Merchantmen-at-arms : the British merchants' service in the war   By: David W. (David William) Bone (1874-1959)

[Illustration: Frontispiece MERCHANTMEN AT GUN PRACTICE]

Merchantmen at Arms

THE BRITISH MERCHANTS' SERVICE IN THE WAR

BY DAVID W. BONE

DRAWINGS BY MUIRHEAD BONE

[Illustration]

LONDON: CHATTO & WINDUS 1919

All rights reserved

TO

ALGERNON C. F. HENDERSON

AS REPRESENTING A SYMPATHETIC AND UNDERSTANDING GOVERNANCE IN AN IMPORTANT SECTION OF THE BRITISH MERCHANTS' SEA SERVICE

CONTENTS

PART I

PAGE I THE MERCHANTS' SERVICE OUR FOUNDATION 3 THE STRUCTURE 14

II OUR RELATIONS WITH THE NAVY JOINING FORCES 21 AT SEA 26 OUR WAR STAFF 30

III THE LONGSHORE VIEW 44

IV CONNECTION WITH THE STATE TRINITY HOUSE, OUR ALMA MATER 53 THE BOARD OF TRADE 61

V MANNING 67

PART II

VI THE COASTAL SERVICES THE HOME TRADE 77 PILOTS 87 LIGHTSHIPS 91

VII 'THE PRICE O' FISH' 97

VIII THE RATE OF EXCHANGE 103

IX INDEPENDENT SAILINGS 110

X BATTLEDORE AND SHUTTLECOCK 116

XI ON SIGNALS AND WIRELESS 120

XII TRANSPORT SERVICES 125 INTERLUDE 132 'THE MAN O' WAR'S 'ER 'USBAND' 134

XIII THE SALVAGE SECTION THE TIDEMASTERS 141 A DAY ON THE SHOALS 147 THE DRY DOCK 156

XIV ON CAMOUFLAGE AND SHIPS' NAMES 163

XV FLAGS AND BROTHERHOOD OF THE SEA 169

PART III

XVI THE CONVOY SYSTEM 177

XVII OUTWARD BOUND 184

XVIII RENDEZVOUS 190

XIX CONFERENCE 198

XX THE SAILING FOG, AND THE TURN OF THE TIDE 205 'IN EXECUTION OF PREVIOUS ORDERS' 212

XXI THE NORTH RIVER 217

XXII HOMEWARDS THE ARGONAUTS 224 ON OCEAN PASSAGE 230 'ONE LIGHT ON ALL FACES' 236

XXIII 'DELIVERING THE GOODS' 244

XXIV CONCLUSION: 'M N' 252

APPENDIX 255

INDEX 257

ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE

MERCHANTMEN AT GUN PRACTICE Frontispiece

THE CLYDE FROM THE TOWER OF THE CLYDE TRUST BUILDINGS xi

GRAVESEND: A MERCHANTMAN OUTWARD BOUND 3

THE BRIDGE OF A MERCHANTMAN 7

THE OLD AND THE NEW: THE MARGARET OF DUBLIN AND R.M.S. TUSCANIA 15

IN A MERCHANTMAN BOMB THROWER PRACTICE 21

A BRITISH SUBMARINE DETAILED FOR INSTRUCTION OF MERCHANT OFFICERS 31

THE D.A.M.S. GUNWHARF AT GLASGOW 33

INSTRUCTIONAL ANTI SUBMARINE COURSE FOR MERCHANT OFFICERS AT GLASGOW 39

THE LOSS OF A LINER 44

THE MERSEY FROM THE LIVER BUILDINGS, LIVERPOOL 49

THE MASTER OF THE GULL LIGHTSHIP WRITING THE LOG 53

AT GRAVESEND: PILOTS AWAITING AN INWARD BOUND CONVOY 59

TRANSPORTS LEAVING SOUTHAMPTON ON THE NIGHT PASSAGE TO FRANCE 67