The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-11-25
One Of Quickest and Pref
test Pieces Anti.U-BOat
Work Recorded.
YANKEE SWIFTNESS
MAKES JOB SECURE
Entire Crew of Enemy Craft
Perishes When Charge
Hits Its Mark.

Base of the American Flotilla in
British Waters, Nov. 24.-By the Asso-
ciated Press.-The American destroy
crs which were responsible for the
latest sinking of "a German submarine,
have returned to their base with flags
flying. Their victory over the U-boat
was one of the claanest, neatest and
! quickest pieces of anti submarine
| work yet recorded.
The submarine was disabled by a
depth charge, rose to the surface
three minutes after the charge was
fired, hung hesitatingly at the surface
for q moment, and then sank to the
| final place of Judgement at the bottom
Eof the sea.
Make Job Secure.
! The pressure Of water at the eco
foot or SO depth at which she sank
! soon completed the work of destruc-
! ton on the strained plates of the sub
, marines hull. For a long time bub-
bles and oil continued to rise in great
gulps from the grave where she lay,
and then the Americans made assur-
ance complete. in a manner of which it
is unnecessary to go into detail.
| 1t was daylight with good visibility
when the periscope was sighted by the
lookout of destroyer, which, with a
sister craft. was engage din Its GUS
| tomary duties. The submarine COM
mander was just preparing to fire a
torpedo, either at one Of the destroy
| or NJ. af Mt man pearhv
Order Combined Attack.
"Periscope two points off the star
board bow" sang ont a lookout in a
voice which could be heard from end
| to end of the craft. Instantly an
alarm to general quarters was sound
cd and the helm thrown hard over
Signal flags were swung out, notify
ing the sister ship of the exact loca-
ton of the enemy. At the same time
the heliograph began it's staccato
flashing Of orders for a combined at
tack.
A scant Is inches of periscope had
shown above the surface of the sea
400 yards distant for q few instants
and then vanished. In less time than
it takes to tell, the destroyer. under
the impetus of suddenly opened throt-
tiles. had fairly leaped into the track
where the periscope had disappeared.
Depth Charge Released.
At the proper moment the comman'
der on the bridger released depti
charge from its fixed place. The pwo
erful explosive. 800 pounds in weigh
in it's steel case. sank with littl'
splash into the destroyers wake ant
lat the regulated depth responded t.
the bidding of it's valves and burst il
"a terrific explosion. A vast extent o
water was up-heaved and rose in /
column to a great height
That the charge had found it's mari
was shown by "a mass Of oil and bub
bles which marked the spot as tn
water found it's level.
Second One Dropped.
Meanwhile a second destroyer passe
through the boiling, oily waters an
dropped second depth charge, an
then followed the tactics of the frs
, destroyer in circling the spot. TIL
two destrovers did not have long t
wait In less than three minutes thief
was rush of water and the U-boa
,, whale-like, came to the surface nc
more than 500 yards from the frs
destroyer.
The Americans were taking II
chances on a German trick. The gu
crews stood with their guns, machin
guns and torpedo tubes trained on tn
: stricken enemy, ready to let loose
! shower of steel in case the submarin
! showed fight.
Work Was Well Done.
But the U-boat was badly stricken
the explosive charge had done II
work thoroughly. Although the VI
j per part of the boat appeared to has
been untouched it was evident frol
her actions that the submarine wa
unmanageable. She was badly liste
. lowing to the damage to her balla.
n tanks. and 1t was apparent that III
steering gear and probably also III
!, engines had damned. The three mir
;, utes which elapsed between the tin
the depth charges were fired and Il
time she emerged. as IL catapulted, prs
= vide food for interesting speculatio
1t is probable she was driven to Il
bottom by the force of the explosio
but retained enough buoyancy to Ri
reached the open air the strain hs
lie done it's work and she hung on Il
<, surface of sthe water only for a m
" Iment and then began to settle agai