HORSES AT SEA.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 290, 6 July 1917, Page 4 (Supplement)

HORSES AT SEA.

GROW RESTI.ESx WHEN SUBMARINES AUK A Hup' Can horses, on . u\ .-'v. narru.'.g that it Ls abo'it ' . '•<• .tacked by .i submarine? V.ii ..';. No. IJut ]ieivS a <-tory told by men who have made several trips to Europe on sUipj, carrying horses and mules (writes the Norfolk (Virginia) correspondent of tin "New Wk World'*), which would Seem to indicate that thev ean.

'J hero :ire score*; of merchant ships leaving Newport News (U.S.A.) every week with hor-fs and mules for the Allies. Each ship carries from 800 to l.! 00 animals. More mules are being shipped now than at any other time since tiie war began. That may be be. cause there is a shortage of hordes, or it may be the mule is a bettor war animal than the hor^e. The steamers Anglo-Pa tngonijm ami Hydespos were among a fleet of British ship that saihd recently for Europe, all with horses and mules. The Anglo-Patagonian's destination was Bordeaux; the Hydespes went to Salon d;a. The Anglo Patagonian had the most exciting coyago, encountering both a German submarine and rough wveather. The ship was within five days of her destination when French and English pntrol boats sent wireless warnings to beware of two submarines at points about 200 rniks apart. HORSES ALARMED; U-BOAT COMES. The second day after this warning, t)y> sea was a.s calm as a mill-pond. The horses were, well fed. and there was no subm.irino apparent anywhere around. About 3 o'clock in the afternoon horses and mules began to sniff the air. te-.Tr at their halters and whine and kick at their keepers. A search of their stalls failed to show anything, that might disturb the animals. They liad plenty of food and water, anil there was sufficient straw for their beds. "The uproar was terrific," said Walter Severan, an American youth who has made several trips on various ship* to Europe gince the war began. "The noiso disturbed tiie captain, and ho shouted down to us to 'Stop those blooming beasts from kicking the side out of the boat.' "But tho racket continued. We could, not stop them. Seven animals were killed in tho tumult. ' Th?y continued to row until about 5.30 o'clock, when >ve sighted a submarine several miles off our starboard l>ow. The craft was apparently going away from us, and we could see smoke on the horizon, apparently coming from tho stack ot a l»go vessel. We were not attacked, and when the submarine disappeared, tho horses stopped their racket. SUBMARINE SINKS TWO. " About 7 o'clock we were overtaken by a patrol boat, which reported that two snips had been sunk by submarines within a hundred miles of our position at that time.

" When we reaencd the pier at Bordeaux there were many women .amongst those waiting to help unload our ship. Thero were several old mon, and one* of them had liis l>c:iiitiful daughter of iiinete -n with him. He said they were starving, and. poor and badly off as they were themselves, th-j people on the pior quickly afforded help." The steamer Hydespo; was saved from attack by a German submarine through tlij timely warning of its 1100 mules and "horses, and wireless warnings from the French steamer Messagerie: The ship was only two days from Salonika when the animjds became very restless. They kept up a continuous row, kicking at their Keepers, whining, «:id tugging at the haltors that he-'d them.

In leM than an hour a submarine appeared off their port bow, but two other ships near by opened fire on hor, and she Tlie Me.ssagerie, not far awav. sent out wireless calls for help, and in an hour two French 6V stroy.Ts were on the spot. GOOD WEATHER PROPHETS. According to men on these snips, the horses are excellent judges of weather, Knowing hours in advance when a .storm is approaching. The horses remain on tiiv»Lr foet during the entire voyage, which takes from eleven to seventeen days. Many of them die from natural causes. Their carcases are thrown overboard after their maii.es. tails, and hoofs ar 0 cut off. The horsemen make watchchains, fobs, and other souvenirs out of the tails and manes, and inkstands i.ut of the hoofs.

the horsemen represent all walks of liffl and nationalities. Many of them aro ex convicts and fugitives from justice. Others are from the best, families in tlio United States, and many arc young college graduates. On the voyage tli n y gamble and plan big tilings. When they get back home they have nothing to show for their perilous adventure.