The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-05-11
Action of Tides Expected To
Finish Work UndOne.
Ostend HarbOr May Not Be Yet
Entirely Closed.
AIR RAID PRECEDED NAVAL
Took Hun by Surprise-Hard
z Time Finding Entrance.
Exact Results Yet Unknown
But Good Was Done.

y LOnQon, May lit Is declared on
3nquestionable authority that the
Sunken cruiser Vindictive lies in the
neck of the channel at the entrance of
Ostend harbor at an angle of about
40 degrees. 1t is obvious that vessel
300 feet long lying at this angle does
not effectively block a channel some
iS20 feet wide but a very useful pur-
pose has been served.
A partial and very serious blockade
has been achieved and under the con-
Millions of tide and rapid silt prevail
ing on the Belgian coast, the obstruc-
tion will certainly tend to increase.
y 1t is not claimed that the sunken
cruiser will prevent the egress of sub
marines or even entirely stop that Of
destroyers. However, it will material
ly hamper both. and that is impor-
tant. German light craft will not be
able when pursued by British forces
70 rush full speed into the harbor as
they have done heretofore.
no Enemy Surprised.
Conditions were fairly favorable for
the venture. That part of the Belgian
coast is heavily armed and the small
number of British casualties indicates
the enemy was surprised and empha-
sizes the success of the attempt
.iEWith regard to Zeebrugge the Brit
man stories of unrestricted ingress
and egress are inaccurate. Air pho
tographs taken within the last fort
msht are said to demonstrate clearly
the falsity of the enemy statement
IN the case of Ostend. it is COM
puted that at least three or four days
must elapse before the channel can
pc cleared and buoys placed between
the stern of the sunken cruiser and
the land In the meantime the tide
and silt will be at work. In the Zee
brugge case the silt is collecting very
fast DESPITE the work of the enemy
dredges. The position of the block
ing cruisers at Zeebrugge is such that
any attempt to blow up the obstruc-
ton would be fraught with consider
structures.
rs Air Raid Preceded Naval.
The smallness of the casualties sus-
tafned at Ostend Friday does not in
dicate bad shooting by the Germans
The weather conditions were favor
able to he raiders and the Vindictive
carried only sufficient men to work
her properly.
Preparatory to the raid into Ostend
the naval air forces bonn arded the
town and dropped bombs continuous
~ on the harbor works, causing fires.
Later the alrmen were assisted by
destroyers and monitors in lombard
ing the enemy positions heavily.
the entire operation was carried
out on similar lines to the raid of
April %, when concrete laden cruisers
we're sunk in the harbor. of Zeebrugge,
che most important German subma-
zine base. For the second time in a
month a smoke screen was used sue
7tessfully. About 2 O'Clock in the
morning large force of destroyers
and coastal motorboats steamed up
Towards the shore, the motorboats
going along. it. The weather was
Everything desirable until fifteen
minutes before the Vindictive was
sunk, when a sea fog drove in shore
ard reduced the visibility to a range
OF between 800 and 400 yards.
Hard Time Finding Entrance.
The Vindictive experienced the
greatest difficulty in finding the en-
trance to the harbor. The enemy
employed star shells and search lights
extensively and for twenty minutes
the vessel was in full view of the
enemy batteries. AS she cruised up
and down seeking the entrance she
was hit repeatedly and several casual
ties were sustained. 1t was 2:2O
o'clock when the piers were sighted
almost alongside and then the German
guns opened a fearful fire
= Having found his bearings the can
tain swung his concrete laden cruiser
around and rammed her stem against
The eastern pier, leaving his lieuten-
ant TO WORK the engines with the OBJ
ject of sending the ship across the
CHANNEL. He discovered the cruiser
was aground aft, that it was impos-
sible to turn her any further
He called his crew from the engine
room and stoke hole and then set off
explosive charges
- Only Five Reported Dead.
Officers and men who participated
N the venture reported five dead,
tEenty-nine wounded and ten missing
Commodore Hubert Lines, com
Standing the operations, made the fol-
lewing report today:
- sit was lurid scene. At a. m.
the Vindictive arrived, on program
0nne. There was a laundering of
guns on sea and land, the exploding of
lipmbs from the air and an occasional
cry OF agony from the wounded.
Searchlights crossed above the whole
scene, which was further illuminated
BY star shells and the flashes of guns.
FINALLY the old cruiser located the
entrance" the commodore said, and
entered the channel, jamming her bow
against the pier.
~ Motor boats dashed alongside to
take off the crew. In hail of ma
chine gun bullets they transferred two
officers and thirty-eight men and