It remained to carry the Canadian Army across the Atlantic. Upwards of 25,000 volunteers of a very high individual quality, partially trained in Valcartier camp, were embarked in the St. Lawrence in a convoy of thirty-one ships, to which were added two ships carrying the Newfoundland contingent and a British battalion from Bermuda. Rear-Admiral Wemyss with a squadron of light cruisers was entrusted with the actual duties of escort, but the essential protection of the convoy was secured by far more distant and powerful agencies. All the Cruiser Squadrons of the Grand Fleet were spread in two lines between the coasts of Norway and Scotland to guard against a sortie by the German fast vessels, and the Grand Fleet itself remained at sea in their support to the northward. The North American Squadron under Rear-Admiral Hornby covered the German merchant cruisers which were lurking in New York Harbour. Two old battleships, the _Glory_ and the _Majestic_, were ordered to meet the convoy at a rendezvous well off the beaten track, and Admiral Hornby himself in the _Lancaster_ accompanied them the first portion of the route. Lastly, the _Princess Royal_ was detached from the Grand Fleet to meet the convoy in mid-Atlantic and thus guard against any German battle-cruiser which might conceivably have slipped through the wide areas patrolled by Sir John Jellicoe. The movements of the _Princess Royal_ were kept secret from everybody, and even the Canadian Government, in spite of their natural anxiety, were denied this reassurance. The convoy sailed on October 3 and ten days later safely approached the mouth of the English Channel. The intention had been to disembark the Canadian troops at Portsmouth, where all arrangements had been made for them. But on the very day they were due to arrive a German submarine was reported off Cherbourg and another was sighted off the Isle of Wight by the Portsmouth Defence Flotilla. On this we insisted, whatever the military inconvenience, on turning the whole convoy into Plymouth. During October 14 this armada bearing the first flower of the martial spirit of Canada was safely berthed in Plymouth Sound. [Illustration: GENERAL SITUATION OVERSEAS EARLY IN OCTOBER 1914. The chart includes battleships, battle-cruisers, cruisers, light cruisers, sloops and armed merchant cruisers. Armoured vessels are shown in capitals, but otherwise no attempt has been made to discriminate between classes. Allied vessels have been included where their presence affects the situation. They are distinguished by having the initial letter of their nationality placed after their names. F. French. J. Japanese. R. Russian. ]