt the -ship quiver as if she had struck something. The Captain immediately -crossed the bridge and saw that the object hit was an enemy submarine, -the working of her motors being distinctly audible. For a moment -the _Valeria’s_ gun crew were taken aback at this most unexpected -appearance at such close quarters to the vessel. Captain Stewart, -however, gave prompt orders to fire and the gunners depressing the gun -as far as possible, immediately obeyed. - -A volume of vapour was then seen to rise up from the ‘U’ boat, together -with fountain-like spouts of water. A second shot was fired, falling -short, but the third struck the submarine fair and square, at the base -of her conning tower, and caused her to sink. It is believed that -the _Valeria_, when she first came into contact with the submarine, -probably broke her periscope. Captain Stewart’s first impulse was to -turn back in order to pick up any survivors, but in view of the fact -that German submarines were at this time usually hunting in couples he -thought it wiser to continue his voyage, and brought his ship safely -back into Liverpool. For this successful action, both Captain Stewart -and the crew received special awards from the Admiralty, the Cunard -Company, and other Associations, the destruction of the German -submarine being later verified by Admiralty trawlers. - -[Illustration: OFFICERS OF THE TORPEDOED “FRANCONIA”] - -[Illustration: A CUNARD CREW BUYING WAR SAVINGS CERTIFICATES] - -It was perhaps not an unexpected fact, but it was one, nevertheless, -of which the whole nation may well be proud, that the rescued officers -and crews of these torpedoed vessels, never for a moment hesitated, and -indeed were anxious, as soon as possible, to render further service -in other vessels. An example of this occurred when the _Vandalia_ -was torpedoed on June 9th, 1918, her commander, Captain J. A. Wolfe, -having already, as has been seen, had a previous vessel, the _Caria_, -torpedoed beneath him in the Mediterranean. The _Vandalia_ was in a -convoy accompanied by six American destroyers, and though she settled -down rapidly and was lost within less than two hours, no lives were -lost. - -The _Veria_, Captain D. P. Thomson, was sunk on December 7th, 1915, -in the Mediterranean, having left Patras in ballast for Alexandria on -the 3rd. At noon on the same day, when about 50 miles from Alexandria, -she had sighted two lifeboats containing the crew of a Greek steamer, -the _Goulandris_ which had been sunk by a submarine, and at half-past -four in the afternoon, it was probably the same submarine that was -sighted approaching the _Veria_ at high speed from a distance of about -eight miles. Almost at once the ‘U’ boat opened fire, dropping a shell -about 20 feet ahead of the _Veria_, when Captain Thomson, having no -alternative, stopped his ship and ordered the crew to muster at the -boats. On a second shell dropping closer to the vessel, Captain Thomson -ordered the crew to take to the boats; the submarine continued to fire -as she approached, one of her shells destroying the chart house and -the bridge, just as the boats were leaving the vessel’s side. Captain -Thomson had already destroyed the confidential papers, and all that the -German commander obtained, was the ship’s register. It was at 9.15 p.m. -that the _Veria_ sank, her boats being not interfered with and arriving -at Alexandria next morning, in safety. - -[Illustration: ONE OF THE AMERICAN HOWITZERS ASSEMBLED AT THE CUNARD -WORKS] - -[Illustration: THE “AQUITANIA’S” CHAPEL] - -The next vessel to claim our attention is the _Vinovia_, and high -as was the standard set by, and expected of the Cunard Company’s -commanders, there were few instances of greater coolness and bravery -than that of her skipper, Captain Stephen Gronow, when she was -torpedoed in the English Channel on the 19th of December, 1917. She -was then on her way from New York with a Chinese crew, and it was -at half-past three in the afternoon that the torpedo struck her on the -starboard side. As the _Vinovia_ did not at first appear to be sinking -Captain Gronow ordered his engines full speed ahead, and made a gallant -endeavour to reach the land. At 4 p.m. a small tug came on the scene -and made fast to the _Vinovia_, after some of her crew had left the -ship on one of the lifeboats. A patrol boat then came alongside, and -the remainder of the crew jumped aboard her. For the next three hours -Captain Gronow, the only man left on his sinking vessel, steered her -by means of the hand gear. At seven o’clock in the evening a drifter -approached and the Chief Engineer returned on board to assist his -Captain in making a rope fast, and then returned to the patrol boat. It -was now quite dark, but Captain Gronow, sticking to his forlorn hope, -remained alone on board the _Vinovia_, and continued to steer her and -attend to the ropes. By half-past seven, he noticed that she appeared -to be making no headway, and groping forward by means of the rails, -he found the forecastle deck already submerged four feet. He also -discovered that the tug had slipped the wire. In making his way back -again, he was so severely struck by a piece of wreckage that for a time -he remained unconscious. - -On recovering he made his way to the bridge and put on a life-jacket. -Here he remained until, at eight o’clock, five miles from land and in -pitch darkness, the _Vinovia_ sank under his feet, and he was thrown -into the water. He succeeded however, in supporting himself on some -wreckage, to which as it happened the ship’s bell was attached; and it -was this little fact that in the end proved his salvation. Attracted by -the ringing of the bell, a small patrol boat the next morning decided -to investigate the wreckage, and there Captain Gronow was found lying -unconscious. Unhappily his vessel, with her valuable cargo, of 9,000 -tons was lost, but in endeavouring to save the _Vinovia_, Captain -Gronow had provided yet another illustrious example for his successors -at sea, and happily survived to receive from the Cunard Directors a -handsome inscribed silver vase, together with a certificate, a silver -medal and a monetary gift from Lloyds. - -[Illustration: CUNARD NATIONAL AEROPLANE FACTORY] - -Twice it has been our duty to record the torpedoing of vessels under -the command of the gallant Captain J. A. Wolfe, but he underwent -this ordeal three times. He was in command of the _Volodia_ on the -21st of August, 1917, when, at half-past seven in the morning she was -torpedoed and sunk some 300 miles from land. As was usual, there had -been no warning, and the _Volodia_ was struck amidships, several of -her engine-room crew, mostly Chinamen, being killed by the explosion. -In addition, before she sank, the _Volodia_ was also shelled by the -attacking submarine. Captain Wolfe, with the survivors of the crew, -had, however, succeeded before this in getting away in three boats, in -charge respectively of Captain Wolfe himself, the Chief Officer, and -the Second Officer, and these boats were chased by the submarine. On -catching up with the Second Officer’s boat, the submarine commander -enquired for the Captain. He was told by the Second Officer that -his last sight of Captain Wolfe was on the bridge of the torpedoed -vessel. The Second Officer was then taken on board the submarine and -questioned, but was subsequently allowed to return to his boat. - -Captain Wolfe then gave sailing directions, and the three boats kept -together until nightfall, by which time the wind had increased to the -violence of a gale. During the night the three boats became separated, -and it was only the magnificent seamanship of Captain Wolfe and the -two other Officers, together with the splendid endurance and courage -of the crews, that succeeded in bringing any of them to safety. For -three days they were adrift in the open Atlantic, rations being reduced -to one biscuit and one dipper of water a day. The Captain and Chief -Engineer were actually on one occasion washed out of their little boat. -It was in the Captain’s boat that the sea-anchors and rudders were -carried away, and Captain Wolfe then improvised a sea-anchor out of -some canvass, sewing it with his penknife and rope-yarn, and putting in -it the last three remaining seven-pound tins of meat, the only articles -of weight left in the boat. This contrivance he lashed to the broken -rudder, and by this means was enabled to weather the breaking seas. How -well to the course the vessel was kept can be gathered from the fact -that when she was picked up by a destroyer, she was within 30 miles of -the Lizard, having sailed 300 miles without seeing a ship. Both the -other boats had similar adventures, but both were at last found and -their exhausted and almost helpless crews brought safely to land. - -Thus ends a record, perhaps equalled, but certainly not excelled, by -any other of the great Mercantile Marine Companies, upon whose unsung -exertions our success both on land and sea was primarily founded. -The list which appears on the next page, in tabular form, summarises -in brief the losses sustained by the Cunard Company during this, the -severest ordeal, that any maritime nation has ever undergone. - -From this it will be seen that vessels amounting to over 205,000 -gross tonnage were lost by the Company, and this does not include the -_Campania_, which had just passed from the Company’s service, or two -further losses, that of the _Ascania_ and the _Valeria_, which were -wrecked by stranding during 1918, and which added to the total another -14,985 tons. In all, more than 56 per cent. of the Company’s gross -tonnage was sacrificed in the performance of services of the highest -importance to the nation in the hour of its greatest jeopardy. - - +-------------------------+--------+--------+--------------+ - | NAME OF SHIP. |Tonnage | Total | Date Lost. | - | |(Gross).|Tonnage.| | - +-------------------------+--------+--------+--------------+ - |LUSITANIA | 30,395 | | 7 May 1915. | - |CARIA | 3,032 | | 6 Nov. ” | - |VERIA | 3,228 | 36,655 | Dec. ” | - +-------------------------+--------+--------+--------------+ - |FRANCONIA | 18,149 | | 4 Oct. 1916. | - |ALAUNIA | 13,404 | 31,553 |19 ” ” | - +-------------------------+--------+--------+--------------+ - |IVERNIA | 14,278 | | 1 Jan. 1917. | - |LYCIA | 2,715 | |11 Feb. ” | - |LACONIA | 18,098 | |25 ” ” | - |FOLIA | 6,704 | |11 Mar. ” | - |THRACIA | 2,891 | |17 ” ” | - |VALACIA (towed into port)| 6,526 | | 1 Apl. ” | - |FELTRIA | 5,253 | | 5 May ” | - |AUSONIA (towed into port | 8,152 | |11 June ” | - | but sunk the following | | | | - | year) | | | | - |ULTONIA | 10,402 | |27 ” ” | - |VOLODIA | 5,689 | |21 Aug. ” | - |VINOVIA | 5,503 | 71,533 |19 Dec. ” | - +-------------------------+--------+--------+--------------+ - |ANDANIA | 13,404 | |27 Jan. 1918. | - |AURANIA | 13,936 | | 4 Feb. ” | - |AUSONIA | 8,152 | |30 May ” | - |VANDALIA | 7,333 | | 9 June ” | - |CARPATHIA | 13,603 | |17 July ” | - |FLAVIA | 9,291 | |24 Aug. ” | - |CAMPANIA (turned into | 12,884 | 78,603 | Nov. ” | - | seaplane carrier) | | | | - +-------------------------+--------+--------+--------------+ - -[Illustration: INTERIOR OF THE AEROPLANE FACTORY (i)] - -[Illustration: INTERIOR OF THE AEROPLANE FACTORY (ii)] - - - - -CHAPTER VI - -Shore Work for the Services - - _Here stand we; naught else can we do! - Take us, all that we have, all we are! - We bide by the issue with you, - And this is our war!_ - - MARGARETTA BYRDE. - - -Enough, perhaps, has already been written to show how intimately -the Cunard Company was bound up with every phase, not only of our -mercantile, but our naval effort at sea; how its long experience of -maritime organisation, placed unreservedly at the country’s disposal, -became an asset in the hands of the Government of almost incalculable -importance, and how, in the course of its everyday unadvertised duties, -it lost more than half its tonnage. It was not only at sea, however, -and not wholly in connection with the problems of transport that the -Cunard Company rendered such yeoman service. - -The possessors of highly efficient repairing shops, engine works, -furnishing departments, and laundries, these also were at once -mobilised at the outbreak of war, and put to the most various and vital -purposes. - -Some of these, of course, were congruous with its useful efforts as a -marine concern. Thus, amongst much other work of a similar nature, we -find, for instance, that H.S. Sloops _Buttercup_ and _Gladiolus_ were -refitted, their engines over-hauled, and their hull and deck plating -repaired, while they were also provided with hydraulic release triggers -in order to enable depth charges to be released from the bridge. - -H.M. ships _Riviera_ and _Empress_ were fitted out as sea-plane -carriers by the Company at Liverpool. The after-decks of both vessels -were stripped and hangars, capable of accommodating about six -sea-planes, were built on them. A mechanics’ repair shop was also -installed and special cranes, for lifting sea-planes out of the water, -were fitted. - -[Illustration: INTERIOR OF THE AEROPLANE FACTORY (iii)] - -[Illustration: RUSSIAN REFUGEES ON THE “PHRYGIA” IN THE BLACK SEA, -SPRING, 1919] - -The _Campania_, converted as we have seen into a sea-plane carrier, was -refitted in 1916, a thorough overhaul being carried out, including the -fitting of a new crank shaft, and the examination of, and repairs to, -her hull and engines. In 1917, H.M.S. _Scotia_, the well-known Holyhead -mail boat of the London and North Western Railway, was reconditioned, -after having been in Admiralty employment, and all necessary repairs -carried out in respect of her hull and engines. H.M.S. _Berwick_ was -also partially refitted in the same year. No less than 3,200 Plunger -control valve keys and retarding rams for 12-pound and naval guns -were made at the Company’s works; and a large amount of work was also -undertaken in connection with the fitting of submarines and mines. - -This included, as regarded submarines, the provision of 520 Oilers for -exhaust valve boxes, 40 tail-end shafts, 20 complete thrust blocks, -and the machining and complete fitting of four tail-end intermediate -shafts. At the same time 456 save-alls for oil fuel were designed and -provided--the pattern of these save-alls being afterwards adopted as -the standard pattern for the Navy. Nineteen thousand, eight hundred -manganese bronze spindles for mines were turned out, as well as 1,000 -mine mechanism plates. When the Admiralty decided to fit naval and -merchant ships with the paravane contrivance, as a protection against -mines, the Cunard Company manufactured for them 5,728 sets of wires for -this gear. All this work was, of course, carried out in addition to the -ordinary routine of overhauling the Company’s own fleet. - -This sort of work, however, valuable as it was, was perhaps only to -be expected of a large marine Company, so efficiently organised for -many years as the Cunard Company had been. But in addition, a large -amount of work was done for the armies in the Company’s workshops, -much of which required the highest degree of accuracy and extremely -skilled workmanship. One of the most important of such contracts was -the assembling of the 9·2 American Howitzer Equipment. These enormous -guns were shipped from the United States in parts, and the work of -completing, assembling, carrying out modifications in design, and -getting them ready for use in France, was done entirely in the Cunard -Works. Eighty-four of these equipments were dealt with, and, in -addition, 100 carriages and limbers and brake gear, which were a part -and parcel of the equipment, were manufactured. Owing to the fact that -the firing beams, which were received from the United States, were -found in practice to be insufficiently strong, the Company undertook -the stripping and re-inforcing of 73 sets of these. - -[Illustration: ONE OF THE ROOMS IN THE CUNARD SHELL WORKS] - -[Illustration: A RECORD OF “STRIKING” VALUE] - -In the critical month of March, 1918, when the Allied armies were -retreating on the Western Front, and it was clear that the crucial -point of the war was imminent, the Ministry of Munitions sent out -urgent appeals to all Munition Works. During the great retreat, -although many of the actual guns were saved, there was no time to -attempt to bring away the gun beds, and in consequence many of the -larger calibre weapons were thus rendered useless. The Cunard Company -was then asked to undertake to supply one hundred sets in as short a -time as possible. Realising the urgency of the position, the Company -succeeded in engaging the assistance of several outside firms, who -carried out part of the work under Cunard supervision, with the amazing -result that no less than 146 sets were finished and delivered complete -within a fortnight. - -But for the unremitting attention of the Company’s officials and the -high degree of organisation that had been attained, such a result -would, of course, have been wholly impossible. The separate items -manufactured by outside firms were all received and distributed from -the Company’s Gun Department a special chart of progress being kept -for the purpose. For this great achievement the Company received a -special letter of congratulation from the Ministry of Munitions, which -in their turn they passed on to their men, who had so magnificently -responded to the calls of their country in the crisis, and also to the -firms who had rendered such able assistance. - -Another very large contract, carried out by the Cunard Company, was -the manufacture of artillery wheels. This work was distributed between -the Company’s various establishments, the metal work being done by the -Cunard’s Engine Works, and the wood work at the Furnishing Departments -in Liverpool and London; in order to provide the necessary material, -the Company’s timber experts had to make enormous purchases, not only -having to buy complete cargoes, but in many instances, having to buy -the timber before the trees were felled, and it cannot be denied that -the Government was extremely fortunate in having the advantage of their -great experience and wise advice. The metal parts provided consisted -of pipe boxes, nots and naves, all of these being made of manganese -bronze as required by the War Office, and the tyres--the wooden parts -of the wheels being the spokes and felloes. Eleven hundred complete -artillery wheels were thus made, as well as 1,400 sand tyres--a sand -tyre being a contrivance fitted to the rim of the gun wheel in order -to prevent it sinking into mud or sand. The reconstruction of damaged -wheels was undertaken for the War Office by the Cunard Company’s London -works and more than 8,000 wheels were dealt with in this manner. - -[Illustration: “CAMPANIA” AS SEAPLANE SHIP] - -It is impossible to give a detailed account of the whole of the work -of this nature carried out by the Cunard Company, but a general idea -can be obtained from the following list of some of the most important -contracts carried out at Liverpool. - - 60 Loading trays for 6 in. shells. These are the trays - which guide the shell into the breech of the gun. - - 1,200 Dial sight adaptors--to render sights adaptable for - guns of different calibres. - - 12,000 Copper and leather washers for } - recuperating gear; and } This recuperating gear - } is the mechanism - 12,000 Manganese Bronze Rings for } used to bring the - supporting packing leathers } gun into firing position - in recuperating gear attached } again after recoil. - to 6 in. Howitzers. } - - 5,340 Actuating Nuts and Screws for Brake gear for 13 and - 18 pounder Field Guns. - - 250 Sets of Cables for electing firing gear. This is the gear - attached to 6 in. and 92 in. guns, to enable them - to be fired by electricity. - - 24 Battery Boxes in connection with above. - - 500 Sets Rings and Discs protecting obturator. This is a - contrivance in the breech of a gun to prevent - the escape of the gases generated in firing. - - 35 Steel Crankshafts for the Motor Boats which were used - for chasing submarines. - - 36 Magazine Barrows for transporting heavy shells from - Magazine to Guns on board H.M. Ships. - - 160 Breech Rings for 18 pounder guns. - - 100 Clamp Bearings. - - 14,912 Shell Nose adaptors for correcting the thread in end - of shell. - - 20,300 Dummy Shells for 18 pounder Guns. These were used - in training new troops to handle guns and shells. - To complete this contract in 1915 the Cunard - Company bought all the mangle rollers that could - be obtained and converted them into dummy shells. - -The Company’s Laundry, which before the war dealt with all the Linen, -etc., from the Company’s steamers, was able during the last few years -to assist many of the Military Hospitals and other institutions in -the district by undertaking their Laundry work; at the same time, of -course, they did whatever work was required for the Company’s ships and -those under their management, whether acting as troop ships or hospital -ships. - -[Illustration: A HOSPITAL WARD IN THE LOUNGE OF THE “MAURETANIA”] - -Nor did these activities exhaust the long list of the Cunard Company’s -manifold contributions to the Nation’s improvised war industries. -In 1916, realising the urgent need for aeroplanes, the Company’s -Directors made certain suggestions to the Government, and placed their -services at the Government’s disposal in this connexion. After some -months consideration a definite scheme was formulated in July, 1917, -providing for the erection of a factory at the Government’s expense, -to be under the supervision of the Cunard Company, who would act as -Managers under the Direction of the Ministry of Munitions. A site was -selected near the race course at Aintree, the first sod was removed on -the 4th October, 1917, and within less than nine months the factory -was completed, many of the shops having been working at full pressure -very much earlier than this. Although the Cunard Company had had no -experience of aircraft work, and could not, of course, spare sufficient -staff to man the factory, the arrangement of the various shops, and -the selection of the machinery to be installed rested in their hands, -and a certain number of the Company’s own officials were subsequently -employed there. - -Even under normal conditions, the construction and fitting out of -this the largest aeroplane factory in the country would have been a -herculean task, but in war time, with the resultant difficulties to -be encountered in obtaining the necessary material, the undertaking -might well have baffled even the most enterprising brains. That it was -accomplished at all is, perhaps, the best proof of the enormous reserve -of initiative and capability that had been accumulated by the Company -during the long years of its previous expansion; and some idea of what -was achieved can perhaps be more easily obtained when it is remembered -that the largest shop measured not less than 700 by 500 feet, and that -there were several other shops each of which were about half this size; -that for the necessary electrical power a cable had to be laid for a -distance of six miles from the Lister Drive generating station; that, -the local water and gas supply being totally inadequate, a supply well -had to be sunk to a depth of 370 feet, thus providing the factory’s own -water supply; that a special gas main had to be laid for a considerable -distance; that a new siding from the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway -had to be constructed, the line running right into the factory’s -grounds; that the machinery and equipment had to be assembled not only -from every part of the United Kingdom, but from the United States of -America; that several of the most essential machines, which had been -specially made, were lost in transit owing to the action of enemy -submarines, so that new machines had to be made in their place; and -that a canteen had to be provided, fully equipped with the latest -cooking utensils and labour saving devices, which would accommodate at -two sittings no less than 5,000 people. - -[Illustration: THE “AQUITANIA’S” LOUNGE (Once a hospital ward, it was -used subsequent to the Armistice as an orderly room)] - -[Illustration: OFFICERS’ WARD IN THE SMOKING ROOM OF THE “AQUITANIA”] - -In spite of all this, however, the first complete aeroplane was turned -out on June 7th, 1918, just eight months after the commencement, while -within four or five months after this, the factory was in a position to -turn out no less than 100 aeroplanes a month. Before this, however, the -Ministry of Munitions had appointed a controller of National Aircraft -Factories, so that on the 17th of October, 1918, the factory was handed -over to the Government in full working order, another concrete instance -of the organising skill and versatility of this great Mercantile Marine -Company. - -Long before this the Cunard Company had embarked upon yet another -subsidiary enterprise in the establishment of a factory for the -manufacture of shells. This factory, which came to be known as the -Cunard National Shell Factory, was established at Bootle, the building -having before been used as a store for the fittings and furniture taken -from such of the Cunard Company’s vessels as had been used as armed -cruisers and in various other capacities. A new floor was built and -the roof trusses were strengthened in order to carry shafting. Most -of the lathes and other machine tools installed in the factory were -of the type suitable for marine work, and therefore, special fittings -were necessary in order to convert them into lathes suitable for the -production of 4 in., 5 in., 6 in. and 8 in. shells; and these special -fittings were designed and made by the Cunard’s Staff Engineers. The -boring bars used for the 8 in. shells were made from the piston rods -of the old Cunard liner _Lucania_, sister ship to the _Campania_, the -vessel, as we have seen, on which Signor Marconi carried out some of -his most important wireless experiments. The ingenuity displayed in -this won a tribute of admiration from all the engineering experts who -were brought in touch with it; and the proof of their success is to -be found in the fact that the shells, ranging up to 6 in. and 8 in. -diameter, were entirely completed by female labour. - -The Cunard National Shell Factory was, indeed, the first factory in -Great Britain to produce 6 in. and 8 in. shells with female labour, -and was thus the pioneer in the employment of women on shells of large -calibre. In order that the women might be able to handle these heavy -shells great attention had, of course, to be paid to the lifting -appliances; and it may, perhaps, here be mentioned that one of the -women operators worked throughout the whole period from October, -1915, to November, 1918, without the loss of a single minute of time, -probably creating a record. To this factory also several of the retired -engineering officers of the Cunard Company’s ships returned to work in -order to assist their country in increasing the output of shells, while -the factory was self-contained in that it manufactured all its own -tools, jigs, and other necessary appliances. - -In this factory work was continuous, being carried out in three shifts, -one working from seven in the morning till three in the afternoon, the -next from three in the afternoon till ten at night, and the third from -ten p.m. until seven next morning; while on Saturdays one shift worked -from seven a.m. till noon, and another from noon till five p.m. - -In 1916 the Bottle Nosing Plant for the large shells was instituted--a -plant that turned out to be a great success, while at the same time a -system for the mixing of gas and air to enable a furnace temperature -of 1,400 degrees centigrade to be maintained was also installed--a -contrivance that resulted in a very considerable saving both in upkeep -and expenditure. - -On an average about 1,000 people were employed in this factory, of -whom 80 to 90 per cent. were women. The factory contained excellent -kitchens and dining rooms, so that hot meals could be served both for -the day and night shifts. The welfare of the workers was scrupulously -attended to; and a recreation room fitted with a theatrical stage and -all accessories was very popular with the workers in their spare time. - -[Illustration: MEN’S WARD IN THE LOUNGE OF THE “AQUITANIA”] - -When on November 11th, 1918, hostilities ceased, upon the acceptance -by the enemy of the Armistice terms, work on shell production was -stopped. The factory being closed down on Saturday, November 16th, -each operator was presented on leaving with a 4·5 in. shell as a -souvenir, together with a letter of appreciation signed by the Chairman -and General Manager of the Company. A total of 410,302 shells of -various calibres was turned out during the months through which the -factory worked. Out of every 500 shells made, one was selected by the -Government to be fired as a test, and of the shells manufactured at the -Cunard Factory not a single one failed to pass. - -Lastly should be mentioned one of the most beneficent minor activities -initiated by the Cunard Staff in the provision of entertainments for -wounded soldiers. It was in 1916, after the Company moved into their -great new building, that the staff first approached the Management with -a view to obtaining permission to hold a concert for wounded soldiers -in one of the new and spacious rooms. The suggestion was readily agreed -to, and the Company undertook to bear the cost, the staff doing the -work. So successful was this concert that a second entertainment was -given, this being followed by a third, until these concerts became a -regular institution through the winters of 1916–1917, 1917–1918, and -1918–1919. In all about 20 concerts were given, at which more than -7,000 wounded soldiers were entertained and provided with refreshment. -A first-class orchestra of 20 performers was created, as well as a -chorus that would have done credit to any London stage; and it is safe -to say that these Cunard concerts were eagerly looked forward to by -every Military Hospital in the district. - -During the summer months also the Company lent their tender, the -_Skirmisher_, for river cruises; and more than 6,400 wounded men were -thus provided with yet another means of recreation. A similar trip -was organised in 1918 by the Cunard Company’s Bristol Staff, while -the Liverpool Office Concert Party was indefatigable in attending -at various hospitals, munition works, and camps in order to provide -additional entertainment to their wounded brothers. The Britannia Rooms -were also used for dances and receptions for American Officers and -American Red Cross Units, and when on Independence Day, July 4th, 1918, -the Lord Mayor of Liverpool entertained 4,000 American Troops, the -whole of the catering arrangements were carried out by the Cunard line. - -Now to have initiated, organised, and won success in departments of -service so various and vital would not, of course, have been possible -without the unanimous and unremitting personal devotion of every -Director and member of this great Company; and it cannot be denied that -the Government paid them the compliment of using their activities to -the very highest degree. The Chairman, Sir Alfred Booth, in addition -to the enormous responsibilities resting upon him in virtue of his -executive position, acted also as Chairman of the North Atlantic -Committee, appointed under the Liner Requisitioning Scheme, while he -also served on several Royal Commissions dealing with questions of -urgent national importance in relation to reconstruction and other -post-war problems; and, at the same time, he had many calls upon him -owing to his connexion with the Employers’ Federation, the War Risks, -and Liverpool Steam Ship Owners’ Associations. - -The Deputy Chairman, Sir Thomas Royden, acted as Deputy Shipping -Controller, where his wide experience of shipping affairs was -invaluable, Sir Thomas being frequently entrusted with foreign missions -requiring the greatest tact and ability. Early in the war he went to -Mudros in order to organise the transport arrangements in connexion -with the Gallipoli campaign, and at a later date he was in Washington -discussing the international shipping problems that arose when the -United States cast her lot with the Allies. He organised the shipment -of American and Colonial troops to the various theatres of war, and was -selected to represent the Shipping Controller on the Peace Conference. - -Sir Percy Bates, Sir Aubrey Brocklebank, and Mr. Walter Tyser all -occupied administrative positions at the Ministry of Shipping, and Mr. -A. C. F. Henderson was selected to represent the Ministry at one of -the chief Mediterranean ports. Sir Ashley Sparks, one of the Company’s -Directors, and its New York Agent, was appointed direct representative -of the Ministry of Shipping at Washington, soon after the United States -came into the war, and was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the -British Empire in January, 1919, in recognition of his great services. -No less responsible and intricate were the duties devolving upon the -General Manager, Mr. A. D. Mearns, and the other managers, Mr. S. J. -Lister and Mr. F. Litchfield--Mr. Mearns being elected to a seat on -the Board of Directors in 1918. - -[Illustration: THE “FRANCONIA” SINKING, WATCHED BY SURVIVORS FROM THE -BOATS] - -Many of the Company’s officials and technical experts were frequently -called upon to render assistance to various Government Departments, -and it is deeply to be regretted that the Cunard Company’s loved and -respected Marine Superintendent, Captain G. H. Dodd, lost his life at -sea through a torpedo attack whilst on an important Government mission. - -We have already referred to the mobilisation on the outbreak of war of -a very large proportion of the Company’s navigating officers, and it -is estimated that at least 1,500 sailors, firemen, and stewards joined -the colours, of whom 88 were killed or drowned. Nor was the clerical -staff behind them in its eagerness to serve the country in a combatant -capacity. When a brigade of business men was formed in Liverpool, in -1914, not less than 120 Cunarders from the Liverpool staffs enlisted on -the first day, while from the clerical staffs alone of the principal -Cunard Offices in Great Britain, 387 men joined the Army, besides 65 -who joined from the Canadian and American Offices--a total of 452. Of -these 53 lost their lives in the service of their country, while a -large proportion received more or less serious wounds, several being -permanently disabled. - -Many distinctions and honours were gained both on the field of battle -and at sea, to be engraved upon the Company’s records as one of their -proudest trophies. They include a Victoria Cross and, in numerous -cases, the D.S.O., D.S.C., M.C., M.M., etc. Various members of the -staff have received other British, and also French, Belgian, Russian -and United States, decorations and medals. - -Such then in brief were the war activities of one of our chief -Mercantile Marine Companies, and it is surely a record of which the -whole Empire, not less than every member and employee of the Cunard -Company itself, may well be proud. In the study of it we have perhaps -been able to perceive, as in a wider survey of a larger number of -units might have been less possible, something of the peculiar genius -for organisation and adaptation that, in spite of so much ignorant -criticism, our race possesses. It is at any rate an indication that the -sea instinct that has been our inheritance for so many centuries is as -strong to-day as ever, and a happy augury for the future of a country, -whose very breath of life depends upon its maintenance of Admiralty, in -the widest sense of the word. - - - Thos. Forman & Sons, Printers, - Nottingham, Liverpool, London - - -[Illustration: MAP SHEWING PRINCIPAL ROUTES SET BY CUNARD SHIPS DURING -THE WAR] - - - - -Transcriber’s Notes - - -Punctuation, hyphenation, and spelling were made consistent when a -predominant preference was found in the original book; otherwise they -were not changed. - -Simple typographical errors were corrected; unbalanced quotation -marks were remedied when the change was obvious, and otherwise left -unbalanced. - -Illustrations in this eBook have been positioned between paragraphs -and outside quotations. 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