CROSSING THE CHANNEL.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 87, 24 September 1915, Page 3 (Supplement)

CROSSING THE CHANNEL.

In tliese days there is more excitement in crossing tho English Channel than there used to be in a prolonged tour of the world. Mr. Charles Knott, in the new number of "Khaki," writes picturesquely of his experiences in revisiting Par,is.

At last we are all on the boat, a whistle from the siren and off we go. All passengers remain on de;k. Each one is provided with a deck-chair to which a life-saving contrivance m. attached, the whole forming a sort of small raft ready in case of emergency. Kvery ene appeared quite at ease whilst we were near the coast, the many destroyers manoeuvring in the vicinity gave one a feeling ol security; but as soon as the land was quite out of sight, various groups discussed the host thing to do shou'd we be torpedoed. I asked the captain what he would do should a submarine appear. "Earn her or zig z.ig out of the way." lie seemed cjii te impcrturbcd at the prospect. ] (suppose he can swim. I can't! Kvery one pays confidently that we shall see nothing of the Germans. The turbines hum, and the f.tem cuts its rapid way through the waves. Hullo! What is that? S.''.nothing bobs up out of the water oa our rght, about 90; I yards (awav. Ai eyes are turned eager. 80 it is! A submarine periscope is C|ikte clear. Suddenly, from nowhere, two torpedo boats appear on the i-cene, nu-hing «cro« the :-pot. already receding, where the su-pieiouri object- appeared, then disappeared. Where did they come i'rom? Where have they gone?

In the confusion and babble of conversation nobody seems to have noticed their departure unt l they had disappeared. Were thev French? English? A s : gh of rel : ef. Here we are at our destination.