The Benson signal., 1918-05-18
RECORDS TELL HOW AMERICAN
DESTROYERS SINK SUBMARINES
Vessels Guarding Convoy Forced Germans to Surrender After Depth
Charge and Shell Fire-"Mosqlto Fleet" With Crews of
Youths, Does Great Work in Danger Zone-NeIson
Touch in One Fight

cheerful disregard for anything but
duty. For-~not only must our under
sea craft run the risk of being fired
on by enemy ships, but they have also
to chance. shots from British cruisers
and armed vessels, who "let fly when
ever they see a periscope which they
cannot identify.
Nelson Touch In One Fight ::
There was a Nelson touch about the
destruction of one U-boat which would
have appealed strongly. to the little ad-
miral who looks down from his lofty
eminence in Trafalgar Square upon the
Admiralty building in Whitehall.
Sighting the German, the @Britisher
dived and gave chase, worked blind on
the course her commander laid and
trusted somewhat to luck Now and
again. her periscOpe broke water for
second or so-only long enough for
her skipper to confirm his course and
bearings. Then the British navigated
into shallow water, so shallow indeed
that to avoid being seen she had to
scrape the bottom, humping uncomfort-
ably and dangerously all the while, and
had also to dip her periscope.
Luck was with her, and she avoided
breaking surface until she came to a,
position favorable for attack, between
500 and 900 yards from the U-boat,
which, unsuspecting, was lying awash,
her coming tower open. Some Of her
crew were indeed spreading the wind
screen in preparation for trip on the
surface -
Little did they dream that in a few
seconds they would be on their way to
"Davy Jones's Locker" But so it hap
pened. Away with a hiss went the
torpedoes from her tubes, and as they
sped on their errand the Britisher was
shifted SO that another tube was
brought to bear on the enemy. The
commander was taking no chances,
and If the bow tubes missed he was
ready to have another go. But the
bow tubes had been "well and truly
laid" ON the target, and twenty seconds
after the torpedoes had been fired
dull explosion was heard by the Brit
ish crew.
Oily Substance on Surface.
But there was no sign of the U-boat.
There was great disturbance upon
the water where the pirate had last
been seen, and when the Britisher
reached the spot the sea was found
covered with a thick layer of oily sub
stance A wireless to the depot port
and another red dot went on the chart
which records the fate of the pirates.
In the dawn Of a bright morning
British submarine sighted AN enemy
U-boat running on the surface and at
once dived to get into a favorable pO--
sition for attack. AS the navy would
say, she proceeded as requisite" for
fifteen minutes and, rising until her.
perfscope was above water, picked up
her quarry again. The skipper wanted
to make sure Of his game.
Carefully and expertly he maneuver-
ed his boat into a; favorable position.
Then quick order and out of the tube
a shining ''tin fish" sped toward the
Hun. In less than a minute the explO.
sion was heard, and up to the surface
came. the Britisher to look for results.
Right ahead the sea was covered with
big patch of oil, in whic ich three men
were swimming. Two were picked up
by one Of the submarines boats; the
other sank before he could be reached.
Another Of the kaiser's pets had "gone
west"