The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-01-24


IT =.----=-
absorbs in an hour IS liters of air
man asleep only Is liters. well
drilled crew, off duty is therefore ex-
pected to sleep at once.
1.-The distance of vision varies some
what under water, as we look through
the side windows cut into the steel
armor % the commanders coming
towar. But in any case the vision
under seas is of the shortest and does
not extend beyond a few meters. We
are unaware therefore of advancing
ships, derelicts or projecting rocks,
and no outlook can preserve US from
those dangers.
LAS we advance underseas, unless
passing through a school of fish we
seldom see any fish, for the noise of
the propellers frightens them away;
but when we lie at rest on the bot
tom of the ocean the elecritc lights
allure them and they come and stare
at us with goggIing eyes, close to the
windows in the turret."
A chapter on the workings of the
boat at sea, follows, and the reader
| is brought up to the point where an
enemy ship is sighted, and the U-boat,
submerging, lies in wait. The COM
mander watches through his per1s-
cope. During these short glimpses
the commander only perceives a lit
tie ship and the wide round plate OF
the reflected sea, with its dancing
waves, while the nervous tension OF
the expectant crew increases every
minute.
eat last is heard joyous outcry
from the commander, The fellows are
coming!-and after one quick glance
to locate the enemy exactly the peri
SCOPE is lowered. Now every heart
beats with happy anticipation, and
every nerve quivers with excitement.
The U-boat comes into range, the
torpedo is discharged and the crew
remains in anxious. suspense until a
dull report provokes throughout our
boat loud cheers for Kaiser and for
empire. Radiant with joy, the COM
mander breathes a sigh of relief, and
he does not check the young sailor
at the wheel who seeks to grasp his
hand and murmur his fervent con-
CALCULATIONS"
Apparently his comrades share his
Iure from some German port he says:
AS we glide rapidly out of port we
exchange by mutual signs a few last
greetings with our less favored com
rades on the decks of the ships we
leave behind, who no doubt also long
to go forth and meet the enemy
Probably the most thrilling incident
lin the book is the fight between the
submarine and a British merchant
steamer sighted in a heavy wind north
of the Sicily Isles.
Turning about and breasting the
waves, we faced the oncoming steam
er and signaled her to stop; but hard-
w had she spied US than she also
turned about in the hope of escape
Even after We had fired a
warning shot she tried by rapid ano
tortuous curves to return to her Tor
: mer course and endeavor thereby te
: reach her home port.
"Heantime she sent up rockets as
signals of distress This oollgee
: MS to fire a. decisive shot, and WITH
: a loud report our first shell struck thF
shin close to the captains bridge. In
: stead of resigning himself to his fate
the Englishman sent up more signals
and hoisted the British flag. Cir
l cling round US, he tried to ram us WIZ
his PROV.
g EVERY time he veered about he of
/ fared us his broadside for shot. Gu
s aunners had a hard time of it; tn
= high seas poured over the low deci
r and they continually stood up TO thei
e necks in the cold salt water.
n English flag staff at the stern, but tn
g Union Jack was quickly hoisted agai1
e on the foretop. This was also sho
: down and third time the flag fleV
q from a line of the yard on the fore
:, top.
q "The fight lasted four hours with
out our being able to deliver the deat
stroke. Several fires had started o
the steamer, but the crew had pee
able to keep them under control; bl
holes capped open in the ships slo'
Z It often occurred that in the act c
firing the waves choked our cannon
land the shot went Missing throug
: tremendous sheets of water while "
: were blinded by a deluge of foam.
ut was now essential for/us to PIT
n N end to this deadly combat fc
, English torpedo-boat destroyers wei
= Eurrying on to the calls of dlstre'
h Of the steamer. The ship by this TIN
was listing so heavily that it was ev
v dent we need waste no more OF OF
r. ammunition, and besides the appeal
1, auce of another big steamer on u
e horizon was an enticing inducemel
b to Quit the battle scene and seek al
y other victim.
I'VE cast a last look at our courage
6, Gus adversary, who was gradual
r. sinking, and I must add that it WI
g, the first and last prey whose end
did not have the satisfaction to wi
IL cess.