The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-05-11

<AVOut VClOCh AU LUo ulOluIuk =
large force Of destroyers and coastal
motor boats steamed up toward tho
shore, the motor boats going alongside
It. The weather was everything, de.
sirable until about fifteen minutes
before the Vindictive was sunk, when
q fog drove into shore and reduced
the visibility to a range OF between
200 to 400 yards. XXX A, /.
\ The Vindictive experienced the
greatest difficulty in finding the en-.
trance to the harbor. t4$ sfA%
The enemy employed star shells and
searchlights extensively, and for 20
minutes the vessel was In full, view OF
the enemy batteries. =
harbor Partly Blocked.
s It Is declared, on tlnquesti0nable au.
thority that the sunken cruiser Vindic.
tive lies In the neck OF the channel It
the entrance to Ostend harbor,. It IN
angle Of about 40 degrees. II is. OF
vious that q vessel 800 feet lon6 W
Ing at, this angle does not ef1ectiIaA
block q channel some 800 .feets
but q very useful purpose has hsei
a partial and very serious ;la i hllbcka4s
has been achieved and undef sae. con.
ditions Of tide and rapid silt prevail.
Ing on the Belgian coast, the obstr1c.
tion will certainly tend 10 ihcfeaee.
It il not claimed that the .sunken
cruiser will. event the etress .at g1E
marines or entirely stop sth1ts0 0f ae-
Atroyers. However. II VIII 'ln1tSf3tut
hamper both, and that. ID important
German light craft vii not be able,
when pursued by British forces. q
rush ftill speed into the hafh6r @
they have done retofote. , y. 81 I. ~. 3r. II
Conditions were fairly avorable for
the venture. That part Of the Bel
gian coast is heavily armed. ~ahd' tie
small number Of. British casualttee ~.
dicates the enemy was surprised and
emphasizes the success Of. tho a.
tempt. sss
Enemy camouftaeins. ;s.
With regard to Zeebrugge, the Brit
ish government is satisfied that Cor.
man stories Of unrestricted engress
and egress are inaccurate. Air pro-
tographs taken within the last fort.
night are said to demonstrate clearly
the falsity' Of the enemy's statements.
In the case Of Ostend, It ID COM
puted that at least three or four days
must elapse before the channel can
be cleared and buoys placed between
the stern Of the sunken cruiser and
the land. In the meantime, the tide
and silt vii be at work. In tho Zee
brugge Is such that any attempt to
blow up the obstruction would bo
fraught with considerable danger to
enighboring permanent structures. -
The smallness Of the casualties sus-
tanned at Ostend Friday does not indi-
cate bad shooting by the Germ1ns.
The weather conditions were favor
able to the raiders, and the Vindictive
carried only sufficient men to wreck
her properly. ig !,
AS she cruised up and down seek.
ing entrance she was hit repeatedly.
and several casualties were sustain
ed. It was 2:20 o'clock when the
piers were sighted almost alongside
and then the German machine guns
opened q fearful fire.
Having found his bearings. the CAP.
tain swung his concrete-laden vessei
around, and rammed her stem agsinst
the eastern pier. leaving bis lieuten'
ant to work the engine with the o.
iect of sending the ship across the
channel. He then discovered that
the cruiser was aground aft and that
it was impossible to turn her ssrtnef.
He called his crew from the engine
onA thon Qof nf1
explosive charges.
Airmen, according to the Central
News report, say the Vindicttve IS
lying submerged at an angle OF forty
degrees at the eastern entrance with
her stem against the pier.
While the vessel was being abandon
ed. two motor launches went along.
side and succeeded in bringing OH
the men including the wounded.