WATCH DOGS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 238, 17 March 1915, Page 7

WATCH DOGS.

ON THE ENGLISH COAST. An interesting account of life on hoard a warship guarding the English Coast is supplied in a letter received in Wellington this week. The writer was a C.P.O. no H.M.S. New Zealand wlien she visited the Dominion, and lie is now 011 one of Die '"Majestic" class. lie writes:— "This ship is now stationed at a certain port 011 the East Coast of England, south of the bombarded ports. We are one of two which arw ncling as guardships against raid. This is rather an important situation, as not only are the towns we guard important, but this is one of the possible/ points at which a raiding invasion might be attempted. We are anchored, with only sjime fi to 12 feet of water under us, and should fight after being sunk if possible. Last week, early in the morning (7 a.m.) we got news of the German raid. Later on we actually heard the guns which were killing women and children at Scarborough. We got under weigh, but could do nothing, for Scarborough is a good few miles away, and the raiders didn't wait, whilst- these elderly ships have 110 .pace. Had there been any chance, we should assuredly have gone out—and without doubt have been sunk as the Good Hope and Monmouth were. We might fyive effected a diversion, an>: possibly delayed tie." Germans a sufficient time to have enabled our fleet to catch them. At first, we all thought-we were going out, and I felt 110 little excited at the prospect. We all treated it as a Joke, but as a fellow —the chief writer, with whoiii I am pretty intimate —came up to me and said, holding his thumb down, "Hail, Kaiser, those about to salute thee.®' We knew it was. Dreadnoughts bombarding Scarbontogh, and we. knew our fate, if we met them, was quite settled. However, before we could move out (if it were over intended .we; should) the Germans went, and then came the wait to see if they were come south. But they Went north to Whitby and Hartlepool, and we lost all chance of excitement.

'"F may tell you our fellows cursed long and loud as we sot news of women unci children killed. Wo felt it even in our old crocks, as <lio' we had failed in our trust. There, is, I believe, some disposition to criticise the Navy in this matter, and the Navy 111:111 himself is as severe a critic as any, but we know, that nobody- excepting the Admiralty knew the full facts, and reflection gives pause to criticism. .Still we are all angry, sick and .shamed, and there isn't one of us who wouldn't have cheerfully gone out to be sunk if we could have spared the women and kiddies at Scarborough and Hartlepool. ''But I was going to tell you of our Christmas doings. First, tho' we are quite near port wo are not allowed to land—excepting in small parties very occasionally for a march on shore. There's no chance to speak to anyone, and men have even to take off cap ribbons to ensure that any spy shall not get to know what ships they are from, etc. So day after day of this wet wintry weather we lay at our anchors waiting and watching, the world represented to us by passing ships and the uncertain outline of the port in tho distance. None of the usual decorations were allowed to be made, the ship having to be in all respects ready for action, and the men not suffered to relax. We did have extra food, and the mess, through the canteen 011 board, ordered turkey, geese, etc., for the special Christmas dinner.

"There was eliurcli in the forenoon, iiiul this evening ,the men gathered in groups under canvas screens on upper decks and sang songs, etc. The weather has been bitterly cold all day, and the canvas screen shuts in all tlie lights allowed. Outside is black darkness, and though it is light below decks, smoking is not allowed, even on Christmas Day, because of the danger (a la Bulwark) willi so much ammunition standing ready by the side of guns everywhere. The guns have been kept constantly manned in reliefs —tlie crews muffled up in their blanket .suits and Arctic helmets, with the bitter easterly North Sea wind piercing everything. Tlie guns are naturally placed where everything is open and the crews find no shelter from the rain and wind. But the day has gone merrily and quietly. There has been no liquor, of course, though generally men seem to have a miraculous gift of 'striking a stancion,' as they ,say in the Navy, and getting drink from the chilly steel. But we have been cut off from all possible sources of supply too long, and to none to-day were the worse for drink. All day we have stood to guns, everybody ready, and strangely expectant. Somehow an idea has got about that cousin German meant to give us another example of frightfulness on. Christmas Day, letting the season add the emphasis* This is one of the likeliest places for such an attack, so we felt expectant. It is strange to celebrate Christmas so. On deck now this Christmas night the guns are ready, shells piled in heaps at the rear of each, night lights are burning, and the Arctic-clad figure is—as I fnn hear, pacing up and down between them to keep warm. Kaeli man has his 'swimming collar' round his neck deflated, the nozzle and tube protruding in front ready for inflating. The men who have the 'next watcli at the guns arc turned in—the 'swimming collar' either still round their necks or lning ready at the head of their hammocks. So another Christmas is gone. Please God this war will soon be over, and next Christmas will, we, all trust, be a real day of peace on earth, goodwill toward men—a lasting peace."