It was most noteworthy that the conduct of the sailors of the American naval forces was everywhere commendable, whether ashore in Brittany, or at Queenstown, or with the Grand Fleet at Edinburgh. They were, in a sense, on honor to acquit themselves as became the flag and the uniform, and in character, intelligence, and upbringing a large percentage of them represented the best blood of the United States. This was true of the _Corsair_ and also typical of the other ships manned by the Naval Reserve Force on the coast of France. Shore liberty at Brest was diverting as a respite from the crowded ship and its routine, but the novelty was soon dispelled. It was picturesque and colorful to ramble in the Rue de Siam where the soldiers and sailors of many races jostled each other, but until the Y.M.C.A. established its social centre in the port there was not much else to do than eat and loaf and drink white wine and red. Of the three days in port, coaling ship consumed so much time and energy that leisure hours ashore were brief. There was no coaling machinery at this important French naval base, and the American yachts had the back-breaking job of filling baskets from barges alongside and heaving the fuel aboard to be stowed in the bunkers. The grimy slaves of the shovel envied the Queenstown destroyers when these smart, immaculate craft tarried to fill their fuel tanks with oil by inserting a hose in the deck and then fled back to their own base. Among the songs inspired by the day’s work it is no wonder that the fo’castle or the “black gang” quartets should have led the close harmony in such stentorian plaints as the following: C-O-R-S-A-I-R, Spells the old _Corsair_. At home she used to be hard to coal, And always made us swear; But since we crossed the ocean We have coaled at Saint-Nazaire!! Wow! C-O-R-S-A-I-R, Spells the old _Corsair_. * * * * * COAL ON THE CORSAIR (Tune of “Cheer for Old Amherst”) Coal on the Corsair Fill every bin, We work like hell, boys, Till it’s all in. _Boom, boom, boom!_ We’ll never rest, boys, When we’re in Brest, boys, _Corsair will coal to-day_!