Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-05-10
BLOCK U-BOAT BASE
At 0STEND, SINKING
CRUISER IN HARbOR
British Naval Forces Make
New and Successful Raid on
Belgian Coast.
WARSHIP VINDICTIVE
USED AS. OBSTRUCTION
Sunk Squarely Across Entrance to
Port-Canal at Zeebrugge Has Not
Yet Been Cleared by Germans.
By the Associated Press,

By the Associated Press.
LONDON, May 10-The German sub
marine base of Ostend, on the Belgian
coast, has been blocked as result of q
new raid by the British naval forces
the admiralty announces. The obsolete
cruiser Vindictive, filled with concrete
has been sunk across the entrance to the
harbor.
Text of Announcement.
The announcement follows:
Operations designed to close the
successfully completed last night when
the obsolete cruiser Vindictive was
sunk between the piers and across the
entrance to Ostend harbor.
"Since tie attack on Zeebrugge on
April % the vindictive had been filled
with concrete and fitted as block
ship for this purpose.
"Our light forces have returned to
their base with the loss of one motor
launch. which had been damaged and
was sunk by orders Of the vice admiral
to prevent it from falling into the
hands Of the enemy.
Our casualties were uRnt.
Bruges Canal Still Blocked.
Photographic and other evidence from
Zeebrugge shows that the Bruges canal
is still entirely blocked as a result of
the British raid of April %. and that it
cannot be used. The obstructfons, 1t
has been found, were better placed than
was at first supposed. German attempts
to clear the waterway are meeting
W n nj ri t{ch
air activity and other causes.
Regarding report. that German SUBJ
marines have beth unable to enter
Flemish ports and have had to return
unable to obtain confirmation in naval
quarters.
Secret Preparations.
DOVER. England. May 1o-The de-
cision to send the vindictive to Ostend
from the Zeebrugge raid, and the task
Of filling her with concrete was begun
Immediately.
AS in the joint raid on zeebrugge and
ostend. this latest British naval exploit
was kept a well guarded secret. AS an
evidence Of this It is recalled that after
the battle-scarred cruiser returned
from Zeebrugge an urgent request was
made that she be sent up the Thames
to London for public view. The author
llicS uIu Hot encourage tHe proposal,
however. and the agitation subsided.
All the time the old vessel was being
,overhauled for her last voyage.
FHers Bomb zeebrugge.
AMSTERDAM. May 1o.-strong allied
flying squadrons bombed the mole and
the village of Zeebrugge, the German
submarine base on the Belgian coast, at
noon and in the evening Thursday. No
military damage was done, according to
an official statement issued in Berlin.
Two of the hostile airpIanes were shot
down by German airmen.
In the raid on Zeebrugge and Ostend
on April % the light cruiser Vindictive
landed British storming parties on the
mole at Zeebrugge. the attackers doing
considerable damage to the mole after
storming German batteries. Commander
Alfred Carpenter was promoted to be
captain for bravery in action. The
Vindictive was damaged severely in the
action at Zeebrugge
The Vindictive was built, at Chatham
in 1897. She displaced $3.50 tons and
her complement was $50 men,