Trawlers--_William Johnson_, _Richard Bulkeley_, _Thos. Blackhorne_, _Thomas Buckley_, _George Cochrane_, _John Collins_, _William Caldwell, eorge Clarice_, _William Darnold_, _Siam Duffey_, _John Graham_, _Thomas Laundry_, _William Ashton_, _George Burton_, _John Dunkin_, _Thomas Graham_, _Thomas Henrix_, _John Fitzgerald_, _John Clay_, _Pat Caharty_. I had the pleasure of visiting our mine base in Scotland just before the squadron sailed on its first expedition. Everything was ready for operations. The spirit of officers and men was inspiring. Not minimizing for a moment the difficulties they had to face, all were eager to begin the task. They were to set forth on April 28th, but the heaviest snowstorm of the year was raging, causing 24 hours delay. The next morning the sweepers and a division of sub-chasers got under way for the barrage, while the _Black Hawk_ and other chasers proceeded to the new base at Kirkwall. That excursion, which was experimental, was completed May 2nd. Mines sometimes fouled in the "kites" which picked them up, and exploded as the sweep was being hauled in. The _Patuxent_ was the victim of an accident of this kind on May 12th. Severed by an explosion, its sweep had to be hauled on board to be repaired. When the kite came within sight, a mine was seen hanging by its towing cable. The commanding officer sent all hands forward to a place of safety, going aft himself to clear it, with the assistance of his chief boatswain's mate. When the mine got within ten feet of the ship, it exploded. Several men were blown overboard by the mass of flying water, but all were rescued. The commanding officer had a narrow escape. Only a few feet from the exploding mine, his thumb was cut off by a flying fragment of steel, but luckily he escaped further injury. Two days later, the same accident befell the _Bobolink_, killing its commanding officer, Lieutenant Frank Bruce, and badly damaging the ship. Seeking first the safety of his crew, Lieutenant Bruce went aft to clear the mine. Before anything could be done, it exploded, killing him and blowing the boatswain and three other men into the water. All four were rescued, though the boatswain was unconscious from the shock. The _Teal_ took her in tow and, accompanied by the _Swallow_ and sub-chaser No. 45, towed her to Scapa Flow. While clearing the largest mine-group in June the force found impressive evidence of the success of the barrage. Crossing the lines of mines, the _Heron_ and the _Sanderling_ were brought to a standstill by an obstruction which fouled their sweeps. Oil rose to the surface, and spread out astern, giving evidence of the wreck of a submarine underneath. This was the locality in which the mine-laying squadron had sighted the body of a German sailor floating in the water. From the records of the Admiralty, it appeared that the obstruction was the wreck of the German submarine UB-127.