The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-12-17

the captain watched the submarine turn and come slowly past the ship 4OO yards away. The next moment, as ne was about to open fire on an easy target, the wind caught the smoke from the conflagration aft and blew + like a curtain across his vision. The captain was confronted with two alter natives. One was to open fire there and then on a partially obscured target. or wait until the submarine should round the stern and come past the weather side where the smoke did not interfere with the accuracy of the shooting. At the same time he was conscious that the fire raging ait must very soon engulf the magazine. It could only be a matter of moments before the magazine blew up, and with it the masked gun and its crew.
 RED-HOT DECKS
 Nothing but utter confidence in the devotion of that guns crew. the con viction that even in the direst extrem- ity they would remain concealed and motionless enabled the captain to choose the second of these two alterna- tives Yet he chose 1t, determined at all costs to make sure of his quarry, and waited; and while he waited the deck on which this gums crew were crouched grew slowly red hot so that they were compelled to clinV to the mounting of the gun and to Mold the cartridges in their arms Their ordeal ended as the submarine was rounding the stern. The magazine and two more depth charges blew up with a deafen- ing roar, hurling gun, guns crew, fragments of wreckage, and unexplod- ed shells high in the air. One member of the crew fell into the water, where h ,,ic a6 ttr, hxy ina r,tr raar ri the remainder, including the depth charge keeper landed in the well-deck, with the gun
 The concussion of the explosion had, however started the electrically con trolled fire gongs at the remaining gun positions. Thereupon the white ensign fluttered automatically up to the masthead, and one gun--the only one that would bear-opened an una vailing fire on the enemy, who had be- gun to dive immediately the explosion had taken place. The ruse had failed, and every man on board realized on the instant that what must follow was to be the supreme test. The wounded
 were removed out of sight with all speed. hose were turned onto the
 burning part of the ship and wireless signals sent out warning all men-of-
 war to divert traffic for radius of 30 miles, that nothing should interrupt the last phase of this savage duel q entrance.
 Thus they ensured that no approach ing man-ofwar should scare away this shy adversary, and Furthermore, thas no merchant steamer by shaping course within range of the periscope's vision might distract the submarine from re- newing the attack on her victim. To borrow phrase from sporting par lance, they ensured that the ring was kept, but in so doing they deprived themselves of any hope of succor from the savagery of the enemy, should the ship sink and leave the m at the sub ! marines mercy. In this comfortable
 reflection. therefore, they settled down and awaited the inevitable torpedo, vINDICTIvE FURY
 It must be remembered that the ship was now openly man-of-war. flying the white ensign, with guns unmasked. At 1:20 D. m., two hours and 20 minutes after first sighting the submarine, q torpedo struck the ship abreast the engine room, hurling blazing wreckage and water in all directions. With far
 seeing thoroughness of organization
 this moment had been anticipated soon- CT or later for months past. Accord
 ingly, at the order abandon ship the men previously detailed launched the remaining boat and raft. and padded clear of the doomed vessel. The cap
 tain and crews of two guns and both
 torpedo tubes, the navigator, assistant paymaster, and quartermaster re- mained on board For the ensuing 50 minutes. while the fire in the poop continued to blaze furiously. and the ammunition in the vicinity detonated
 like a succession of gigantic Chinese
 crackers. the periscope circled suspi- ciously round the ship and boats. At 2:30 the submarine rose to the sur face in position on which none Of the guns on board would bear. and be- gan once more shelling the ship and boats with vindictive fury.
 For 20 minutes the remnant on board
 endured this ordeal, lying face down.
 wards and motionless on the splintered
 pIanking It is recorded that during the hottest of the fire one of the fore most guns crew requested, in hoarse whisper, to be allowed to take his boots off The officer in his vicinity in- quired the reason for this strange re-
 quest. to which the man replied that he didn't think he had much longer to live and. on the whole, thought he'd prefer not to die with his boots on. He subsequently, explained that he came of respectable family.
 By means of the voice. pipe connect : Ing him with the guns control, the cap
 tain cheered and encouraged his men
 thror~h that long agony. Small won- der 'hev loved an officer who exhorted them in such pass to keep merry and bright; who quoted Eairnsfather to the boyish officer in the control when shells were bursting all about his head eff you know of a better ole, go to it.'); who. when the wound ed navigator. blinded, called that he
 was done. replied: You're all right Hang on, eos we've got him cold" and found >time to steady the guns crews with. "Remember the V. c. the King has given the ship. lads"
 THE LAST CHANGE
 At 250 p. m., the submarine abruptly ceased smelling and submerged, Then,
 with only peSiscope showing, he steamed once mort past the ship. As he came abeam under water, the Brit ish captain played one of his remain ing trump cards, and discharged tor pedo; it missed by inches, and passed
 unnoticed. Going very slowly the ene- my then crossed the bow and came down the starboard side. One last des- perate chance remained, and the sec ond torpedo was fired In an agony