Todd war diary, 3 August 1914-29 February 1916 / Arthur Todd - Page 90
Primary tabs
Transcription
[Page 90]
there are big shore stations which dole out news nightly each night to passing ships. Nearly every morning the printed press news was on the breakfast table and the news which was beginning to filter thro' from the Dardanelles was eagerly read.
Once or twice when further North we had heard the Australia bellowing across the isthmus from the Pacific side and many and better were the curses which arose from the Yankee American Stations at the interference with their work. The shore stations are so arranged that one does not drown or jam the other and all get their messages thro' in comfort; but when the Australia came with her powerful plant and bellowed shouted at all times hours over land and sea our American Cousins became wrathful and we often heard their rather arresting comments
"Say old guy do you think you have bought up all Gods atmosphere."
"For Christs sake get off your darned old Key board."
These and other less printable things were addressed to the Australian flagship as she lay off Panama awaiting passage thro' the canal. The Australia had arrived off Panama after the destruction of the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau and intended to come through and make for England.
But the Australia had given way again and after some delay she had to make the long track round the Horn.
On the way back to the Abrolhos the Sydney turned away from the squadron and searched Trinidad, one of the many islands of that name, & which lies well out in the Atlantic east of Rio