Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-05-11
ATTACK ON OSTEND
!. UNDER HEAVY FIRE
.
Harbor Not Blocked, But Use
.: full Purpose Served, Brit
ish Declare.
FAILURE, BERLIN SAYS

K
BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, May 1.-THE old cruiser Vim
dictive went to her last berth. $50 to 2Ot
yards within the piers forming the en-
trance to the harbor of Ostend. one of the
German submarine bases on the Belgian
coast under a terrific fire from the Ger
man naval guns and machine guns on the
shore. according to the Central News.
Preparatory to the raid into Ostend the
naval air force bombarded the town anc
dropped bombs continuously on the harbol
works, causing fires. Later. the airmer
were assisted by destroyers and monitors
in bombarding the enemy positions heav,
lily.
The entire operation was carried out or
similar lines to the raid of April %, wher
eoncrete-laden cruisers were sunk in the
harbor Of Zeebrugge, the most important
German submarine base. For the second
Time in a month Il smoke screen was used
successfully. About o'clock in the morn.
ing large force of deStroyers and coasta
motor boats steamed up toward the shore
the motor boats going alongside it. The
weather was everything desirable until
fifteen minutes before the Vindictive was
Sunk, when fog drove in shore and
reduced the visibility to a range between
300 and 400 yards.
Hard to Locate Entrance.
The Vindictive experienced the greatest
difficulty in finding the entrance to the
narbor. The enemy employed star shells
and searchlightS 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 Casualties were
met oil 81 c1n rxyhav he
piers were sighted almost alongside and
then the German machine guns opened a
fearful fire.
Having found his bearings. the cap
tain swung his concrete-laden cruiser
around and rammed her stem against
the eastern pier, leaving his lieutenant
to work the engines with the object of
sending the ship across the channel.
He then discovered that the cruiser
was aground aft and that it was inn
possible to turn her any farther. He
called his crew from the engine room
and stokehold and then set off explo-
stve charges.
,,Airmen, according to the Central
News report, say the Vindctive is lying
submerged at an angle of forty degrees
1t the eastern entrance with her stem
against the pier.
while the vessel was being aban-
doned two motor launches went along
side under a heavy machine gunfire
and succeeded in bringing off the men,
Including the wounded.
Serious Blockade Achieved.
1t is declared on unquestionable au-
thority that the Sunken cruiser Vim
dfctive lies in the neck OF the channel
at the entrance to Ostend harbor at an
angle of about forty degrees. 1t is OBJ
vious that vessel 300 feet long lying
at this angle does not effectively block
a. channel some 800 feet wide. but a
very useful purpose has been served.
A partial and very serious blockade
has been achieved. and under the con-
d4tions of tide and rapid silt prevailing
on the Belgian coast the obstruction
will certainly tend to increase. 1t is
net claimed that the sunken cruiser
will prevent the agrees of submarines
or even entirely stop that of destroyers.
However. it will materially hamper
light craft will not be able. when pur-
sued by British forces. to rush full
speed into the harbor as they have
done heretofore.
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.
Not Truthful About Zeebrugge.
With regard to Zeebrugge the Brit
nh government is satisfied that German
stories of unrestricted ingress and
egress are inaccurate. Air photographs
taken within the last fortnight are said
to demonstrate clearly the falsity of
the enemy statement.
in the case of Ostend it is computed
that at least three or four days must
elapse before tie channel can be cleared
and the buoys> placed between the stern
of the sunken cruiser and the land In
the meantime the tide and silt will be
IL ~14
silt is collecting very fast despite the
work of enemy dr3dges. The position
OF the blocking cruisers at Zeebrugge
Is such that any attempt to blow up
the obstruction would be fraught with
considerable danger to neiShboring per-
manent structures.
The smallness of the casualties sus-
tanned at Ostend Friday does not indi-
cate bad shooting by the Germans. The
weather conditions were favorable to
the raiders. and the Vindictive carried
only sufficient men to work her prop
erly.
Attempt Failure, Berlin Declares.
BERLIN. May 10. via London.-The
British attempt to blockade the harbor
Of Ostend was a failure. according to
an official statement issued today. An
old cruiser. entirely battered to pieces
lies aground before the harbor outside
the navigation channel, and the en-
tfance to the harbor is quite free, the
statement continues.
AT o'clock. Friday morning. British
naval forces. after violent lombard
ment. again made a blockadine; attack or
Ostend. Several enemy ships, which, un-
der the protection of artificial fog. tried &c
force their way into the harbor. were
driven Off by the excellently directed fire
Of our coastal batteries.
Says Harbor Entrance Is Free.
IAN old cruiser. entirely battered &c
pieces. lies aground before the harbor
outside the navigation channel The en-
trance to the harbor is quite free
--SOnly dead men were found On board
the stranded vessel. Two survivors OF
the crew had leaped overheard and were
captured. according to information so far
RECEIVED.
-I"At least two enemy motor boa cs were
shot away and one monitor was badl,
damaged. The blockading attempt, there
fore. has been completely foiled. Once
again the enemy has sacrificed human
HIVES and vessels in vain
MEMBERS OF OMSK'S CREW