IN MINED SEAS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXIX, Issue LXIX, 24 May 1915, Page 3

IN MINED SEAS.

TAKING NO CHANCES

An officer on one of the ships recently within the "danger zone" writes to a friend in Auckland (says the Star) as follows: "On the 19th of March we sa.w two French warships making for the Bosphorus, and several destroyers. The Inflexible arrived at Malta, and left alter a liiteen hours' stay. French, British, and Italian mail boats also arrived, but where bound, or where from, we could not find out. We are going to have a touch job forcing the Dardanelles, but people expect great things from the Queen Elizabeth. All hands are in uniform here. Our agent dined with us to-night, also his two sons and their wives. We are great pals just now—the French and British —and long may it last, say I, as they are a great nation. The mines are a bit of a nuisance, but we take no chances, even the fishermen's nets, buoys, or a floating thing of any description getting a wide berth. There is quite aj number of Bristol Channel and Tyne colliers discharging here, also Danisn vessels. The British colliers keep a i couple of boats swung out all ready. Boats have never received so much attention since I began sailing as they do now. There is no need for the surveyors to worry about equipment. They are all in excess of the B.T. requirements. Even pipes, tobacco, and other luxuries are carefully stowed away in air-tight tins in the stern sheets. Norwegian, Swedish, and Danish vessels would make you laugh. First of all they have their national flags on their black funnels, two flags on each side, for'ard and aft, from waterline to main rails, then Sweden or Norway in twenty feet square letters painted white on the black hull between the flags. I think they must carry a.signwriter or an artist. They all seem to have grand new flags and fly an ensign at each mast and one over the stern. I have an idea that possibly all the tin and rubber we have on board may find its way to Gothenburg for the Germans, but of course I am only wondering. At any rate, I shall, leave, for I have no intention of becoming an American."