Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-12-11
us DESTROYERS
sink SUBMARINE
IN FAST ACTION
Disabled BY Depth Charge,
U-boat Rises to Surface Only
to RIunge to Bottom

BASE OF THE AMERICAN FLO
TILLA IN BRITISH WATERS, No,
vember 24.-The American destroyers,
which were responsible for the latest
sinking OF a German submarine, have
returned to their base with flags fly
ing. Their victory over the U'boat
was one of the cleanest, neatest and
quickest pieces OF anti-submarine
work yet recorded by the American
squadron. -
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
a moment and then sank to the final
place of Judgment at the bottom of the
sea.
The pressure of water at the 200
foot or so depth at which she sank
soon completed the work of destruc'
ton on the strained plates Of the sub
arines 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.
Periseope Sighted
It was daylight, with good visible
:ty, when the periscope was sighted
by the lookout of a destroyer, which
with a sister craft, was engaged in its
customary duties. The submarine
commander was Just preparing to fire
a torpedo, either at one of the destroy
ers or at a merchantmen nearby.
"Periscope two points off the star
board bow" sang out a lookout in a
voice which could be heard from end
to end of the craft. Instantly an
alarm to general quarters was
sounded 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
tie heliograph began its staccato
flashing of orders for combined at
tack.
A scant eighteen inches Of periscope
had shown above the surface OF the
sea, 400 yards distant, for a few in
stants and then vanished In less
time than it takes to tell, the de.
stroyer, under the impetus Of sud-
denly opened throttles, had fairly
leaped into the track where the peri.
scope had disappeared.
Depth Charge Dropped
At, the proper moment, the COM
mandef on the bridge released a
depth charge from its fixed place.
The powerful explosive, three hun
dred pounds in weight, in its steel
case sank with little splash into the
destroyer's wake and at the regu-
lated depth responded to the bidding
of its valves and burst into a terrific
explosion. A vast extent of water
was upheaved and rose in a column
to a great height That the charge
had found its mark was shown by
mass of oil and bubbles which
marked the spot as the water found
its level.
Meanwhile a second destroyer
passed through the boiling, oily wat
ers and dropped a second depth
charge and then followed the tactics
Of the first destroyer in circling the
spot. The two destroyers did not
have long. to wait. In less than three
minutes there was a rush of water
md the U-boat, whale like, came to
The surface not more than 500 yards
rom the first destroyer.
Crews Stand Ready
The Americans were taking no
chances on a German trick. The
gun crew stood with their guns, ma
chine guns and torpedo tubes trained
IN the stricken enemy, ready to let
oose a shower of steel in case the
submarine showed fight. But the u
boat was badly stricken; the explos-
We charge had done its work thorough
y. Although the upper part Of the
boat appeared to have been untouched,
1 was evident from her actions that
he submarine was manageable.