Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1917-08-17
HOW ADESTROYER
EvADES U BOATS
Speed and SklI|fuI Handling
Keep Submarines Wary.
REPORTER SEES ATTACK

Torpedo Missed Its Mark py . seant
Six Feet Swarm Of Fast Patrols
Making Il increasingly Psrilous For
GERMANS to Show Themselves Above
tho Surface.
Just how a British destroyer acts
when attacked by submarine was un-
expectedly demonstrated to a CORE
spondent while travelling on one Of the
modern oil driven torpedo boat destroy
ers from England to France.
The correspondent had been taken
aboard the destroyer for the purpose
of observing British methods OF COM
batting the submarine menace, when
the boat was suddenly attacked by a
U boat, a torpedo missing 1t by a scant
six feet, thanks to the vigilance and
quick action Of the crew.
The destroyer was one Of a certain
number which were conveying In the
usual manner some large transports
carrying British troops to France. The
group Of ships was halfway across the
channel when suddenly one Cf the look
outs spied pair Of periscopes rise for
a moment a few inches out of the wa
ter a half mile away. They were gone
the next instant. but almost before
they had gone came the shout, Sub
marine on port boww accompanied by
a shrill call Of warning from the de-
stroyer's whistle and the futtering out
Of the flag which notified every other
ship In the convoy Of the enemy's pres
ence.
Guns Brought to Bear.
On every ship things began to hap
pen more quickly than the telling.
Guns were swung in the direction from
which the periscope had been seen,
ready to speak II the periscope appear
ed again. Torpedo tubes likewise were
swung into line, and the numerous
anti-submarine devices along deck
were In the hands OF their skilled ex-
pert crews.
But even while this was being done
came the torpedo, plainly visible from
the deck, its cleaning brass body grs-
tening In the bright sunlight, its pro
pellers pushing 1t at express train
speed straight toward the destroyer.
Something was wrong with the mech
anism of this particular torpedo, for 1t
should have travelled twelve or fifteen
feet below the surface. Instead, 1t
came bounding along In plain sight,
now and then leaping out of the water,
like fat stone made to skip over the
surface.
Even thus II might have found its
target but for the presence OF mind OF
the sixty-year-old coxswain. He had
been first to sight the periscopes and
had rushed Immediately to an emer-
gency lever, whereby he instantly
stopped the port engine, thus swing
ing the ship with a lurch to the left.
The torpedo whizzed through the wa
ter six feet behind the stern Of the
destroyer, its gradually lessening speed
as It sank into the swirl Of the en-
gines indicating that its possibilities
for mischief were nearly done.
Except for the coxswain's action In
twisting the ship from its course, the
missile would apparently have made a
square hit In the stern magazine.
Meanwhile the wireless was at work
notifying the hundreds Of patrols IN all
directions that the enemy was near.
I'VE sighted a submarine on the port
bow, just OF blank buoy, 2O3 p. m.
Torpedo passed just behind our stern,
missing us. We are proceeding with
our convoy" said the captains mes
sage.
Many Vessels Quickly In Pursuit..
1t was caught simultaneously, ashore
and afioat, by hundred vigilant wire
less operators. The destroyer's cap
tain, according to his orders, must not
leave his convoy to seek out and attack
the U boat Others would attend 20
that. Already they were gathering for
destroyers. Even dirigible airship far
of on the horizon had caught the wire
less call and with the quick turn Of
seagull was swooping down to the pur-
suit
The transports and destroysrs, al
though fairly confident that the U boat
would scarcely dare show herself again,
even for a pot shot, were nevertheless
taking every precsution. Every ship
was at full speed. oil burning destroy
ers constantly protecting their charges.
The whole attack occupied bare see
onds. Convoy and charges were out of
range I'm a few minutes at the most.
Nowhere had there been the slightest
panic or furry, but movements Of men
and ships made with almost automatic
precision and speed. The efficiency of
the British naval man is the efficiency
OF clockwork. Every cog knows It's
place. There is no meddling, no CLASH
Ing. no Interference. but confident rap
I'd efficiency which somehow demands
the use Of the adjective deadly"
Twenty minutes later the transports
were safe I'm their port Of destination,
and the destroyer convoy was OF again,
thirty miles an hour, down the coast TO
ffs naxf anpofnfpnant