PREPARING FOR THE SURRENDER
ALTHOUGH the armistice had now been officially signed and fighting had
ceased, under orders from Admiral Beatty, commander of the Grand Fleet,
every ship was still stripped for action. While it appeared that
everything was open and above-board, the British admiral intended to take
no chances. He recalled other German treachery and he was not at all sure
in his own mind that the enemy might not attempt some other trick.
Two days after the signing of the armistice, upon instructions from the
admiralty, Admiral Beatty got in touch by wireless with the German fleet
commander in Helgoland, Admiral Baron von Wimpfen. With the latter Admiral
Beatty was to arrange for the surrender for such portions of the German
High Seas Fleet as had been decided upon by Marshal Foch and the German
armistice commission.
All day the wireless sputtered incessantly aboard the flagship, while
other ship commanders within radio distance listened to what was going on.
Jack was among these. He relieved his radio operator for the day and took
the instrument himself.
"The German fleet," ticked Admiral Beatty's flagship wireless, "will steam
forth from Helgoland on November 19 and move due west toward the English
coast, where the British fleet will be stationed to await its coming."
"Shall we dismantle our guns?" asked Admiral von Wimpfen.
"Yes."
"And what of the size of our crews?"
"They shall be large enough to handle the vessel. That is all. The crew of
each ship shall be reduced to the minimum."
"And how about our submarines?"
"They must be surrendered first."
"But the surrender cannot be completed in one day."
"I am aware of it," replied Admiral Beatty. "As I have instructed you, the
first of the German fleet will leave Helgoland on the night of November
19. By that I mean the submarines. They must steam on the surface. The
first flotilla to be composed of twenty-seven vessels."
"I understand," returned the German admiral.
"Very well. My ships will be stretched out in a fifty-mile line on either
side of your ships as they approach and will fire at the first sign of
treachery."
"There shall be no treachery, sir. You have the word of a German admiral."
"Very well I shall acquaint you with other details from time to time."
This was the conversation that Jack heard that day.
At noon on November 18, Jack, together with other commanders, received
word from Admiral Beatty to steam toward Harwich, on the English coast,
and to take his place in the long line of ships that would be gathered
there to receive the surrender of the enemy fleet.
Excitement thrilled the crew of the Essex. They were about to witness one
of the greatest events of world history and there wasn't a man aboard who
didn't know it. Nevertheless, there was no confusion, and the Essex
steamed rapidly westward.
"Hope we get up near the front of the line," said Frank to his chum. "Also
that we are close to Admiral Beatty's flagship."
"Here too," said Jack. "It will be a sight worth seeing."
"Rather."
"Well, we can't kick no matter where they place us, you know. I suppose I
shall receive the necessary instructions in plenty of time."
Jack did. The instructions came the following morning, while the Essex was
still possibly a hundred miles off the English coast.
"You will report to Admiral Tyrwhitt," Jack's message read, "who will
assign you to your station."
Jack immediately got in touch with Admiral Tyrwhitt by wireless. The
latter gave his position and informed the lad that his place in line would
be next to the Admiral's flagship.
"I thought Admiral Beatty would be up toward the front," said Jack.
"He probably will," was Frank's reply. "I have it figured out like this,
from what you have told me of the fact that the submarines will be
surrendered first: Admiral Tyrwhitt probably will receive the surrender of
the U-Boats, while Admiral Beatty will receive the formal surrender of
Admiral von Wimpfen himself."
"Maybe that's it," Jack agreed.
It was well after noon when the Essex sighted the flagship of Admiral
Tyrwhitt, the Invincible, and reported for duty. Jack received
instructions to lay to just west of the flagship. He obeyed.
From time to time now other vessels appeared and reported to Admiral
Tyrwhitt and were assigned places in the long line.
Suddenly there was a cheer from the crews of the many ships. Jack glanced
across the water, as did Frank. And then the latter went wild with
excitement.
Steaming majestically toward them came five great battleships flying the
Stars and Stripes.
"So the Americans will be in at the finish," said Jack.
"You bet they will," declared Frank. "We're always in at the finish."
"Well, you deserve to be this time, I guess," said Jack with a smile.
"We always deserve to be," declared Frank.
"So?" replied Jack. "I'm not going to argue with you about it."
"It wouldn't do any good," declared Frank. "Let me tell you something. If
it hadn't been for the United States this war wouldn't be over yet."
"Is that so?" demanded Jack. "Why wouldn't it?"
"Because all the British and French together don't seem to have been able
to lick the Germans."
"Rats," exclaimed Jack. "We would have done it in time."
"Maybe so, but there is nothing sure about it It was the Americans who
turned the tide at Chateau-Thierry."
"They did some wonderful work, I'm not gain-saying that," Jack admitted.
"But I can't see that it was any more remarkable than what the Canadians
did at Vimy Ridge."
"Well," said Frank smiling, "while the Canadians are really British
subjects, nevertheless they come from the same part of the world as the
Yankees. They're made out of the same pattern."
Jack smiled.
"I seem to have spoiled my own argument there, don't I?" he said.
Frank grinned too.
"You've got to admit," he said, "that when the Americans start a thing
they go through with it. They never turn back."
"True enough," Jack admitted, "but to my mind it takes them a deuced long
time to get started."
"They just want to be sure they're right first," Frank explained.
"Have it your own way. But those five American ships approaching now look
mighty good, I'll admit that."
"I never saw a more beautiful sight," declared Frank, and he meant it.
Majestically the American warships steamed along, the leading vessel
flying the flag of Admiral Sims. They approached almost to the flagship of
Admiral Tyrwhitt and the guns of the two flagships boomed out an exchange
of salutes. Then the American flotilla slowed down and swung to leeward,
and took its places in the long line.
"Going to be quite an event this surrender, if you ask me," said Frank.
"It certainly is," Jack replied. "I understand King George and Queen Mary,
together with many other distinguished British, French, Americans and
Italians, will be present to witness the surrender."
"Including ourselves," grinned Frank.
"Well, we're probably not such big fry," Jack commented, "but we've done
as much--and a whole lot more--than a good many of them, if you ask me."
"My sentiments exactly," declared Frank. "And for that reason we're just
as much entitled to be in at the finish as any of the rest."
"More so," said Jack quietly.
"Well, we'll be there. So we have no kick coming."
All day great vessels of war continued to arrive and take their places in
the line. As far as the eye could see long gray shapes lay in the
water--two lines of them--with perhaps half a mile between. Through this
space the German warships would pass when they came out to surrender.
When the eye could no longer see ships, the presence of other vessels was
noted by smudges of smoke on the horizon. The line of ships, or rather the
two lines, Jack and Frank knew, stretched almost to the distant shore.
"Yes," said Jack, "it's going to be quite an event."
Suddenly the guns of every ship burst out with a roar. The flagship of
Admiral Beatty was approaching down the line from shore. Aboard it, every
man of the great fleet knew, besides the admiral, were King George and
Queen Mary of England; and it was the royal salute that was being fired.
Even the American ships joined in the greeting.
The guns of Admiral Beatty's flagship were kept busy acknowledging the
salutes. On every deck handkerchiefs and caps waved frantically as the
flagship passed.
As the vessel drew abreast of the Essex, Jack and Frank, standing together
on the bridge, made out the forms of the King and Queen of England on the
bridge.
Both lads doffed their caps, and Jack ordered the royal salute fired by
the big guns of the destroyer.
The vessel trembled under the detonation and the crew seemed to go wild as
they cheered at the top of their voices.
The flagship passed on.
A mile or so to the east, the flagship slowed down and turned into line.
"And that's where I suppose she will remain until after the surrender,"
said Jack.
The lad was right.