The Spectator., 1915-06-01


 have been opened, water is pressed in anG produces our downward move
 ment Our instrument shows depth
 of forty.five feet when we come to a
 stop. All machinery is investigated,
 some members of the crew stay on
 watch, the others are ready for
 warm meal and rest All this is at the bottom of the ocean, the only safe
 place for the submarine.
 The food that is served consists of canned goods. Pork and beans, pork chops with gravy, heated on an cleo
 tric stove, and peas are serving as
 main food and also tea with lemon to quench thirst.
 After six hours of rest, now orders come, everybody takes his place, and soon We notice on our instrument that
 we are moving upward. The same
 noise and the same smell of oil and
 gasoline and the same vibration. By
 pressing the water out of the ballast
 tanks our slow upward movement has
 been accomplished We are speeding
 ahead just below the surface. The
 gas engines have been stopped since
 we began our first diving movement
 Destruction of the Destroyer.
 After running at this depth at very
 low speed for six miles we begin to
 realize that the time is near for en-
 countering one of the enemy's battle
 ships. Carefully We are moving up
 to get glimpse through the peri
 scope At distance of five miles we
 spy three torpedo boat destroyers Of
 the enemy. The moment has come
 when our captain has to show his skill
 as master of the submarine. He IS
 calculating the distance, the speed and
 the course of the enemys boats. His plans are made. We are going down
 thirty feet within the next twenty minutes it will be shown whether his | figures are correct. Everybody IS | ready for action, every nerve, every muscle is strained for that which is coming. It may be a successful full | fillment of our orders or it may be death for all of us. No sign of emo- tion is to be seen in the earnest faces of the fellows Every one is at his place. Orders are repeated so that
 all may understand them Levers are pulled and pushed; suddenly we are
 moving upwards, the periscope is reaching the surface and one look convinces the captain that his calcu. | lations were correct.
 We are within 500 yards of the near est destroyer. Our boat swings l around under water to a certain angle, a signal goes through the boat and
 the torpedo is fired After thirty sec l onds a terrible thunder sounds acrosS the ocean. roaring and dying out at 1 the horizon We turn the periscope and observe thick black smoke where | the destroyer has disappeared, some
 wreckage being blown within fifty yards of us. The vessel had been hit at it's center and destroyed almost in stantly. At the same moment shells strike the water in our immediate
 neighborhood. We have been seen by | the two other destroyers. One shell well aimed would make us pay with our lives for what We have just ac- | complished. Almost too long we tried
 to watch the results.
 The Return to Friendly Waters. Within few seconds our periscope has disappeared and we are below the
 surface in depth of thirty feet. We have fulfilled our instructions and are turning back. Once more we have to
 avoid mines and also the torpedo boats which may try to pursue us on
 our return We are heading accord ing to orders for the naval base at W to report the results of our trip. Arriving in safe waters we speed
 ahead above the water level. The | collapsible masts of our wireless appa- ratus are set up and a message is l flashed that we are safe and return | ing with good results. Once more the | crew has escaped the iron grip of | death, and the candidates for heav-
 en-" the nickname given them in naval | circles, will spend a restful night in | the harbor after very little sleep for
 the last fifty-two hours.
 We enter the harbor with smiling | salutes to our comrades passing by. A cheerful "Hurrah!" is given to us | by an outgoing submarine. We are
 glad we are turning in, even if it Is
 expect new orders and we shall be
 ready again for our hazardous game.