Cinderellas of the fleet . was finished, seemed to appreciate the fact that THE CIXDERELLAS OF THE JLEET 9 the Chasers more than aiu- ulhcr one thing >ealc(l the fate of theGerman sul)niarine. But they chcl more than that, for through their performance overcountless weary, rolhng miles of sea, they have given us a fund ofvaluable data on the possihilities of small boats and their j)o\ver plantsthat we never should have gathered in many a lazy year of peace. Yes, were proud of them now and of the kid reservists who com-manded them and of the gobs wdio manned them. The little vesselsthat were
Cinderellas of the fleet . was finished, seemed to appreciate the fact that THE CIXDERELLAS OF THE JLEET 9 the Chasers more than aiu- ulhcr one thing >ealc(l the fate of theGerman sul)niarine. But they chcl more than that, for through their performance overcountless weary, rolhng miles of sea, they have given us a fund ofvaluable data on the possihilities of small boats and their j)o\ver plantsthat we never should have gathered in many a lazy year of peace. Yes, were proud of them now and of the kid reservists who com-manded them and of the gobs wdio manned them. The little vesselsthat were damned and ridiculed by the majority of battle-wagon menfrom the time their design was first noised about, made good—glori-ously made good. They have written a story that will live along withthe classics of naval history to fire the imagination of the youth ofgenerations to come. William Washburn Nutting. New York City,September. 1919. Dedicated TO The Black Gang Part I The British M. 12 THE CINDERELLAS OF THE FLEET. THE CINDERELLAS OF THE FLEET ClIAlTKR I The M. —Tiii:iK Origin axd Tiii:ir Duties IHA\E always thought of the world as divided into two classes ofpeople : those who are interested in boats, and—well, just plainfolks. So far as America is concerned, the just ])lain folks have beensomewhat in the ascendency since the days when the New Bedfordwhalers and the famous Yankee clipper ships made the Americanensign a thing well known and respected on all the seven seas. Oflate years there hasnt been much to keep alive in our people a loveof the sea or much to which we could point with pride to refute thetaunt of the lime-juicer that we have forsaken the sea and become asoft, land-loving nation—not much besides our Navy and always ourGloucester fishing fleet. But the war has changed all that. Not only has it put us back onsomething like a decent footing as a maritime nation, but it has addeda brilliant chapter to our naval history as well. It has brought back
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