Produced by Tor Martin Kristiansen and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive) In memory of Thomas A. Noster, American Merchant Marine, from June 29, 1942-August 15, 1945. Merchantmen-at-Arms [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