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CHAPTER H OUR NAVY ARMS AMERICAN MERCHANT VESSELS DEATH OF OtTR FIHST BLUEJACKET ON SERVICE IN THE WAR ZONE VICE-ADMIRAL SIMS WE TAKE OVER PATROL OF WATERS OF WESTERN HEMISPHERE THE NAVAL ADVISORY BOARD OF INVENTIONS WORK OF THIS BODY OUR BATTLESHIPS THE LARGEST IN THE WORLD WIDE-SPREAD OPERATIONS ANNOUNCEMENT was made on March 12, 1917, that American merchantmen would be armed for protection against submarine attacks, and hundreds of guns of proper calibers were required for the purpose. These were taken from the vessels of the fleet and, of course, had to be replaced as soon as possible. Work was expeditiously carried forward, and hardly had the order for armed guards been issued than the American freighter Campana was sent to Europe well-laden with cargo and prepared to make matters interesting for any submarine that saw fit to attack by the then prevailing method of shell-fire. Other vessels soon followed, and the country witnessed the anomalous condition of the navy in war serviceFIRST FATALITY 43 in the European war zone before war was declared. The navy, in fact, had its first death in service before we went to war, when on April 1, John Espolucci, of Washington, D. C., one of the armed guard of the steamship Aztec, was killed in the course of events attending the destruction of that vessel by a submarine. By this time active hostilities had seemed inevitable and before the sinking of the Aztec the Navy Department had sent Admiral William 3. Sims abroad to get in touch with the British and French Admiralties for the purpose of discussing the most effective participation of our war-ships in the conflict. Later, when war was actually declared, Sims was promoted tovice-admiral, and made commander of the United States naval forces operating in Eur...
