Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1916-07-22
Story of Voyage of German u
Boat Across Ocean Out
rivals Fiction.
HOSTILE SHIPS ARE DODGED
Submarine, During Hazardous 1900
Mile Run, Submerged Many Times
to Escape Possible Attack
From Enemy


fIl the pages of Jules Verue's Twenty
Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" are
called mp by the amazing story Of the
trip Of the German U-boat Deutsch-
land across the Atlantic Ocean-a voy-
age that has been pronounced the most
daring ia the history Of the sea.
The story Of the remarkable voyage
made by this submarine-the first 70
cross the Atlantic through "A
maze Of hostile warships has been told
simply by Capt. Paul Koenig, com
mander of the undersea craft.
Koenig was modest about it all. He
had a few words Of praise for his
crew and none for himself. When he
spoke of the fatherland his eyes spar
Killed. Gn2 his whole body twitched with
eagerness. When he talked OF "just
dropping down when he saw q de-
stroyer' his voice was calm.
Would He Surrender?
Just once did he display real emo
ton. That was when toward the end
of the interview this question was
suddenly shot mt him:
suppose on your way back, Just
as you left the Virginia capes you saw
destroyer hearing merciessly down
upon you. Suppose there wasn't time
to dodge wasn't time to submerge.
what would you do2 Would you sur
render7"
The uudersea shippers face turned
sudden red that looked queer under
his thick weather tan His hands
cIenched, his eyes flashed, then slowly
each word painfully thought out. came
the answer:
would I surrender? couldn't
tell about thnt-positiyely l can't.
don't know-surrender? | think the
moment would bring the decision. Yes
that moment would carry its own de
cision."
That was the spoken reply, but in
every bit OF the mans tone, In every
set line Of his face could be read the
real answer-Capt. Paul Koenig has no
intention that the Deutschland shall
ever fall into enemy hands.
Fears No Enemy Warship.
And he has every confidence that
he will take the Deutschland back IA
Bremen loaded with the rubber and
nickel that the Fatherand so Graves
for It's munition factories.
six, ten. a dozen, twenty cruisers
outside will not stop us" he exclaimed.
We will go back; we viii so back
easy. And we win come again. and
others viii come and trade VIII 90
back and forth, ans the British block
ade-that will be II thing to laugh at.
The future of the submarine has
now been proved to be unlimited" he
asserted. There is practically no
maximum 20 their capacity: their
mechanism has been perfected: we
have shown that they do anything any
other ship can do, and more besides.
About that | am positive. The
coming Of the Deutschland. $500 miles
to America, and her arrival with
range OF almost ten thousand miles
left, with fuel and water and supplies
and everything for that much travel
sr1tl aboard, shows that you can 20
with submarine simply where Won
want to go"
Koenig is a small man. ordinarily
looking until he begins to talk. when
his force and personality become Mt
once apparent
First Submarine Trip.
one of the first questions asked of
him brought one Of the most surprts-
ing replies Of the interview ReoueSt
ed 70 tell I'm detail Of an the submarine
experience he had before being select
ed 10 attempt the crossing. he replied
quickly;
"But you see I have not had any.
or course we practiced after we went
aboard We practiced great deal.
Navigation know. Submarines I
think know now.
"Was ii fun2 Sometimes. YES Most
II was fun I'm the English channel
There we lay ten hours on the bottom.
snug ard comfortable Some Of rs
slept ANA some Of lis read. and most
Of Us listened TO our graphophone play
ing a beautiful song from Peer Gvnt"
while above us ragged the destroverS
and cruisers that would have Thought
us the very choicest of prey had they
hut known what lay hidden there he
low them. Ii was not long ten
hours We drank little champagne.
and we ate and attended to the ma
chinery.
No we didn't submerge because of
ar cruiser chasing us; not once were
We chased"
How They Submerged.
Nothing more vivid about adveu-
ture could be drawn from Koenlg than
the detailing Of these times 1--WE lust
sank" As far as his words went. that
was all there was to It. A vessel was
sighted; The Deutschland was quickly
submerged; she ran along under water
for q ti.ne. ard then-she came I'D
aud opened her matches fOs freSh air.
while oucerS and men went about
Their work tSelr rest. or their play.