Transcriber’s Note: Italic text is indicated by _underscores_. [Illustration: (cover)] [Illustration: MAP SHEWING INCIDENTS, DETAILS OF WHICH ARE GIVEN IN THE TEXT.] A MERCHANT FLEET AT WAR [Illustration: “AQUITANIA” LEADING THE TRANSPORTS] A MERCHANT FLEET AT WAR By ARCHIBALD HURD Author of “The British Fleet in the Great War,” “Command of the Sea,” “Sea-Power,” etc. etc. [Illustration] CASSELL AND COMPANY, LTD London, New York, Toronto and Melbourne 1920 _All rights reserved_ _Over the warring waters, beneath the wandering skies, The heart of Britain roameth, the Chivalry of the sea, Where Spring never bringeth a flower, nor bird singeth in a tree, Far, afar, O beloved, beyond the sight of our eyes, Over the warring waters, beneath the stormy skies._ ROBERT BRIDGES. [Illustration] PREFACE During a war, which was at last to draw into its vortex practically the whole human race--the issue depending, first and foremost, on sea power--there was little time or opportunity or, indeed, inclination on the part of British seamen to keep a record of their varied activities. The very nature of many of the incidents recorded in the following pages precluded the preparation of detailed reports at the time. Nor can we forget that many of the officers and men, to whose resource, courage, and devotion this volume bears testimony, have joined the great silent army of the dead to whose exploits the freedom of conscience of every man and woman in the British Empire, as well as their state of material comfort, bear witness. This book has been written under not a few difficulties, and it owes whatever merit it possesses to many individuals--captains, officers, engineers, pursers and other ministers to British sea-power--who have assisted in its preparation, whether by recounting incidents in which they took part, by placing written records at my disposal, or by lending photographs from which the illustrations have been prepared. I would especially emphasise that the illustrations have been made from photographs of all sorts and shapes, taken by all kinds of cameras, though for the most part of pocket size. Many of the pictures were snapped under dull and forbidding skies, and some were secured in the very presence of the enemy in mad pursuit of his piratical policy. Some of these pictures were soaked with sea water, and other were recovered from destruction at the last moment. The value of the illustrations lies not so much in their perfection as in the knowledge that they were taken “on active service.”