THE MERCANTILE MARINE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17104, 8 September 1917, Page 11

THE MERCANTILE MARINE

ADMIRAL JELLICOE'S ANECDOTES,

THE OTAKI AND CLAN M'TAVISH,

(Fhom Oun Own ■Corkkspondknt )

LONDON, July 10.

Speaking at the King George's Fund for Sailors, Admiral Sir John Jellicoo, First Soa Lord, paid a great tribute to the work of the mercantile marine. The ehips,of the mcrcantiio marine, ho said, as they oamo near our shores, were targets for an unseen enemy. The sailor never know a moment when tho ship might bo sunk under him, and he very seldom saw the enemy which sank him. At tho best ho tool; to tho boats, very often after a very gallant fight, and ho often found himeclf in an open boat 100 or 200 miles from the shore. He very often underwent terrible- experiences, because the enemy shelled the boats frequently after the men had got into them. Why did the enemy do that? It was an attempt to upset the morale of the British sailor, but tho enemy little knew his man. —(Cheers.) Tho British sailor had faced death too often, even in peace time, and if tho enemy thought that ho -could count upon ehuking the nerves of the British sailor, whether of tho Navy or the mercantile marine, ho never made a greater mistake in his lifo.—(Cheers.) TWO NEW ZEALAND SHIPS. Tho Anglo Oalifornian was attacked by a submarine on July 4, 1915. and shelled for two hours and a-Half. After the attack had lasted for an hour and α-half, and the ship hail been frequently hit, the master decided that any attempt to save his voseol was hopeless. As die was being abandoned he intercepted a wirelpss message from a destroyer ordering him to hold on as long as possible. The master and ship's company promptly went back to their vessel.— (Cheers.) The submarine continued to shell the ship, the master and eight hands were killed, and seven of the crow were wounded; but the ship returned to port. The Clan M'Tavish was engaged by the German raider Moewe, and tho captain was called upon to surrender, but ho replied that he had been ordered to take his ship to Eugtend, and that he intended to do it. He opened fire with his six-pounder gun, and continued to engage tho onemy until he was sunk. Fifteen of the crew wcro killed and five wounded, and then the captain of the Moewe ehcok him by tho hand when he went on board, and congratulated him on his fight.—(Cheers.) The screw steamer Ot-nki, in March, 1917, engaged the raider Moewe, spt her on fire, and killed six of tbo crow before surrendering. Tho steamer Palm Branch on one occasion was attacked bv a submarine and hit in several places, and two members of the crev wore injured. A young apprentice, who- was wounded, remained at the wheel throughout tho attack, and declined to leave his post; and the vessel was brought in in safety. On that occasion she was unarmed, but ;; bountiful Providence—or tho Admiralty—(laughter)—gave her a gun, and on May 4, 1917, she was again attacked by two submarines, one of which she sank.— (Cheers.) In tho Adriatic recently an Austrian cruiser came up to one of the drifters (the Gowanlee), and summoned her to surrender. The captain, armed with one sixpounder gun, called for three cheers and opened fire. He engaged the cruiser, and brought his ship away in safety.—(Cheers.) An indication of the spirit on board that drifter was shown in the case of ono of tho deck hands, who had his log shattered, but continued at his pun and fired it throughout the action. This was tho spirit which would never allow us to bo defeated.— (Cheers.) This was the spirit that would win the war, and, he hoped, win it quickly.