The Hawaiian gazette., 1915-07-06
DARING TRIP Of
SUBMARINE U-51
Commander OF German Craft Re-
Iates Details o; Voyage
Through the DardaneIIes

In an interview with correspondent
from ConstantinoI L. on Lane i. Captain
otto Hersin, has told the story Of has
voyage in the German submarine L 81
from Wilhelmsh to Constantinoplr,
about 1900 miles, toward tn" close of
which he sunk the British hattlrships
Triumph aud Ma jPstir.
I've left Wilhelmshavrn ApriI -.
Captain Hersing said. When | was
told that ] was going to Constantine
pie, ] said: : Good That is worth
while. : let Only the first officer and
the chief engineer, into the secret to
explain the Increased supplies taken
aboard. " We slipped quietly out OF
Wilhelmshaveh, as have 50 many other
submarines going into the war area.
We kept on the surface for most Of thu
time, watching for big ships of the on
envy, but failed to see any for n long
time, to our great disappointment
Ion the coast of England we were
finally fred upon by destroyer and
had to dive for safety. hut along tn,
French coast we encountered no enemy
When 100 miles from Gibraltar
were fred upon by other British des
troycra We waited outside Gibralta,
and passed through tn" strait early j.
the morning in plain view, hnt without
drawing o single shot or attracting thu
least attention. Those were tense bup
gratifying hours. =
"Once within the Mediterranean the
watch, already exacting, was redouhled
| Here again we encountered ships of the
enemy near small island, but dive6
to safety under FIRE. When passing
Malta we were fred upon by Frenc'
destroyer, hut were untouched WI
then proceeded south of Greece intr
the Aegean Sea and to the DardaDelles
1--WE arrived there on the night pre-
ccding May 25, having come from vii
helmshaven in exactly one month. l.
, the early morning light we saw tho
Triumph and tho Ma iestic living off tn
coast, constantly encirclPd nv destroy.
Prs. Through the periscOPe | saw a de
stroyer coming directly for us. W.
dived, and the destroyer passed imme
diately over us with sound hke thai
| Of motor car.
1--WE came up Immediately. ! tool
aim through the periscOpP and pressed
the button, automatically firing the tor
pedo. anil the pf6iectiH sir ped noise
lessly into the water. We dived again
The explosion whtch followed was n
terrific az though Il had been in thu
fore part oOfithe submarine itself.
"Then We lay hidden two DAYS and 8
half, continued Captain Hersing. "af
ter which we CAME Mp again in thu
midst of the British ships. Just befor,
noon, looking through the periscope,
saw the Majestic surrounded by tel
ships steaming around her 10 a constan
circle for her protection. could re
the Ma iestic's sailors on the deck tax
ing their monday nap. Shall | dis
turb them! / Thought. Then, seeing
welcome space between the eneirclinl
ships, pressed the electric. hutton an
the torpedo wasI going right 1t caugh
the Majestic little to the rear o
an,idships. '"'
owe dived again. We NOTICED tina
the hombardment from the ships ha
ceased, for they had been Smelling tn
Turkish land positions. .3g4,. .
owe remained submerged for sever0
hours, and then came to the surface
end the British Ships had disappeared
and all search for them was In vair
We came to CQnstantinople, arrivin
IycsterdaY morning, having passed fol
tv-twO lays in the submarine withOu
rest or change"