THE KISS TO THE SUBMARINE

Southland Times, Issue 17660, 18 February 1916, Page 6

THE KISS TO THE SUBMARINE

Mr Rudyard Kipling in the Telegraph describes an amusing interview between a destroyer and a submarine.

“A homeward - bound submarine chooses this hour to rise, very ostentatiously, and signals by band to a lieutenant in command. (They were the same term at Dartmouth, and same first ship). What’s he sayin’? Secure that gun, will you? Can’t hear oneself speak.’ The gun is a bit noisy on its cone, but that isn’t the reason for the destroyerlieutenant’s short temper.

” ‘Says he’s goin’ down, sir,’ the signaller replies. What the submarine had spelt out, and everybody knows it, was: ’Cannot approve of this extremely frightful weather. Am going to byebye.’

”‘Wel'.!’ snaps the lieutenant to his signaller, ‘What are you grinning at?’ The submarine has hung on to ask if the destroyer will ‘kiss her and whisper good-night.’ A breaking sea smacks her tower in (he middle of the insult. She closes like an oyster, but—just too late. Habet: There must be a quarter of a ton of water somewhere down below, on its way to her ticklish batteries. “ ’What a wag!’ says the signaller, dreamily. ’Well, ’e can’t say ’e didn’t get ’is litFo kiss.’ “The lieutenant in command smiles. The sea is a beast, but a just beast.”