Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1918-05-02

.London.-1n big room in Whitehall
there are kept all the records of Brit
tsh merchant ships encounters with
U-boats. There they are, volumes and
volumes Of the most damning evil
t1ence, indelible for all time, of Ger
man savagery and British bravery.
Ever since Germany's cold-blOoded
frightfulness ut sea began these rec
prds have been piling up in this room |;
and only now are they being allowed
TO see the light.
They tell Of all kinds Of ships, from
big liners down to tiny schooners. All
ARE short, but realistic, testifying to
the British merchant sailors behavior
Against the ugliest methods of German
warfare. They tell of fights with
submarines. often against enormous
odds. and Of hairbreadtheescnpes Of
gallant rescues and perllous adven-
lures In small boats ON the open seas;
pf German submarine crews who
Jeered at their victims, and of some
few cases where the German crews
helped to rescue them.
Here Is typical story of fight
between a merchantmen with a little
gun and U-boat. It is perhaps one
of the longest Of the records.
/; There was n heavy sea, with squalls
Of rain, and the time was five minutes
TO three In the morning. The captain
ways:
Sighted Submarine Ahead.
(, almost Immediately sighted a
submarine right ahead. crossing from
ktarboard to port. 1t was very big
bpe. and there were four or five men
. around the coming tower. put helm
hard a-starboard and tried to ram
him, but missed by feet, as could
hear the men shouting aboard her. As
soon as I saw l had missed her I
sung ont to the guns crew: Look out
flose on port side there!' and put
The helm hard aport to bring the enc
my astern.
almost Immediately afterward ]
heard the report of my gun, and, turn
ing round. saw big bright flareup in
the water in the port quarter like a
big explosion. This was verified BY
the guns crew. the second officer and
the mate, who was the spotting officer.
About ten minutes afterward I no
kiced what appeared to be the wake
of torpedo passing along the port
side, and shouted the guns crew :
fLook out port quarter againr and
put the helm to port; but as I was
calling out my orders second oflcer
and guns crew observed the bow and
stern wake Of submarine on port
Auarter steering parallel to US and
tcoming on at good speed.
"We fred on him. but made no hit,
and l ordered the men to cease fire.
hs hoped to escape in the darkness,
and the flash Of the gun was very
brilliant. 1t being a dark night.
then ordered the chief engineer to get
his men down the stokehold and drive
the vessel to his utmost, and ordered
the guns crew to stand by gun. and
every one to put lifebelt on"
The captain continues with a fine
touch Of unintentlonal bravado:
Felt Enemy Was Pursuing.
"As the officers had not yet had
their coffee told the steward to &c,
It for them and went back to the
bridge and spoke to the second officer
about keeping n sharp lookout. as
felt somehow that the enemy wal
chasing u.s."
He was. sure enough, for, adds thu
captain:
"About twenty minutes past 81,
O'Clock went below to the chart room
to get our position again. and almos
Immediately I heard terrific explo
slon on the port side. ran up OF
the bridge and ordered all boats on
knd called the wireless operator t,
send out an s O 8 and give our posi-
don. AS his machine broke down al
most Immediately we got no reply. /
few seconds after the first explosion
heard the heavy, dull. explosion