The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-05-21
SUB EXPLOITS
OF THE BRITISH
THRILLING TALE

WASHINGTON. May 19.-The world
knows the story OF Britain's flc"ts--,he
simple tale OF the eaunt gray lighting
hulks that swing ceaselcssly in circles
from the Arctic down 10 OSLrnd. bar
ring effectively the egrcsS frrm Ger
man ports NJ naval merchant shipping.
Only III" C-hoats and AN occasional
raider have h"rn successful III slipping
through the Steel Gordon.
Alth0us much has been told about
the high seas fleets. but little has been
writteu-and less officially disclosed
about lEngland'S efficient submarine
navy. However there has been received
by the Committee on Public Information
an official British statement. madc pub
lie with tho appreciation Of tho Admir-
atty. telling IN detailed form Of the OK
pnltS Of Britons In combating Germany
with her favoritc weapon.
Orc Of the most popular tales Of tho
exploits Of British submarines. whirh
however. is no, contained III tho pre-
pared statement. deals with Il young
commander who auduciuusly crc1t
through minC-infcStcd waters into the
very harhcr of iinliColand. the German
Gibraltcr. As hc allowed his Peri*cupc
To show. above the surface for an in
.>Irnt. he caught glimpse of m enemy
l-boat riding awaSh while thr crow.
lined up on deck. smiled IL greeting ~
tn. crowds on shorr and aboard harhor
shipping who w"rr nniSily welcoming
the heroes" returning from 4 raid on
thu Atlantic. \ torpedo from the Brit
iSh craft summarily cut short In" colo
braiion and eliminated 1slr l'-hnat as II
further mcnar" TO i.llird vessels. The
brilliant phase Of tho achievement *
tho fact that the English vessel suCr""h-
ed in escaping and returning To port un-
harmed.
Besides detailing various engage
mcntS in which British submarines hay"
accounted for one nr more enemy YES
scls--it is stated that moro than forty
German wa-ships have bc"n ottackrd
succnssfullY---thc review tells Of the
hardships incident 10 patrols in bad
weather..
In winter a cold. clammy chi,; per-
vales the submarine and al Tins Tho
thermometer drops sd low that the crow
lin! it difficult To sleep. Spray Irrczrs
several inches thick on the wireless an
tcnnac. rendering radio rnnrarrica ion
Impossible. while the pcriscnu" DrruIlrs
useless ut times hccplsc OF frosty
mantle.
\ sca~av and an even keel is difficult Ia
maintain even. many faihoms below tho
surface. When running on top for thr
purIuS.. ri rtplcnshins the supply Of
electric motive power. thr vcntila,nrs
must hc Kept oIru With the result lha.
water is shipped in heavy quantities.
How much respect for the British un'
derSt.aS navy is entertained in Germany
is told best IN tho official narrative
which runs as follows:
"EcnturcSomc as tho enemy is with
his C-boats. he rarely allows his Gbnv"
water craft beyond the confines If his
harhors III we'll knows that our sub
marines arc ever on the prowls for him.
and how valiant and thorough is thr
watch kept may be gathered from tn"
fact that though so few opportunities
a nc afforded them our submarines have
successfully attacked no less than 80
enemy warships.
Night and day the search Is CON
tinucd according ~ circumstances nlaS
dictate. The watch is kept on tho sur
face. or submerged sIVr for Tho peri
scope nr maybe the v"SS"l" nrr on the
diving patrol. only crIninE ~ III" sur
face every now and again 10 scan tn"
horizon for any hostile craft which may
come within roach
~ ship being sighted the submarine
dives tn tho attack. As TN" shin is
probably Streaming fast an a hic2aE
course long tim" may "larsH hcf"r"
the suhma rinr is in n iav"rahl" position
TO fire hcr torpeduoS. Will" this is
going on she must ascertain "hcihH: IN"
ship is friend ar foe and ut all coats shr
must avoid being seen Il the p"r;Srnp"
is sichtcl the hnstil" ship will max" Off
with all snccd and In" odds ar" that SIT"
will got away An Irregular ""ur$" and
crca, speed make her Il difficult target
ami !r the Sca Is smooth Sh" may 80" tn"
track Of tho torpedo fired nj her anu
Stncr TO avoid ii.
Tut in spite OF all tho difficulties IN"
submarines mannE" 10 drive home their
attacks md n few Of the successes may
hr here recorded.
while patrnlinS between the Eastern
Ems and tn" Wrs"r river submarine
sighted Two lots Of destroyer smnk" 10
the southwrstward. Two anxious hours
wcrc spent manuucrnrinE for position To
attack. and then. ut :; rang" of am wards
two torprdnrs w""" fired. ono At rho
bow ard rnr OF tho stern. re on" "f tho