t another form of camouflage--like the loving
Indian mother abusing her dear children for deception of a malicious
listening Djinn? _War Cowslip_, _War Dance_, _War Dreamer!_ War Hell!
Are our new standard ships being thus badly named, that the enemy may
look upon them as pariahs, unworthy of shell or torpedo? Perhaps, as a
thoughtful war measure, it may be chargeful of pregnant meaning; our new
war names for the ships may be germane to some distant world movement,
the first tender shoot of which we cannot yet recognize! More than
likely, it is the result of the fine war-time frolic of fitting the
cubest of square pegs in the roundest of holes. How is it done? Is
there, in the hutments of St. James's Park, an otherwise estimable and
blameless greengrocer, officially charged with the task of finding names
for vessels, 015537-68 inclusive, presently on the Controller's lists
and due to be launched?

We sailors are jealous for our vessels. Abuse us if you will, but have a
care for what you may say of our ships. We alone are entitled to call
them bitches, wet brutes, stubborn craft, but we will stand for no such
liberties from the beach; strikes have occurred on very much less
sufficient ground. Ridicule in the naming of our ships is intolerable.
If _War_ is to be the prefix, why cannot our greengrocer find suitable
words in the chronicles of strife? Can there be anything less martial
than the _War Rambler_, _War Linnet_, _War Titmouse_, _War Gossamer_?
Why not the _War Teashop_, the _War Picture House_, the--the--the _War
Lollipop_? Are we rationed in ships' names? Is there a Controller of
Marine Nomenclature? The thing is absurd!

If our controllers had sense they would see the danger in thus flouting
our sentiment; they would value the recruiting agency of a good name;
they would recognize that the naming of a ship should be done with as
great care as that of an heir to an earldom. Is the torpedoed bos'n of
the _Eumaeus_ going to boast of a new post on the _War Bandbox_? What
are the feelings of the captain of a _Ruritania_ when he goes to the
yards to take over a _War Whistler_? Why _War_? If sober, businesslike
argument be needed, it is confusing; it introduces a repetition of
initial syllable that makes for dangerous tangles in the scheme of
direction and control.

It is all quite unnecessary. There are names and enough. Fine names!
Seamanlike names! Good names! Names that any sailor would be proud to
have on his w