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No mention was made that these crews were signed on for employment on the China coast only, and the use of force as a coercive measure was inhuman and un-British. These Chinese did not balk at service in enemy controlled waters, but only asked that an agreement be drawn up. The Chinese wanted part of their wages in Australian currency or English sterling and not as the shipping executives wanted in a defunct, war time casualty currency, that is Hong Kong dollars, or Indian rupees. That Friday night, our last night together, baby Van Dyke in his crib, Clyde and Celene happy in their ignorance of imposing doom, I could not sleep. Should I break with our tradition and refuse to sail tomorrow? Twenty-one years of loyalty to a commercial flag! Twenty-one years of deep belief in the glory of a "House" in which the "floating staff" members were never fully "accepted." It was inconceivable to think that any executives of the "House" would break and follow a "sauve qui paux" ["let whoever can save himself"] policy, but that is exactly what happened. But why look back? God did not fail us and He alone is the One that counts. I leave the others to their consciences. Saturday, December 6th dawned, - just another peaceful morn. Did we realize what we would both go through before we met again? How could I know that the seemingly futile mission I was about to undertake was God's way of saving my life? By that final trip to Canton one thousand Chinese returned to their homes, a handful of foreigners got out of Hong Kong, but no evacuation of British and Americans took place from Canton. The Japanese attacked before plans could be finalized for such an evacuation. I left home at 6:30 a.m. and reached the ship a few minutes later. The peaceful embarkation of passengers was proceeding as usual. The Chinese, if they were concerned about the imminence of war, did not show it. Generations of civil war have made them apathetic, but resourceful, in times of stress and tension. Fifteen minutes before our scheduled departure I checked with the Naval Routing Officer to see "if there were any change in the position." No, we were instructed to sail on schedule.
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