Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-04-24
BLOW UP CRUISERS,
. CONCRETE LADEN,
IN U-BOAT BASES
Zcebrugge and Ostend
Scenes of Lively Opera
tiOns by Naval Fleet.
DAMAGE ALSO is DONE
TO WORKS ON THE SHORE
Volunteers Are Asked for Dan
gerous Task and Many
Respond.
AGAIN ROW GAS SHELLS
Allied Officers Believe Quiet on
western Front Prcsages Another
Terrible Onslaught.

BY Associated Press.
Inc British have not permitted tho
hait in the fighting along the western
battle front to keep them inactive.
With their landsmcn on the alert.
/ watching kcenly and waiting for tbe
next move of the German infantry in
Franco and Belgium, tho British naval
/ torccs. rc-cnforccd to some extent bv
/ French war craft. have rricd out n
/ startling and daring mancuvcr. which
/ u IL should prove TO have been sue
ccsstul may play marked part in
[ tho future OF the war. No less objcc-
I tive was sought than the blottinE out
by ono sweeping blow Of C;crmapy's
submarine menace from the bases at
HecbruEGc and Ostend by the sinking
I across the exits from the harbors OF
large old time cruisers laden with car
goes of concrete TO make them more
difficult OF removal
While full details OF the attack have
not yet been received, tho information
at hand is that two OF the cruisers
were blown UP at the entrance to the
! Bruscs Canal at zeebruGgc and an
other was sunk while passing in the
, canal At Ostend two additional war
ships were run ashore and destroyed
by bombs, but il is believed thor failed
fully to choke the channel.
In addition, considerable da mage
was done by the guns of the warships
TO works on shore at both places.
Volunteers were chosen by the Brit
ish admiral in command for the dan.
scrous task. and far greater num-
bcr OF men than could be used in the
enterprise willingly came forward and
offered their services for "A ma neuvcr
which might be successful in Kidding
the waters OF mcnaccS which had re-
maincd imprcsnablc under the shore
/ batteries. the guns of warships~ and
! the trcacherous shoal water outside.
I ONE TORPEDO-BoAT
! DESTROYER Is SUNK
| one British torpedo boat destroyer
/ was sunk by the German guns and
four smaller craft are missing. while
considcra bic number of casualties on
board the attacking vessels was suf-
{ fered.
While the operation was in prog.
rcss. Sir Eric announced. British
parties were landed 10 distract the enc.
my. The officer who developed the
scheme OF attack was killed.
Storming parties were landed on the
mole from the cruiser Vindictivc. The
~ thS pSI SpuucI, Sdlu StF
Eric. were heavy in proportion 10 the
number engaged, An enemy dcstroye:
was torpedoed at Zeebrugsc.
/ Two OF tho blockadins ships wcro,
sunk and blown up at the entrance to
the Bruscs Canal The pliag beside
the mole at Zccbruggc was blown IN
by an obsolete submarine filled with
explosives.
The casualties to British craft. ST.
Eric said. were one destroyer and two
coastal motor boats and two launches
missing.
At os,end two OF :he blockadins
ships were run ashore and blown up
IN all probability. the entrance 70
The BruSeS Canal has been blocked OF.
t+c;ivciy in consequence o. the naval
raid Sir Eric Geddcs. First Lord OF the
Admiralty. announced in the House 81
Commons.
The result OF the whole operation.
Sir Eric said. was regarded as very sue.
ccssful.
The ports OK ostcnd and Zecbru--..
on the Rclgian coast. are tho nrjncI.
pa! bases for the operations of submu.
rinea IN their campaign against ship.
Ping IN the North Sea and the E,nriisn
thannci They ara of great imuort.
ancc 10 the Germans for this purposc
and 1t has been recognized by the allies
'hat ." deprive tho enemy of them
would u" one OF the most effective
means Of dealing with the suhmari,.
ALLIED OFFICERS ARE:
EXPECTING ANOTHER DnIyH
Along the entire battle front tho
state OF comparative uuietudc that has
existed since last Thursday continues
ne only activity. except for small AT
tacka here aud there. is being carried
out by the artillery.
Tho German guns have boen paying
particular attention to tho sectors
around frros. KENNEL and the Nieppe
forest. upon which large numbers ot
high-cNplosivc and gas shells have
been thrown.
North Of Albert. tho British. in
local attack. improved their position,
and took prisoners, and additional cap
turcs were made by them near Rohecd
ana Wvtschactc. Attempts by the Cor
mang to raid French trenches. be-