The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-04-10
j. s. SUBMARINES
CROSS ATLANTIC
Brave the Severest Weather
of Years to Join the Hunt
of the U-BOats
DEP Arturo WAS
LONG CONCEALED
Own Power, Ready for Duty-One
Ship Forced Back to Port Tried Again
Successfully.

WASHINGTON, April 10.--in the
face of bitter winter gales, American
submarines, primarily designed for oper-
|ations off the home coasts, have crossed
the Atlantic to engage in the common
fight against German T-boats They are
now aiding allied naval forces, as are
American destroyers and American
naval airmen, and they have Been in the
war zone for some months
Secretary Daniels revealed the fact
| that the submarines had gone lover
there in his address at Cleveland last
Saturday at a Liberty loan celebration,
but gave no details. It is now possible
however, to tell for the first time of the
mldwinter passage of the boats across
the sea in the most severe weather
known in years. In the perilous pas
have been maintained.
| The first submarine to leave got
under way in early winter. Arrange
ments for the trip were made without
|
fact, until Secretary Daniels spoke, no
word of the participation of the under
water boats in the war against Germany
had been published.
The navy had some experience with
long -distancc work with submarines on
which to draw. Boats have been sent
to the Philippines, to Hawaii and to
Panama, but always i'll mild seasons Of
the year and with plenty of time for
precautionary steps.
This time, however, they We're to 60
in winter, and terrible winter at that.
with the Atlantic in its ugliest mood.
The steps taken to get them across can
not be disclosed. but the fact that the
department has no disaster to record is
pointed 10 as proof of their sufficiencv.
Officers and men of the submarines
faced hard days as they put out.
Cramped in narrow quarters and with
. storms in prospect. they steered TO sea
with complete confidence in themselves
i, and their boats. \ laeonic report Of
: uncventful voyages bore out that conf
dence.
In mjd-Deccmber others got started
While il was fair on sailing day, ahead
. of the submarines a 100 mile gale was
brewing. Into this they plowed, rolling
and tumbling Details Of the com
; manders reports have not been made
: public, but among the crews uadoubted
. " were men who recalled the first en-
, Iploymcnt of the submarines at man
: oeuvrcs when Scasickness all but pu
: the tlotilla out of commission.
;. But there was no faltcring. The boat
O. were going to the front IN real warfare
: this time. Even when tow-lines parte,
-.
. accompanying craft, the submarine
battled forward alone. A majority o
! them reached their destination undo
. their own power, ready for duty
= Some of the boats were driven ia
4 from their course. They showed up a
is different ports, but promptly put to SCI
. again and reached their station.
!, One boat was the hard luck vessel 0
! the lot Separated from the fotilla i
II the first storm and its compasses out 0
# !order, it turned homeward, only to strik
l. two more gales in quick succession
II However, it made port successfully an
unchanged.
e. With new fuel and supplies aboard
10 with man or two, worn out by the Ion
10 struggle with the elements, replaced, i
h a few days the boat put to sea again.
as went through that time despite a fourt
at gale it encountered.
S Little has been said of the work {
the British and French submarines
the U-boat hunt They are playing
= definite part, however and lurkin
close to enemy bases. There have bee
encounters between submarines, repor
of which read like fiction. The serviC
has been described as a trying one ft
which men of courage and daring al
needed 1t is in this work, presumabl
that the American submarines arc q
i gagged.