The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-04-23
Ostend and Zeebrugge Raided
With Success.
Five Old Cruisers Grounded To
Block Channels.
ARE Chief U-BOAT BASES
Washington Says 1t Is Part of
Big Campaign.
Recent Raid in Cattegat a Blow
at Submarines.

London. April 23.-British naval
forces today raided the German sub
marine bases of Ostend and Zeebrugge,
the admiralty announced. Five old
cruisers which had been filled with
concrete for use in blocking the chan
nels were run aground. blown up and
abandoned by their crews.
The admiralty reports that accord
ing to incomplete information thus
far received the raid met with rea-
sorable measure of success.
An Enemy Destroyer Sunk
London. April 23.-Storming parties
were landed on the Mole from the
Cruiser Vindictfve. The casualties to
the personnel, said Sir Eric. was heavy
in proportion to the number en-
gagged. An enemy destroyer was tor
pedoed at Zeebrugge.
The casualties to British craft, Sir
Eric said. We're one destroyer and two
coastal motor boats sunk and two
launches missing.
While the operation was in prog
ress Sir Eric announced British parties
We're landed to distract the enemy.
The officer who developed the scheme
of attack was killed.
BruScs Canal Blocked.
Two of the blockading ships were
sunk and blown up at the entrance
To the Bruges canal The piling be-
side the Mole at Zeebrugge was blown
up by an obsolete submarine filled
with explosives
The B-uges canal is about six miles
long, running from the city of that
. name to the North sea at ZeeDrugge.
This canal is of great value to the
Germans because the principal base
of the submarines operating from Zee
brugge is at Bruges. where there are
1ClN cI1f hrri1E n 1iT,cy
yards.
Very Important Bases.
The ports of Ostend and Zeebrugge
on the Belgian coast are the principal
bases for the operation of the sub
marines in their campaign against
shipping in the North sea and Eng
lish channel. They are of great i'm
portance to the Germans for this pur-
pose and it has been recognized by the
allies that to deprive the enemy of
them would be one of the most effec-
tive means of dealing with the sub
marine
An attack on the ports by the Brit
ish fleet has been urged. but the Brit
ish naval authorities apparently re-
gard the la nd defenses as too strong
to make this practicable. Various
measures have been adopted to destroy
German submarines on entering or
leaving these ports. Field Marshal
Haig'S offensive in Flanders last sum-
rner was generally believed to have as
one of its main objectives the bending
hack of the German northern flank Sc
as to deprive the enemy of these two
points
Washington, April 23.-News of the
British raid on the German subma-
rine bases at Ostend and Zeebrugge
and of the attempt to bottle up THESE
.. harborel was received with great IN
terest at the navy department Ine
sten in the carefully planned cam
paign against the U-Noats. which. it ha:
heen repeatedly predietod would beglr
TO show material results about this
time.
Tho recent raid of the British grand
f1eet into the Cattegat when ten Ger
man trawlers were sunk was SAID tc
have been another of the steps to pre-
vent the egress of the submarines.
Tt has long been esta hlished that thf
DrIncipal bases of submarines whicf
operate in those waters around the
British Isles IRE in the captured Bel
riau ports The wharves. workshops
and basins of those harbOrS have beer
frenuentlv bombed bv allied airmen
in several instances with good results
No Details Known Yet.
London. April 23.-With the excep
ton of covering ships. the force EN-
Moved consisted of auxiliary vessels
and six obsolete cruisers. Five o
these cruisers filled 18th concrete
were used as block ships and after be
ing run GROUND were. in accordance
with orders. blown up and abandoned
bv the crews. further communion
will be issued when reports have beei
received from the ships which ar
now returning to their bases.
No reports of casualties has ye
been received.
Ent ancc Is Blocked.
London April 23.-In all probabil
ifv the entrance to the Bruges cana
has been blocked effectively in conse
quence of the naval raid, Sir Fri
Ceddes first lord of the admiralty. an
ICnnfinned ON Para TWol