the transports, the crews and officers of ships had been
civilians. It was believed that highly disciplined naval men would be
more effective than the constantly shifting crews of civilians. So it
has proved.

CHAPTER IV

Destroyers on Guard--Preparations of Flotilla to Cross the
Ocean--Meeting the "Adriatic"---Flotilla Arrives in Queenstown--
Reception by British Commander and Populace--"We are Ready
Now, Sir"--Arrival of the Famous Captain Evans on the American
Flag-Ship--Our Navy a Warm-Weather Navy--Loss of the "Vacuum"

When we entered the war the Navy Department had one definite idea
concerning its duty with regard to the submarine. It was felt that it
was more necessary to deal drastically with this situation than to meet
it merely by building a large fleet of cargo-carrying vessels in the
hope that a sufficient number of them would escape the U-boats to insure
the carrying of adequate food and supplies to France and the British
Isles. The view was taken that, while the ship-building programme was
being carried out--there was of course no idea of not furthering the
policy embodied in the plea of the British statesman for ships, ships
and yet more ships--means should be taken of driving the submarine from
the seas.

We held the attitude that the nation which had given to the world a
weapon so formidable as the undersea fighter had within it the ability
to devise a means of combating it successfully. And, as a matter of
fact, long before we went into the conflict the Navy Department had not
ignored consideration of ways and means in this respect. As a
consequence, when the British and French War Commissions arrived in this
country they found our naval officers bristling with ideas, some of them
apparently so feasible that the British naval representatives were both
pleased and astonished.

We do not know all that passed between the Americans and the British
with regard to the submarine, but this we do know: that the British went
back to England with a greater respect for our powers of constructive
thought than they had when they reached this country. Among some of the
early suggestions was the sowing of contact mines in waters through
which the submarines would be obliged to pass in leaving and entering
their bases. Then there was the scheme of protecting vessels in groups,
and other excellent ideas which were soon put into effect.

Immediately after the signing of the war resolution by President Wil