The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1914-11-25
MEMBER OF CREW ON GERMAN
DESTROYER U2s TELLS IN
TEREsTiNG STORY.
GIVES DESCRIPTION HOW BRIT
isH WARsHIPs ARE DE.
sTRoYED.

BysAssociated Press.
sTaB HAGUE, Nov. 25.--A letter
telling Of an attack by the German
! submarine U26 upon an unmention-
ed British warship is published by
the zeit.
1t begins with preparations for an
expedition two hours before midnight
IL! order to make a strike at dawn.
The letter said to have been written
! BY a. member of the crew of the at
tacking boat follows:
sS6@%Around the heavy granite rocks
OF: the long piers monstrously black
in the dark night, the storm swept
up the water of the North Sea IN
angry waves. Inside the pier the
water lifts up our submarine in regu-
liar motion of heavy waves. Every
thing. Is pitch dark. The fact that
many people are hurrying about on
deck is only shown by the sombre
figures who now and then pass In
front of the single lantern. From out
of the engine room, already under
water, there arises the sound OIL
heavy poundings and wierd cracking
of engines, which are being tried out.
z AT 10:30 there is shrill whistle from
The little bridge which stands high
above the submarine and Is covered
with canvas. The officer in com-
mand, dressed in oilskin, gives the
sign of departure. The cables are
loosencd, a sharp signal to the en-.
,gfne room. the sudden whtrr Of mo-
stpr as the moec: catches and the U26
is under waH.
The sharp bow plows through the
water and on both sides OF the ship
l6ng waves are formed. shlmnering
in;the blackness of ,thh sea. We move
in westerly direction. We are go
]. fhgt toward the enemy The heavens
are covered with clouds. Not star
is, risihle. A few feet away from the
Iof Observation-Disclosures III nei at all. The
s 5co3Sr6 , ndaT. with his experienced eyes
trils vain, to penetrate this wal
cts alid. h!ackness. The wind Is IRON
assif@ aBd-tte-bsf6ge is entirely Hood
cd with water. No noise is heard bu'
the heavy sound of the motor and the
Ewishscf the water passing alcng cur
side.
The earliest signs of dawn appear,
when suddenly in the near distance
there is the sign OF a heavy bulk
Z swinging high above us on the water.
Z We pass through the long pale o.
foam which a hostile destroyer has
left behind, speeding toward the cast.
We have managed to find the way
through the first line OF the enemy's
advance guard and from now on we
must be very careful. A signal IS
heard, and men appear upon deck.
The boat is prepared for action, the
nag pole is taken down, parts OF the
{ bridge moulded together and we'll fast
ened and the periscope is brought to
the proper height, then the entrance
through the combined bridge and tow
ar; Is closed. The tanks are opened
and the inrushing waters tell us that
the boat Is about to submerge. The
gasoline motors stop their endless
dong. Electricity will drive us from
4 now. until we shall reappear upon the
water. A young IleulehdhI 40 P"etSo
at the periscope and looks for the
enemy. jThe sailors take positions
near torpedoes. The interior OF the
boat is lighted with two small cleo
trlc bulbs. Everywhere there is
stale smell of ioil. 1t is impossible
10 speak to each other with the noise
Dfsthe engine in the water. The heat
insthe small room is oppressive. From
Iinie to time the officer in command
4 Of three .torpedoes looks at his watch
or his compass, both OF which he car
ries around his wrist. Intently the
men all watch the signboard on the
wall in front of them. The storm
which is raging upon the surface
makes itself felt in the depths. Every
sinotion Of the water causes the boat
to rock up and down. We think OF
the advantage of the men on board
aswarship. II his time comes he can
90 down with last look at the sky
and sun. We see nothing, hear moth
Ing. II the boat is to go down we
shall all SURROGATE in the darkness
under water.
ssuddenly we all jumped up and