The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-10-09

has solved the mystery of our strange situation. "our boat is caught be- tween the stowage of dead body"
 These "dead bodies" are pontoons that float in the roadstead like buoys The big boats are moored to them. A network of chains holds this enor- nous pontoon fastened to the bottom of the sea. Now, the x-6o upon sub- merging, was caught under one of these dead bodies." It now finds itself held by the meshes of the net work of chains.
 The commander has stood up, "My children he says. Faces arise from the depths of the submarine. The twenty-four men are there, all ready for their chief. My children, we are no doubt going to perish miser- ably in this coffin, ten meters from the open air, It is unfortunate. It is stupid. Nol Don't you think so? We must not perish like this, It is too miserable, If at least the torpe- do tube were useable. We could at random launch our weapons into the roadstead, toward the shore of the port. We should certainly demolish something, on a chance. And then they would notice that we are here. 1 They would Lombard us or snatch us up. We would be blown up or be taken prisoners. It would soon be over. But alas, there is nothing to be done. The tube is paralyzed. .' | The officer collects himself. Then he says grimly: "No, indeed, we must not die like that. I would rather blow up the house. That would be better, wouldn't it?"
 The men listened impassively. Their silence is an acquiescense in the chiefs proposal. Oh, yes, they will
 all prefer to be blown up to perishing in the agony of suffocation, which rem
 ders mad before it kills. The sailor
 who does not fear death, fears suffo-
 cation, sad and terrible.
 But there is hopel The second off cer explains the plan to the comman- der. It is a manoeuver in extremity
 'It will either break everything or
 bring us freedom!"
 The maneuver consists in driving full speed ahead and in turn going "engine ahead" reverse engine" The submarine will be tossed about like 8 raving man in a spasm. The chain:
 which hold it imprisoned will nc
 doubt resist under these blows. I'm
 shell will perhaps resist.
 The desperate maneuver Is deter
 mined upon.
 My friends, are you there?" in
 ouired the chief in a voice the clear l ness of which made it tragic.
 "Yes, commander, we are here," re piled the second officer from the si lent bunk quarters.
 Good, then .. my children, to al of you, Goodbye - rather-No!-a1 revoir-Now!"
 And to cut short too violent stir ring of the soul, without furthe stopping he orders the maneuver Full -ahead-back-"
 The X-5O trembles, quakes, as if were going to split. The men ST crouching, holding on to resist the jol
 but they roll about in the steel shell tossed about among the accumulator : and the machinery. The jolt is s violent that the chains which ar
 holding the submarine at the prov break asunder. But the. tension so great that the X-50, shot like giant arrow, made g. powerful boun above the sea and then fell bacl amidst an internal splash of spout of water.
 And the German sailors who wer watching on the mole saw tndistnci ly, in the uncertain light of the break . ing day, this fantastic spectacle. Tn
 watchers, surprised, dumb founded did not immediately recognize sub
 marine in this monster from anothe . planet. A moment of reflection an 3 they collect themselves. It could on a Iy be a French or an English subma s rine. They aim their cannons- 0 But the apparition is lost under tn waters.
 | The X-5o goes ahead, at full spec , Inside of it, we are all stunned. Som are grooming, wounded. But the sut marine is still alive. It runs. Tn = second officer, watchful with all h y extraordinary energy, has gotten u
 and Is before the maneuver switch $ board.
 : The commander is at the micro U phone. 'They are shooting :" Coul . age, They won't get us ..." e Boldly, he even has the periscoT = raised. We must pick a way ol . through the channel. Good-it Ie done. A few maneuvers to get diret = ton and we are in the course tn; U leads us to the open sea and to saf' g ty.
 r. Oh, the noise that comes towar us through the waters The sound l. shells. It seems as if giant frol 5 the bottom of the sea is blowing upC our little shell. The noise com'
 nearer The shell of the vessel r, . sounds The shell balances itsel
 The shell leaps. Now the noise is s deep rumbling. We are passir 'o 70 is running too deep, they are not g . ing to reach us. And the chief erie
 suddenly. we are free. .!'' I Certainly, from all points of tl
 German sea, destroyers, torpedo boa 10 trawlers are going to try to bar ol way. But the sea is immense, and s submarine in the sea is a. very lit = thing! A technician like our con " mander will know how to guide = ark in spite of these somewhat va
 traps.
 The men gradually recover fro ,e their stunned condition. No one n seriously injured And the machil 'H cry has suffered only secondary dan !. age.
 IL By night time we shall be back
 our port.
 10 THE WFAT