Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1917-10-12

"Whiz-z-zi Gang tho torpedo. BanaI
won't the Moitke."
boats and learning that the submarine
had run over to the westward, where
we knew chain net traps to be laid, we
circled In that direction.
Our powerful motors thrummed
evenly. The water seemed to part
ahead of US, and the gunners squinted
along the surface.
Suddenly of to the west we made
out her periscope. Intense JOY thrilled
our little crews. She was inshore from
lis. She was between our circular
course and the chain nets-in the trap.
The periscope we had seen might be
q dummy, for submarine frequently
casts loose phoney periscope to draw
fire, but at any rate she must have
been between us and the nets IL she
cut it loose.
Presently, probably after look
around, the periscope suddenly disap-
peared, and we knew 1t was renl one
with German U boat on the end of 1t.
The Brass Hat in his own boat, was,
Of course, in the lead. That was his
prerogntive MS we'll us his duty. Like
flock of falcons we were swooping
down OH the prey.
Abruptly the lead boat comes to
dead stop and lists heavily to star
board. Evidently something is wrong.
We see men crawl out over the stern
and fish around with boat hooks and
poles. Cold rs 1t is one man goes over
board and remains under water so
long we could not believe he would
come up alive.
We can see the Brass Hat gesticu-
hitting as we run in closer. We can't
hear what he is saying, but we have
pretty good idea. We've listened to
him before when distressed One Of
his men signals that the boat has foul
ed the chain nets. We wouldn't dare
cheer, but we are inclined that way
Everybody likes to put 1t over Brass
Hat, and now there are only five of us
to share the glory at the finish Each
Of us stands n better chance OF being
the one to give the submarine its congo.
Circling round In an even smaller
radius, we search the water for peri
scope, shadow or the conventional
"streak Of dirty grease" or ''lne of
bubbles
Brass Hat Still Stranded.
The Brass Hat is signaling now for
us to go over and help him Off. No
body pays any attention to those Or
ders. He wants to run things and get
the u bont himself, but we won't give
him the chance. Later we will tell
him we didn't see his distress signals.
Now he tries to direct the procedure
from where he Is, but we are like lot
of hounds released from restraint.
The one idea of our lives is to get that
y boat.
All of us have towing torpedoes out
These are bombs ON long cables, which
nre towed astern and sink to certain
specified depth. IF the cable fouls any
thing at all rs the boat goes ahcnd the
bomb pulls up to 1t. and when it bumps
1t eXplodes.
We arc in line. Suddenly there ia a
crash and roar just ahead Of US.
am thrown Off my feet. Barrels Of wa
ter splash down into our cockpit and
roll Off the decks. The bow lifts itself
clean for n second think that the
submarine has blown us up. Perhaps
/ am dead already.
Then we settle down again, and ex-
cept for q, scared look on the faces Of
a couple Of men and rather nervous,
forced Jests on the lips Of others We
are blowing ahead just as before.
Nothing has happened except the
towing torpedo Of the boat In front of
us In the line fouled submerged spar
or bit Of wreckage and exploded
right under our bow. "If we had been
few yards closer we would never
have been there any more"
AS we realized what had happened
our tongues were loosened, and If the
crew of the boat ahead could have
heard what we said about them we
would have lost their friendship most
assuredly.
Way inshore, after circling chase
Of perhaps twenty minutes, the SUBJ
marine came up. She was In such
shallow water that she probably was
having trouble in operating submerged.
She was gone then.
What followed was very businessike.
1t illustrates the attitude the British
have come to take toward the SUBJ
marines because of their fragrant yio-
lations of every form of international
law and decency. 1t is the attitude
which any country obliged to fight
against them ewill assume. To the
British mind submarines must be ex-
terminated just as-one would exter-