Memoirs of Lloyd Moss: 1928
After leaving Zamboanga the ship went on the Dumanquilas Bay and Davao. I did not go ashore in either place but those who did reported that Davao seemed to be taken over by Japanese, (this was in 1928). They had established quite a colony and were in control of cocoanut and sugar plantations for miles around. Then very suddenly our Captain got orders to procesed at top speed to Chinwangtao, way up in North China close to the sea-end of the Great Wall. We filled our fuel bunkers from an oil tanker at sea, the first time I had ever seen it done and it was a very dangerous opration with the coppy waves and both ships steaming along together, slow speed. At that time we were over the Philippine Chasm, probably the deepes spot in the world's oceans. From there on it was top speed night and day. But while rounding the Shantung Peninsula we nearly came to grief. Late on a very dark night at high speed and no radar, both Captain and Executive Officer were standing near the steersman when suddenly a ship loaded with Chinese people all over her decks came across our bow going in the direction of port to starboard. The Quartermaster on duty was a friend of mine and he told me what happened next. The Captain screamed "starboard!" at the steersman which would have brought our bow directly into the midship section of the other vessel. The next instant the Exec grabbed the steering control out of the man's hands and swung the Marblehead to full port. Later, the man on the stern watch reported that we missed the other ship by not more than eight feet.
I was sound asleep in one of the bottom bunks in the electrician shop, two decks down when all of a sudden the tremendous list of the ship threw everyone out of his bunk and we were piled up together against the bulkhead of the compartment with all sorts of gear on top of us and sea water was pouring down the ladder from an open hatch above. Gradually the shp righted itself and we sorted ourselves out very badly frightened. But just imagine what could have happened! Undoubtedly we would have cut clear through the Chinese ship with our sharp bow. I have seen other ships like this one, loaded with people covering every square foot of deck pace from bow to stern. Probably they had left a port where their lives were threatened by a new military take-over and they had to escape to another part of the country.
Soon we were back at anchor off the port of Chinwangtao on the first day of March. It was terribly cold on deck and we all knew how little there was for us in that town so nobody showed up when the usual shore liberty time came up. After a few days the Medical Officer began to worry about the crew's staying cooped up below decks all the time and he organized compulsory recreational parties to go ashore and kick footballs around. His attempts to make us play regular games in that cold were pitiful. But the Chinese took full advantage of the situation. They peddled vodka and the furry Mongolian hats, with the long straps under the chin, to us as we were marched out to the British Coal Company's athletic field. After leaving the fierce heat of Borneo just a few days before I suppose the cold seemed much worse than it was, but I did see a thermometer that read 15° above zero and the wind was right out of Siberia not far away. The next two months were rather dreary because we hardly moved from our anchorage a mile or so out from the coal wharf. The so-called Chinese "bum-boatmen" were allowed to come out and peddle their tourist goods, and one day a Chinese farmer brought out a pail of fresh eggs which he sold for one Yuan or Mex. Dollar, (45c American money). Well that started a business fast. The engine room gang had their home-made oil stove and the electrical gang made their electric stove out of Nichrome wire and sheet asbestos and started frying eggs wholesale. Discipline seemed to be relaxed by common consent because of our isolation, I suppose. Very soon every group on the ship had a man coming down to the electric shop toe bargain for an electric stove so that they could cook their own eggs. It was a very unusual Navy experience to walk into a gun turret all gleaming white paint and polished brass and see and smell eggs frying on a makeshift stove. Those Chinese sold us a lot of eggs at one Mex. A pail - (about 100 eggs), that spring.