Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-12-13

~ that / felt that diving would be
risky experiment. only to be tried In
the EXTREMIST case, with probably .
to chance against us. was quite
satisfied. however. that we could get
back to England il the weather held
good and we were not interfered with.
About e.46 we sighted q cruiser
coming along the coast and steam
ing very fast. A rain squal1 was COM
Ing up behind her which blotted her
out before we could distinguish de-
tails. but she altered her course toward
land just before going out Of sight.
"The most hopeful scheme seemed
to be to get straight out seaward. in
hope Of slipping away unobserved in
the mist. 1t was painfully slow work:
ages passed. and we began to cheer up.
thinking all was well. Then suddenly
we spotted her. She had altered course
again and was now driving up ut a
great rate on a course that looked as
II she meant ramming.
When she was short half-mile away
l made out the blurred outline of he.
guns. and Immediately afterward saw
them swinging forward. It is an I'M
written law Of the sea never to train
guns on warships Of nation with
whom one is at peace-for obvious rea.
sons. Therefore her action in training
her guns on us at this moment SCENE i
to prove conclusively that she was hos
tile and about to open fire. To stay on
the surface seemed certain death. eth =
er from gunfire or ran,nling, SO took
the l to chance for life under water.
The moments following my order
to dive were rather exciting. When I
tried to close the coming tower lid /
found to my horror that it had jam
med. BY the feel Of it fancy piece
OF waste or ropes end had fouled the
counter-balance weight. The water was
halfway up the coming tower. No
time to do anything, so | started down
again with the idea Of closing the low
er door. l had barely got to the edge
of the hole when the water came in.
The first wave hit the lid a great smack
and luckily broke the obstruction and
closed the lid with a bang. although
an avalanche OF waer got into the boat
first.
7 found things pretty serious inside.
lor as soon as the pressure came on
the leaks had opened up, and the boa t
had taken charge of itself. sinking like
a stone. The water inside had run aft
depressing the stern to such an angle
that it was impossible to stand without
holding on to something
1T was out of the question to remain
submerged. the question was rather
whether we would be able to get back
70 the surface at all. The boat had gone
right down until she touched bottom
with her tail. AS she did so the door Of
the after compartment commenced to
cape and give. II the boat had STAYED
at that depth it would have gone. But
Immediately on touching the bottom
she commenced to rise again because
the water blown out Of her tanks was
suffclent to give her slight buoyancy
as soon as her downward momentum
was stopped
Ihere was tremendous lot OF free
water in the interior. Some OF the mon
were literally washed away from their
stations. Those who were washed awav
stayed as near their billets as possible
ready to dive back and work their valves
II 1t required it. They might have been
DONG routine practice in home waters
for all the difference It made.
we were now rising very SLOWLY.
When suddenly the port motor blew out
water having reached It and short-cjr-
Quilted 1t. This happened at IS feet. then
stopped and commenced sinking again
slowly. The dial pointer crept round ~
4s 1eet' stopped. then went to 40, then 4ss
stopped there for a long time and then
started to rise again.
This was the critical moment. II sha
had gone down instead OF nm rotb,r.
could nave saved us. Once she made nm
her MIND to como UP, she came with a
rush, We emerged ready to torpedo tba
herman cruiser II we could, and the men
standing ready to swim for Il as soon a..
we had Aired. When we broke sprfa 80
there was the ship lying mo.ion,es. An
yaFos away beautiful shot But IL han
stopped raining, and was astonished
70 ma at first sight that she was a Dutch.
man. her ensign was clearly visible ana
her Silhouette, which now saw for m.
hrst line. was unmistakable.
my boat was practically in a s,nk,nr
condition and I signalled to the Dutch
cruiser for help. Boats were sent over
win the utmost promptitude and IVA
shortly found ourselves aboard the Nov.
hrabant Of the Dutch royal navy So
toned at the Helder. We wara ra.o,,,s,
ana treated most warmheartedly. I went
up on the bridge and watched nv boat
take its last plunge. As she went aor,r,
a buele sounded the attention and ~.
Noord Brabant saluted her whi,a ~
died." She