The Washington times., 1917-06-16
SUBMARINES HAVE
! MANY ADVENTURES
DestrOyers Also Furnish
! Thrills for Sailors.
NEED PICKED men FOR SERVICE
Machinists and Electricians Form
! Basis Of Crews.

The two types OF navy craft which
Are absorbing popular attention are
the submarines and their terrible
missiles sped from ambush and the
most potent foe OF this type, the dsS-
troyers:
stripped hulls sinking through
the gloom,
Half guessed and gone again"
And now that our own destroyers
have Joined those OF our allies 1t Is
more than likely that much dramatic
history, which will have its own deep
interest for US, will soon be rapidly
written on or about the waters OF
the North Sea and those Of the Eng
lish Channel
The following story is an adven-
ture Of a submarine somewhere in
salt water" The vessel, which was at
sea, picked up the smoke of enemy
vessels on the horizon at 8 o'clock
and at once headed for them. When
she had approached to a suitable dis
lance the submarine dived and, by
means OF her periscope. soon was able
TO see that the enemy vessels COM
prised a squadron Of ten ships OF the
the enemy seeing the periscope the
commander of the submarine decided
10 steer to the port side of the squad
ron, where he would be between the
enemy and the light.
Decides on Frontal Attack.
At the same time, knowing the
enemy torpedo boats train special ex-
plosive coutrivances for the destruc-
H.
decided TO make a frontal attack on
the squadron and steered a corre-
spending course. Keeping her peri
scope above water, the submarine
approached the torpedo boat leading
the right column and passed at its
port side at q distance Of between
forty-fve and sixty yards, still keep
ing her perIscope six inches above
water. The torpedo boat either did
not perceive the submarine or per-
ceived her too late, for 1t stood on
its course.
Wishing to operate outside the line
of torpedo boats, the submarine drew
TO the left, under the PROV of the
second torpedo boat, and in order to
avoid a collision sank to a depth OF
fifty feet. At this depth the crew
of the submarine distinctly heard the
noise made by the screws OF the war
ship. At q depth OF thirtyfive feet
the submarine raised her periscope'
TO sight on her starboard beam the
ram OF the leading wsrship. which
was cutting across the course OF the
submarine at a distance of not more
than sixty yards.
The commander ordered the sub
marine to dive, but before the yes
sci could submerge there came
terrible crash, the submarine reelinE
from the shock until she had been
forced on her beam ends and In that
position she was held as the long
keel of the warship scraped along her
side. The collision broke every cleo
trio bulb, plunging the submarine In
utter darkness, and as the vessel
went over on her side the crew were
hurled from their feet and dashed
against the side with a violence that
stunned many into inconsistencies.
Cleared At Last.
The keel of the battleship at last
scraped clear OF the submarine and
the stricken vessel slowly righted.
Then the commander, cropping in the
blackness for his diving gear, began
TO submerge the vessel to a greater
depth Suddenly came a loud eXplos-
ion, one that caused the commander
to suppose that the shell of the sub
marine, having been damaged by the
collision. could not stand the pres
sure of the water and was collapsing.
He therefore rose to sixty feet, but
the sound OF the approaching screw
Of a large vessel compelled him TO
dive again to depth OF eighty feet.
Repeated attempts 10 rise were In
vain, because each time the subma-
rine rose to fifty feet they heard the
screws of the battleships and torpe-
do boats OF the enemy squadron,
which had broken line and were cruis-
ing backward and forward search
ing for the submarine.
II was found that the perlscope had
been wrecked and II was discovered
that the submarine was taking in
water so fast as TO lose her buOyanCy.-
To blow out the supplementary tank
would inevitably disclose her pres
ence. but there was no other resource
and the order was given. Fortunate
ly for the submarine the darkness and
the much churning OF the water by
propellers hid the uprush OF air and
fits bubbles, anu toward midnight the
gubmersible rose to the surface. ex-
pecting to be shot to pieces at once.
but screened by the darkness she
found an opening in the enemy's line,
and, picking her way through II. fin
ally got clear after having been SUBJ
merged for more than five hours.
The Sporting Chance.
Many structures hedge about sery-
fee in our own submarines. Those
who are accepted for this service
must be OF the type who are willing
10 take a sporting chance.
There, is no record OF any sickness
or ailment due TO the sense OF being
confined in a submarine. This Is not I
likely. however, to occur with men OF
the type indicated. Members of a
submarine crew cannot tell, after the
coming tower matches close. whether .
the boat remains on the surface or
goes down 200 feet, except by looking
At the depth indicator.
The selection for this service is .
very close. Everyone who serves in .
a submarine must be a highly techni- .
cal and a highly trained man. Every
man must either be a machinist or
an electrician, or a gunner's mate for
gun and torpedo work. There must
also be a radio operator. in case the
vessel carries wireless.
Now for a glimpse OF destroyers
"out on a high explosive spree"
These. according to the official
report Of the commander Of the de-