Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-09-01

, into flinders. Those remaining Of its crew
followed the example set by the men who
had served the forward heavy rapid-fire gun
and sprang to the 6-pounders. The stac-
cato chattering OF these was like the patter
OF heavy hail upon tin roof, sharp and
loud against the background of Internal din.
But of these, one was almost Immediately
put out of action it's brother talked on for
little space, then, in its turn became mute.
We found ourselves fighting that torpedo
as though II, in itself. tangibly represented
our foes aboard the Vistula. My memory
of It is like a nightmare neVer-ending,
heartbreaking struggle with the immovable
-demonlac, gigantic laborings without rea-
son or effect.
Abruptly the thing gave way, sliding
smoothly into the tube as though such had
been its ultimate purpose and intent from
the beginning. We yelped feebly at 1t and
leaped aside. Somebody standing mmedi-
ately in front of me was suddenly crushed
into shapeless mass.
A shower Of red liquid drenched me; it
seemed as nothlng-an inconsiderable de-
tail. | wiped the blood from my eyes and
brows with the back OF hand and turned
to view the deck.
1t was almost tenantless, save for the
huddled heaps of soiled and wet clothing
that had been men. l saw one or two stir
feebly. Another raised himself upon his
hands and dragged himself with intolerable
tllOII anu dBOny-nlS lower llnDS DdIdIyHtu
over to the scuppers, that still swan with
rain water, where he fell upon his breast
and drank greedily thin film of crimson
seemed to cover the slanting deck.
Something struck the ship an irresistible
blow near the bows. She gave to 1t, cry
ing out in every Joint like tortured animal
Garvin cursed his luck. knelt again, and
again adjusted the torpedo director.
The Vistula.-I turned-loomed like hell
ship. fairly enwrapped with leapng fire. So
near was she now that could see her men
scrambling about tho deck, black silhouettes
appearing and disappearing against the in
cessant flashes like shadows in a shadow
show.
She, too, had suffered. saw that two of
her four tunnels were gone. the hole in her
gray flanks gaping larger; she reeled like
| a drunkard.
It became apparent that the Asp-poss-
| bly, through some accident to her machinery
had been left behind. observed that she
lay fully mile to port. The thought came
| to me that perhaps she had drawn off with
the intention OF torpedoing the German
However this was will never be known,
The secret of that conflict until this moment
| lies smothered with secrecy and red tape in
| the admiralty offices the English side of 1t
| will never be told-nor the German for
| that matter.
| Family, as II from a distance, heard the
dry, hacking bark Of the whitehead tube AT
my side. Garvin had given the word.
l fancied that the torpedo took the water
| like living thing animated with the es-
sence of our spirit of merciless hatred
| eager and bloodthirsty. We all-wha'
number there were left of us-clustered
at the rail, gasping with hope.
The seconds dragged seemingly intermIn
| able. Was this. too, n "fiuke?" My hear
| sank. / heard a furious screaming behinC
|
| tim of a madman, rushing headlong dowr
the slippery decks leapins' Jumping slid
| ing, falling.
His face fairly blazed with the ghastl,
| pallor of panic fear; his eyes bulged lik
door knobs; his mouth worked spasmodic
| ally, slaverng. Shrieklng, he sped pas
us, leaped to the rail- Joined his hands a
though in prayer and dived. Oddly enough
in that feeting instant 1 found time I,
recognize him, to recall his distorted fea
lures as those Of the man Pike.
Abruptly a sheet of livid flame rose
| faring from the Vistula to the zenith.
| crashing as OF q thousand thunderbolt
shook the armament; q geyser of foaminl
water spreading out fanwse at its top
rose to an incredible height; in 1t, the con
torted figures of men were visible instan
taneously. The destroyer seemed to b
| lifted bodily out of the sea, to remain
| poised for an appreciable moment. to spill
| Rsunder in halves. her masts and portion
of her deck fittings rocketing skyward.
The light died at once and without
flicker Intense darkness reigned over tn
| waters and with start 1 recognized tina
it was now night-night, black and impen
| etrable.
There followed a series of heavy splashes
the shattered Vistula returned piecemea
| unto it's element. We listened, absorbed
carried away by the tremendousness o
this thing which we had brought to pass
The Clymene lurched and rolled beneath us
with the sickening motion of a water
logged craft in storm-tossed sea.
And in a breath 1 was fathoms deep II
| tcy. inky waters. drawn downward by tn
maelstrom Of the sinking ship as by
strong hand.
realized the fact but barely. Alread!
nv lungs were partly filled with water
have faint recollection OF struggling
little without hope. of beating against th'
water purposelessly with hands as littl
potent as an infants, of sensation o
suffocation, as of a man compressed ne