As I received only James E's letter while in Victoria, and he did not have very good news, I have been wondering how you all are. Did you get my letter I wrote while already aboard? I think I will cable as soon as 1 land as I know how anxious you will be. I hope Mamma had sense enough not to worry but I know she can not help doing so. If she knew how I have enjoyed things right along she would not feel the least bit anxious at all.

Hope however that things are going well and the boys are kept busy getting those bills collected IE spoke about and that we will lose little by my bad policy of giving too much credit: I know one thing. If I ever get the chance again I can easily tell the bad pays where to get off at. This running around makes a person sort ofindependent, and makes him unafraid to displease people he does not care about. Will be glad to see Jim Shaw again when I get to Siberia. He always will be a good friend and was sorry he did not come in the Signal Corps with me, as we have a dandy brunch of fellows and stick by one another right through. Jim will know the ropes pretty well at Vladivostok too so I will profit by his

experience.

On an average we have been setting our watches back thirty minutes every day since leaving Victoria,‘ so now we are about twelve hours different in time to what you are. On Friday 3rd, we crossed the 180 meridian. This resulted in our skipping one day so that the next day was Sunday, 5th., When we come back through we will take up an extra day, so it will not be altogether

lost.

You will be surprised at all the blotches on this paper, but we are below decks and the moisture collects on the steel ceiling or rather the deck and every minute of so a drop falls. This happens all the time and now we are not at surprised when one big drop falls on the back of our neck or runs down our backs, but we will be glad to escape from it when we get back to barracks again.

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