The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-11-05
TOWARDS UNKNOWN DEsTINIEs

Thus we were travelling around for
 weeks, and then we were sitting for many long hours together with the engineers and explained experiences. New plans were made up, ana we worked untiringly
 on every possible improvement.
 At last came the day for the departure.
 The Deutschland had taken on its freight, which was packed in accordance with well made calculations. Provisions came on board, then came cigarettes, and at last also-the photograph records. Every thing was ready. The bidding farewell to our families had already been taken care of.
 Facing such an uncertain voyage, we could not postpone an undertaking of this kind at the last moment. The gang plank was taken in. I step into the con- ming tower. Every man is at his place. Our tugboat pulls the Deutschland slow ly from it's place where IL had been ly- ing. The last ropes fall splashingly down
 into the water. I grab hold of the speak ing tube-"the portside machine half back, the starboard machine slowly for ward! the rudder 20 starboard!' Slowly the great whale-fish is turning. hasty glance on the waterway and the dock. We have just room enough to ma- neuver, slide by g. large gray, auxiliary, who gets it's last provision, and then
 sounds the comman.
 "The rudder midship full speed for ward!"
 The stern begins to tremble in jambic vibration under the additional machine
 pressure, frothing floats the wake be- hind us More speed is added, faster and faster goes the Deutschland out from the 1 curve, out on the free sea.
 In long waves rolls the North sea to-
 ward us the weather is fair and clear,
 and the wind is sharply northwest. I am alone with the first mate on the coming tower in 'the bathtub." Thus we have
 baptized the strong protecting wall which
 surrounds he coming tower entrance and looks like the coming tower entrance and
 upper steering chamber which can only
 be used in fair weather.
 Today we are in oil clothes because the sea is so unruly as to keep our decks awash. In my hand I have the speak ing tube to the steersman from which point he telegraphs in the bow. The water froths over the deck and splashes round the coming tower. Now it is necessary to be as quick as thought, close down the coming tower hatch, and in wet oilskins slip down into the pro- tecting tower-and this maneuver is re- peated every other minute. Sometimes one is standing and hears the wind whistling in the rain and looks around the horizon. Already the German coast has been for sometime out of sight. And the torpedo boat before us is the last sight of our fatherland.
 We are left to ourselves and go to meet the unknown. It doesn't leave us very much time to think. From all sides dan gers surround us And I have to be pos itive the boat is in the best order, that have her under my full control, with
 machines. diving apparatus and all I command:
 Make ready for practice divev' The answer from the coming tower and central" come immediately. And the crew hurries to it's diving apparatus. still the oil engines are hammering, with their wild beating. Then I sound the alarm and run down in the coming tower. The hatch is closed, and we shut down the oil motors