New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-21
Fathers Vessel Sunk, Child
Became Mascot of
Undersea Raider
Crippled by Explosion
of Ship 1t Torpedoed
Commander of Submarine
Said To Be Man Who
Torpedoed Lusitania

Copenhagen, Feb. 20.-Solveig
Jacobsen, the six-year-old daughter
of a Norwegian ship master, who
has arrived here with her parents
on the way to Norway, has the
distinction of not only being the first
child to make voyage on a German
submarine, but of being the guest
during the eight-day trip of the sub
marine commander, who is declared
to have sunk the Lusitania.
Solveig's father, Isach Jacobsen,
was the master of the Norwegian
ship the Thor II, which was sunk by
the submarine. The U-boat towed
the ships boats with the crew of
twenty-eight toward land for time
and finally left them to shift for
themselves, but the commander re-
tained the master, his wife and child
on the submarine while he continued
the cruise.
The operations, however, were Of
short duration, for the next ship en-
countered. proved to be laden with
ammunition for France. The SUBJ
marine was so shaken by the terrific
explosion when the steamer was tor
pedoed, and by an encounter with a
British destroyer, which all but sank
the U-boat by ramming, that one en-
CINE was put out of commission.
Retreated to Heligoland
The submarine limped homeward
along a route west of Ireland and north
of the Shetlanda, dodging many British
patrol ships and destroyers, and finally
went into port at Heligoland.
Captain Jacobsen, in describing MS
experiences, dwelt on the human side
of the man who he came to understand
was the Lusitania's destroyer, as shown
in the treatment Of little Solveig. The
child was adopted as sort OF mascot
bv the submarine and decorated with a
bit of ribbon from the commanders
Iron Cross, which he received for an
earlier achievement.
The submarines phonOgraph played
"Solveig's Song" by Grieg, as the wax
ing melody for the child, and the sail
ors made a pet of her during off duty
hours.
During the short stay at Helgoland,
where the Jacobsens were the first neu-
trail visitors during the war, the COM
mander of the island called to pay his
respects and presented the child with
many souvenirs Of her visit.
Captain Jacobsen's description of the
torpedoing of the ammunition ship
shows one of the perils to which sub
marines are exposed. The submarine
had halted the ship, md, ignorant of
it's character, prepared to sink 1T by
puntlre to save tne JOTpeuoes.
Fled from Destroyer
The first shot attracted a British de.
stroyer, which came at full speed. The
submarine hastily submerged, sending
a torpedo at the steamer before going
under. An appalling explosion fol-
lowed. which, had the submarine been
still on the surface, might have had
even more serious consequences.
"We had no time 20 see what became
of the steamers crew, which were IN
the boats near the steamer" said the
Norwegian. "The submarine was tossed
about so convulsively by the force Of
the explosion that We were all thrown
down. The submarines deck was ripped
up and we thought our last hour had
come"
The DESTROYER headed at ever increas-
ing speed for the submerglng subms-
rine. but the U-boat was far enough
down to escape the full force Of the
blow. The men in the U-boat were
thrown hither and thither, but quick
examination showed that the submarine
had not sprung a leak.
The return trip was one long success
sion of "ups and downs" the subma-
rine being obliged to submerge fire.
ouently, as often as once an hour, to
avoid British patrol ships.
The sensations Of the civilian pas
sengers during the frequent dives, and
particularly during the anxious mo-
ments when the submarine was care
fully feeling its way to the surface.
ignorant of whether a British ship
might not be waiting to ram her, were
by no means agreeable, and the ex-
treme variations of temperature be-
tween the submerged and surface po-
sitions were hard to bear.
U-Boat Orchestra Plays
The food aboard was good and abun--
dant, the boat having been provisioned
for a four weeks cruise.
The arrival at Heligoland, where the
commander, owing TO earlier achieve.
ments, is highly popular, was tri.
umphal entry. The entire crew or
forty-two men came on deck. As the
submarine slowly entered the hsrbor
it's orchestra Of fifteen men played the
German anthem. The commander, hold
ing Solveig by the hand, stood on the
bridge acknowledging the cheers from
the crews Of other craft in the bay.
The name, OF the commander OF tne