GUNNER’S MATE SIMPSON HOPES TO SPOT THAT SUB
Out of Harwich had dashed that wonderful light cruiser division under Admiral Tyrwhitt, always under two hours’ steaming notice to run north as a tactical unit of the Grand Fleet or to tear at thirty knots for the Strait of Dover to help defend and keep clear the main road to France. And now the cruisers and destroyers and submarines no longer moved restlessly in and out of Harwich Harbor to patrol the North Sea, and Harwich was again a railway terminus on the route to Antwerp and the Hook of Holland. As the American flagship, the Corsair tarried there through part of April before sailing to Southend to execute similar orders and duties. England was green and blooming with the loveliness of its rare springtime, and the men of the lonely American yacht were more than ever absorbed in thoughts of flying that homeward-bound pennant.
At length there came an order from London, transmitted through the cruiser Galveston which was also at Southend, that seemed to promise the Corsair a start on the long road home:
On completion of transfer of stores and quota of draft of the German steamship Brandenburg, you will proceed to Plymouth, England, with the vessel under your command, arranging to arrive in the afternoon of May 7th. On arrival report to the Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Naval Forces, European Waters, for use of the Secretary of the Navy.
Secretary Daniels and his party were at this time on their way to France and the United States after visiting the Allied naval organizations. The Corsair was designated to carry them from Plymouth to Brest, and the British Admiralty carried out its part of the programme with the most punctilious attention to detail, as is shown in the printed memorandum under “Devonport General Orders” which was signed by Admiral Cecil F. Thursby:
Embarkation of Mr. J. Daniels, Secretary of the U.S. Navy.
U.S. Yacht Corsair and one U.S.T.B.D. will arrive P.M. 7th May and will be berthed as follows,—Corsair alongside Resolution, bows to southward, if possible. T.B.D. alongside No. 1 wharf, unless she requires oil when she will proceed to Orangeleaf and complete with fuel.
The train conveying Mr. Daniels and party will arrive at No. 6 wharf at 0800 on Thursday, 8th May. The Commander-in-Chief will receive Mr. Daniels. The Vice Admiral Commanding First Battle Squadron and staff and the Admiral Superintendent are requested also to be present at the wharf. (Dress No. 5 without swords.)
A working party of three petty officers and twenty men in No. 5 dress, in charge of a warrant officer, is to be provided by Depot, and to be at No. 6 wharf by 0745 to transfer baggage from train to Corsair. As soon as Mr. Daniels and party and all baggage have been embarked, Corsair will proceed down harbor. Admiral Superintendent is requested to arrange for a tug to be in attendance.
The Corsair arrived punctually at Plymouth and was waiting to obey the foregoing instructions when, at midnight, there came a telegram which quite overshadowed the episode of carrying the Secretary of the Navy, with all due respect to the dignity of his office. The message, for which the yacht had waited so long, came in the form of a smudged carbon copy as sent through the U.S. Naval Post-Office, but in the eyes of those who scanned it the document was beautiful. It read: