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Show Mauretama, Sister Ship; of ksitania, Reaches I New York. j WOUNDED RETURNED! j Ship Northern Pacific Brings Back '1,100 -! Crippled Soldiers. NEW YORK, Dec. 2 The British steamship Mauretania, sister ship of the Lusitania, is in port today with the first large contingent of American troops from overseas. The four thou-! sand men, mostly non-combat troops who were stationed in England, will be taken to Camp Mills, on Long Island, Is-land, during the day. Demobilization will take place at thLs camp in the near future. Heavy storms delayed the giant transport's voyage so that plans for welcoming the soldiers had to be changed. Shortly before the Mauretania dropped anchor, the hospital ship Northern Pacific, with 1,100 wounded soldiers and marines aboard, passed up the bay unheralded and docked at Hoboken. Nearly half of the heroes aboard were badly wounded, one section sec-tion being given over to men' who have lost legs and another to those who have had arms amputated. Red Cross nurses supervised the work of removing the men to nearby army hospitals today. The mayor's committee of welcome made a trip down the bay last night on the flagship of the police department depart-ment fleet and circled the Mauretania. Mauretan-ia. Members of the party -were not at niai ;u iu w'u iiuuiuu iuu iruiispuu and so they used megaphones and wireless apparatus to convey the greetings of New York to the returned soldlors. but later a gang plank was shoved out and the civilians scrambled aboard. As the police boat's searchlight played on the Muuretanin's decks, men and officers could be seen, crowding to tlje rail, as thoy shouted greetings In return. Back across the water In reply to the welcome, soon came such queries as "When do we eat?" and "Has the state gone 'dry yet?" When members of the party accepted accept-ed an invitation to "come aboard" they were deluged with requests "to phone mother and let her know I'm here," to "mail this letter to my girl," and to perform similar services. According to those on the Mauretania Maure-tania the ship had a rough crossing. Four storms were encountered and at one time the sea ran so high tjiat the clerical force at work In the cabin had to quit when their typewriters were hurled to the floor. The ship was commanded by Captain A. H. Rostron of the British navy, who was in command com-mand of the Carpathla when that vessel ves-sel picked up victims pf tho Titanic disaster In 1012. Thero were rousing cheers when Admiral Mayo left the Mauretania and boarded the naval tug awaiting him. Among his fellow passengers on the trip from England were Harry Lauder, the comedian, who sang for the soldiers sol-diers during the voyage homo; and Major Ian Hay of the British army. Troops aboard the Mauretania number num-ber 4,205, according to a statement by tho military authorities Including 150 wounded men from the battle fields !of France. I When tho big liner left Onavesend I bay for her North river pier Mayor Hy-lan Hy-lan and his party were aboard. The Imavor announced that Secretary of War Buker had denied his request lhal i the troops parade In New York before going to camp. |