The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-04-10
], S. SUBMARINES
CROSS OCEAN TO
BATTLE U-B0ATS
Voyages Made in Face Of
the Most Severe Weather
in Years.

WASHINGTON, ID. c.. April 10
In the face Of bitter winter gales
American submarines, primarily de-
signed for operations off the home
coasts. have crossed the Atlantic to
engage in the common fight against
German. U.boats. They are now aid
ing allied naval forces, as are Amer
lean destroyers and American naval
airmen, and they have been in the
war zone for some months.
II Is now possible to tell for the
first time of the midwinter passage
Of the boats across the seas in the
face of the most severe weather
known in years. In the perilous pass
age the best traditions Of the service
have been maintained
The first submarines to leave got
under way in early winter. Arrange
ments for the trip we're made without
word Of the participation of the un-
derwater boats in the. war against
Germany had been published.
No Disaster Reported.
The steps taken to get them across
cannot be disclosed. but the fact that
the department has no disaster to re-
cord is pointed to as proof of their
sufficiency.
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 and their boats. \ laconic
report of uneventful voyages bore out
theirc onfidence.
In mid-December others got start
ed. While it was fair on sailing dav.
ahead Of the submarines a 1OO-mile
gale was brewing. Into it they blow
ed. rolling and tumbling. Details of
the commanders reports have not
been made public, but among the
crews undoubtedly were men VINO re-
called the first employment of the
submarines at maneuvers, when sea
sickness all but put the flotilla out of
commission.
But there was no faltering The
boats were going to the front in real
warfare this time. Even when tow
lines parted in some cases. unknown
to the tugs and accompanying craft,
the submarines battled forward alone
A majority Of them reached their
destination under their own power,
ready for duty.
One Hard Luck Vessel.
Some Of the boats were driven far
from their course. They showed up
at differtn ports, but promptly put to
sea again, and reached their station.
One boat was the hard luck vessel
OF the lot. Separated from the flotilla
in the first storm and it's compasses
out Of order, it turned homeward.
only to strike two more gales in quick
succession. However, it made port
successfully and undamaged. e
With new fuel and supplies aboard
and with man or two worn out by
the long struggle with the elements,
replaced. in a few days the boat put
to sea again. 1t went through that
time. despite fourth gale it encoun-
tered.
Little has been said of the work of
the British and French submarines in
the U-boat hunt. They are playing a
definite part, however. and lurking
close to enemy bases. There have
been encounters between submarines
reports OF which read like fiction.
The service has been described as a
trying one. for which men of courage
and daring are needed It is in that
work. presumably. that the American
submarines are engaged.