light out at night, with every
window and door as if hermetically sealed so that the stuffy cabins
deprived of sleep those accustomed to fresh air, with over sixty army
men and civilians on watch at night, with life-drills each day, with
lessons as to behavior in life-boats; and with a fleet of eighteen
British destroyers meeting the convoy upon its approach to the Irish
Coast after a thirteen days' voyage of constant anxiety. No one could
say he travelled across the Atlantic Ocean in war days for pleasure,
and no one did.

Once ashore, the party began a series of inspections of munition
plants, ship-yards, aeroplane factories and of meetings with the
different members of the English War Cabinet. Luncheons and dinners
were the order of each day until broken by a journey to Edinburgh to
see the amazing Great Fleet, with the addition of six of the foremost
fighting machines of the United States Navy, all straining like dogs at
leash, awaiting an expected dash from the bottled-up German fleet. It
was a formidable sight, perhaps never equalled: those lines of huge,
menacing, and yet protecting fighting machines stretching down the
river for miles, all conveying the single thought of the power and
extent of the British Navy and its formidable character as a fighting
unit.

[Illustration: Where Edward Bok is happiest: in his garden.]

It was upon his return to London that Bok learned, through the
confidence of a member of the British "inner circle," the amazing news
that the war was practically over: that Bulgaria had capitulated and
was suing for peace; that two of the Central Power provinces had
indicated their strong desire that the war should end; and that the
first peace intimations had gone to the President of the United States.
All diplomatic eyes were turned toward Washington. Yet not a hint of
the impending events had reached the public. The Germans were being
beaten back, that was known; it was evident that the morale of the
German army was broken; that Foch had turned the tide toward victory;
but even the best-informed military authorities outside of the inner
diplomatic circles, predicted that the war would last until the spring
of 1919, when a final "drive" would end it. Yet, at that very moment,
the end of the war was in sight!

Next Bok went to France to visit the battle-fields. It was arranged
that the party should first, under guidance of British officers, visit
back of the British lines; and then