VAGABONDS OF THE SEA
VAGABONDS OF THE SEA
The Campaign of a French Cruiser
BY
RENÉ MILAN
Translated by
RANDOLPH BOURNE
New York
E. P. DUTTON & COMPANY
681 Fifth Avenue
Copyright, 1919
By E. P. DUTTON & COMPANY
All Rights Reserved
Printed in the United States of America
CONTENTS
| PART I | |
|---|---|
| The Awakening of the Cruiser | 1 |
| PART II | |
| In the Adriatic Sea | 17 |
| PART III | |
| In the Ionian Sea | 144 |
VAGABONDS OF THE SEA
PART I
THE AWAKENING OF THE CRUISER
From Paris to Toulon, end of July, 1914.
FROM the corridor I watch through the windowsthe swift receding of Paris. In thisexpress-train, the last to run according tothe normal schedule, are numerous naval officersen route for Toulon. Some have broken theirbrief vacations; almost all are returning on leavesof absence from their studies. The call of ourcountry sends us towards the sea, that field ofbattle which we have chosen. To the FrenchNavy belongs the “honor” of the Mediterranean,and our fleet is at its summit of preparedness. Weknow that the decisive duel will be fought in thefields of Flanders or on the slopes of the Vosges.But our effort will not be useless. We have onlyone fear—that we shall arrive too late, and missthat battle which our imaginations have picturedwithout actually believing.
Dijon, Lyons, Valence, Marseilles. I have justleft a Paris full of excitement, where life is of sopoignant a sweetness that the people are eagerto defend the happiness they possess in suchabundance. I am traveling through our smiling[2]France. How many times, as I have passedfrom one seaport to another, on my way from aChinese to an Atlantic cruise, have I not understoodthe envy which is directed towards her!How could our neighbors help casting towardsthis delightful land the glances of beasts of prey!Now they have spread out their claws, andhurled at her