On March 20th the _Corsair_ left Queenstown for Spithead and Cowes to meet a number of large German merchant ships and, as the flagship of Admiral Sims, represent the United States in the business of transfer to the American flag, as provided in the terms of the armistice. The departure from Ireland caused no heart-breaking regrets, although many congenial friendships had been formed ashore. For weeks the crew had been more interested in sewing stitches in the homeward-bound pennant than in any attractions that foreign ports could afford. Rumor had been misleading as usual, and hopes often deferred. At Cowes the _Corsair_ found four American destroyers, the _Woolsey_, _Lea_, _Yarnell_, and _Tarbell_, and the naval tug _Gypsum Queen_ which had been sent to do the work in hand. Drafts of American sailors had been brought from Brest, La Pallice, Queenstown, and English ports to man the German liners after their own crews had been taken out of them. Commander T. G. Ellyson, U.S.N., acted as the representative of Admiral Sims and was in charge of the transfer. While at Cowes he lived on board the _Corsair_, with his staff. The London Times described the episode as follows: During the last few days a number of German merchant ships which have been surrendered to the Allies under the Armistice conditions have arrived at Cowes roadstead. The Hamburg-American liners _Cleveland_ and _Patricia_ were the first to arrive, and they were followed by the _Cap Finisterre_, the _Kaiserin Auguste Victoria_, the _Graf Waldersee_, the _Zeppelin_, and the _Kronprinz Friedrich Wilhelm_, making seven of the eight expected at this port. The _La Plata_ is expected to arrive in a day or two. In place of the smart, spick-and-span German merchant sailors of pre-war days, these large vessels, ranging up to 24,500 tons, were mostly manned by motley crews of Germans, many wearing bowler hats and untidy civilian dress. Many of them speak English and in conversation showed that they were familiar with the Solent and local shipping, while others had been to Cowes in Regatta times. One officer stated that he had been there on the ex-Kaiser’s yacht _Meteor_. These Germans are not allowed ashore but are transferred to the _Cap Finisterre_, in which they will return to Germany when the _La Plata_ arrives. They have brought their own provisions with them but they have been reprovisioned here.