INDIAN TRANSPORTS AT SEA.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue LXVIII, 21 October 1914, Page 4

INDIAN TRANSPORTS AT SEA.

AN EVENTFUL VOYAGE

Mr. Herbert Rawson, of Wellington who retursel from England last leek' gave a Dominion reporter an interest ing story of the voyage out from Home in the R.M.S. Osterley'

THE OSTERLEY FIRED ON

About 11.30-on the second night °U j ? T om Gibraltar the passengers," sa-.d Mr. Rawson, "were startled by a gun being fired. The Osterley came to a standstill, and two torpedo boats shot-out from the darkness, passed closely under our- stern and past our bows read the name of the steamer, and then allowed us to proceed. Early next morning a cruiser and two torpedo boats appeared, asked our name, and then pashed out of sight. At Port Said there was a British cruiser cleared for action. Three hearty, cheers were given, and they were returned from tne man-o'-war with a perfect roar.

IN THE .RED SEA

Our first afternoon in the Red Sea was most exciting. We had heard about the Indian troops, and we were'expect-' ? X? k ? p the transports: any time. At 4 o clock in the afternoon a faint cloud on the horizon told us that they were coming. Soon there were cries of Ihere they are.' Down they came towards.us, covering a front of one and a halt miles. Leading was a graceful cruiser, cleared for action. Then came two lines of transports. Another, cruiser, • and then four more transports, borne of. the transports came quite close .They were crowded with troops and horses. The Osterley's 1100 ■ passengers cheered and cheered again, and they were answered repeatedly. The last cruiser: was only 100 yards away, and" she gave us a rousing cheer. I don't think that there was a pulse on* board the Osterley that did not beat with ren®wed vigor at that wonderful sight in the Jied Sea. Next morning: another cruiser and seven transports were pass, cd. We were told that; there were 60 transports conveying Indian troops, but we had got out of theii* course. Never will 1 forget th© magnificent sight of ■the approach and passing of those transports. As they faded out of sight in burning Ked; Sea we all felt a wonderful pride in the unity of the Empire. : : „ . , NEWS OF THE EMDEN-. '/On out arrival at Colombo the disquieting news of the Emdfin lmvin<* sunk five steamers in the Bay of Bengal and being still at:large, made us realis© that we were not out of the wood yet. Ihe Osterley left Goloinbo at midnight, and took quite a different course to the regular one. Lights'were out for four nights, and we were continually picking up wireless messages from German, Japanese, and English nien-o'-war. We arrived afc Tremantle without having sighted a steamer or a sail, but half an hour after we had made the port a Imtish cruiser came in, and she was toilowed by a Japanese. We left Fremantle together, and kept company till : next mormzrg. The warships then turn- : ed tor Albany. From the last port we'. have had the ordinary -journey to ■ New Zealand." ■ • , ; While the. Osterley was passing : through the Suez Canal a large camel ' : corps was observed' to be drilling ] There were hundreds of camels feeding - near by. Everywhere Britain seemed , to be ready. T ln every port sine© the ' Osterley left London there were Ger- ] man steamers detaind or captured. It ! is estimated that the passengers counted between fifty and sixty. ?