hile she lay quietly at the pier; we
rated her by her draught marks that varied only with the galley coal she
burnt.

At regular periods her hopeless outlook was emphasized by our sailings.
Officers and crew could not ignore the stir that attended our departure.
They saw the 'blue peter' come fluttering from the masthead, and heard
our syren roar a warning to the river craft as we backed out. We were
laden to our marks and the decks were thronged with young Britons
returning to serve their country. The Fatherland could have no such
help: the _Fuerst_ could handle no such cargo. For her there could be no
movement, no canting on the tide and heading under steam for the open
sea: the distant ships of the Grand Fleet held her in fetters at the
pier.

While the Battle Fleet opened the oceans to us, we were not wholly safe
from enemy interference on the high seas in the early stages of the war.
German commerce raiders were abroad; there was need for a more tangible
protection to the merchants' ships on the oversea trade routes. The
older cruisers were sent out on distant patrols. They were our first
associates of the huge fleet subsequently detailed for our defence and
assistance. We were somewhat in awe of the naval men at sea on our early
introduction. The White Ensign was unfamiliar. Armed to the teeth, an
officer from the cruiser would board us: the bluejackets of his boat's
crew had each a rifle at hand. "Where were we from . . . where to . . .
our cargo . . . our passengers?" The lieutenant was sternly courteous; he
was engaged on important duties: there was no mood of relaxation. He
returned to his boat and shoved off with not one reassuring grin for the
passengers lining the rails interested in every row-stroke of his
whaler. In time we both grew more cordial: we improved upon
acquaintance. The drudgery and monotony of a lone patrol off a neutral
coast soon brought about a less punctilious boarding. Our
_proces-verbal_ had unofficial intervals. "How were things at home? . . .
Are we getting the men trained quickly? . . . What about the Russians?"
The boarding lieutenants discovered the key to our affections--the
secret sign that overloaded their sea-boat with newspapers and fresh
mess. "A fine ship you've got here, Captain!" We parted company at ease
and with goodwill. The boat would cast off to the cheers of our
passengers. The great cruiser, cleared for action with her guns trained
outboard, would cant in to close