A large plant to charge the mines with explosive was built alongside the Naval Magazine at St. Julien’s Creek, near the Norfolk Navy Yard. This plant was of capacity larger than any other of the kind, ample for handling 1000 mines a day. The high explosive was melted in steam kettles to about the consistency of hasty pudding, and drawn off, 300 pounds of TNT at a time, into the mine spheres. An automatic device shut the flow off at the right weight, and a mechanical conveyer carried the mines along slowly, to the pier end, by which time they would be cool enough to load into the waiting ship. Hot work around those steam kettles through the long summer! A quiet but important corner, handling 25,000,000 pounds of TNT, with constant risk from fire. Several of the sailors were overcome by the kettles’ poisonous fumes, and one died. The duty was monotonous and inconspicuous but was done with praiseworthy faithfulness. CHAPTER FIVE GENERAL SUPPLIES AND TRANSPORTATION Under the extraordinary demand prevailing abroad for food and all kinds of military material, it was only fitting that ordinary supplies for our part of the Northern Barrage operation should come from America, British sources to be used only for fuel and fresh provisions. Details are needless here, except to mention their completeness—largely due to the efforts of Captain G. C. Schafer of the Pay Corps. After starting things fair at home, he sailed about mid-December for England, where the needs of the bases could be best determined. With him went Assistant Paymaster R. N. Smither, U.S.N.R.F., who later became his successor, and Lieutenant Thomas Newhall, U.S.N.R.F., who had been enrolled for duty principally in connection with transporting the mine carriers’ cargoes across Scotland. His experience in railroading and his tactful energy made a valuable asset. After their departure, purchases and deliveries were followed up indefatigably by Assistant Paymaster A. B. Peacock, U.S.N.R.F., who was quite successful in bringing pressure to bear effectively. One morning, after a certain freight car had been missing for two weeks, he reported that eight railroad presidents were now interested personally in the search—and the car was then found. [Illustration: A MINE CARRIER STEAMER. Twenty-Four of These were Constantly Employed to Transport the Mine Parts Over to Scotland for Assembly and Laying.]