ACTIVITY IN SUEZ CANAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 September 1915, Page 5

ACTIVITY IN SUEZ CANAL.

AN INTERESTING SIDELIGHT. An interesting sidelight on the gnat European war, and news from a part of the conflict which has not, so far, J»jn available, has just reached San Fran. Cisco in a letter from Captain G. B Macdonald, of the oil tank steamer Frank H. Buck, which carried oil to the Allied armies at Suez. The freighter left San Francisco on March 14tn, Weht to Portland, San Pedro, Yokohlim*. Batavia, Singapore, Colombo and tin.. and at Suez Captain MacdonaM wrote to Henry Peterson, launohmen at Btu Francisco. In a letter dated Jnly IW>, he says:— . i "1 am a long way from 'Tipperary* at present writing, and expect to be lor some time yet. I arrived here 6n the 16th, and am waiting for a <**ftw to discharge. The transports are Coming and going so fast that there it to berth for me in the basin. This it a very active place just now, and quite close to some of the fighting. You cftn see the trenches from Suez along the Canal. The town is full of all kinds »t soldiers—Australians, Territorials, dians, Egyptians, with the camel regiments, etc. All of the soldier* from Australia and India are landed here Mid taken by train to Cairo and Port Said, where they are shipped agien for tie front. The reason for this is tfcftt the Turks and Germans- are very active «t times around the Canal. They sank % P. and O. steamer in the canal two weake' ago by a raino, and several other! WW*

"Thirty-two pontoon boats were Matured and sunk or destroyed by toe Bnglish in the Canal as the Turks and Ger» mans were crossing, all of the occupant* being killed. There was.a masked battery of machine guns right Wliere they were landing. The Canal and surround, itig desert were covered with dead nun. "These things only happened a feir weeks ago. I saw one of Wbbataiyet. terday hauled up on % canal bank, It certainly is a work of art; it i* bail! Btronger than our lifeboats. An offieer told me they were built in Germany, and had been buried In the sand dew to the Canal for four yean. "I never saw so many ship* moving to and fro in one port in my life. T>« Frank H. Buck looks like a row-boll alongside most of them. She has tin distinction of being the first American merchantman, steamer or sailing, to pt in this part of the world. .

"The French cruiser Montealm la kefe. It I. remember correctly, she wal on the Pacific Coast when we left in Marth. Speaking about ships, there were ninetythree transports here In one day. '.. "I saw Captain Roberta in Slngejtote. His ship's name is the Camile, of Urn name company as the Elsinore. He b looking as jolly as ever, and is bottftd to England with benzine. He says a* is travelling light now, as he expedite they will get him again. Ail the iHtoe going through the Canal pile stfadbat* on the bridge to protect the pilot tad ©ffMers from being hit, as there is a lot o; sniping going on. " !

"I expect to visit the Pyramid* be* fore I leave, and from here I am going to Colombo, Ceylon. That is the qrig. inal Garden of Eden. It is as artificial harbour, and they can moor big ships inside the breakwater. It is hot here, 110 degrtes in town at lunch time yesterday. I expect ,to be home in October or November,"