The surrounding darkness seemed to vomit forth flotilla after flotilla
of these cavalry of the sea.

And they struck us once, a torpedo right forward, which will keep us in
dock for a month, but did no vital injury.

When morning dawned, misty and soft, as is its way in June in the
Bight, we were to the eastward of the British, and so we came
honourably home to Wilhelmshaven, feeling that the young Navy had laid
worthy foundations for its tradition to grow upon.

We are to report at Kiel, and shall be six weeks upon the job.




_Frankfurt_.


Back on seventeen days' leave, and everyone here very anxious to hear
details of the battle of Skajerack.

It is very pleasant to have something to talk to the women about.
Usually the gallant field greys hold the drawing-room floor, with their
startling tales from the Western Front, of how they nearly took Verdun,
and would have if the British hadn't insisted on being slaughtered on
the Somme.

It is quite impossible in many ways to tell that there is a war on as