Evening journal., 1918-08-06
BY the United Press.

BY tne Unlted Press.
LONDON, July (by msil)-Amons
those, who recently have been released
from German prison camps and who
have reached this country via Switzer-
land is a captain Of a merchant vessel
who was taken prisoner by the COM
mander Of a submarine after his vessel
had been torpedoed and who spent IS
days in the U-bOat. This was the SEQ
ond ship in which the British captain
had been torpedoed.
The captains story follows:
MY ship was torpedoed without
warning The force Of the explosion
was so great that the bridge was
wrecked, and when l recovered from
Me shock found the ship was sinking.
None of the crew was injured and we
were all able TO get away in the boats.
"As we were In British waters, and
IL was broad daylight / did not fear
that we would not soon reach land,
but hardly had we pulled clear Of the
sinking ship than the u emerged. The
commander summoned us to his vessel,
and ordered me to go on board. After
asking for details OF my ship and car
20, he told me TO consider myself
prisoner, and sent the boats away.
was at once taken below and the YES
sci dived
From what some English speaking
members OF the crew told me the sub
marine had been away from her base
for some days. She was a fairly large
craft, OF recent numbering, having three
torpedo tubes, two in the bows and one
aft and carrying ten torpedoes. ShO
was also armed with a i-inch gun just
forward Of the coming tower. / had
arrived Just in time for the midday
meal stew and stringy meat which was
probably horseflesh, small portions OF
sausage, and black bread. This bread
as the voyage progressed became mil
dewed, and then some bread Of lighter
color which had been kept in an her
metically sealed receptacle was served
out, but was even more unpalatahle
than the black bread. The other meals
were breakfast and supper at which
coffee. made Of burnt barley and acorns
was served.
The commander aud officers Of the
U-boat Jared the same as the lower
ratings. but were able TO supplement
their allowances with timed ham. Life
on board the submarine was by no
means pleasant. Forced as we were
to keep below the surface to avoid
the British war vessels the boat sweat
ed and all spare slothing became sat
urated with moisture, while the atmos-
phere often became very foul, and
breathing diflcult. While we were be-
low surface the crew would switch on
the talking machine. That was the
band which played triumphantly when
the U-boat got a victim. Sinking OF
an innocent merchantmen caused that
crew as much Joy as II they had sunk
a wan vessel.
while l was on board we had vic
tory music" on seven occasions. for
six steamers were torpedoed. and one
sailing vessel sunk by gunflre. 80 shells
being necessary to do this. Tie U-boa.
also attacked by gunfre several other
steamers during the voyage; but had
10 submerge, owing TO Intervention OF
British war vessels.
"On the third day ] gathered that the
U-boat was about 10 carry out an at
tack on a convoy which had been sight !
ed. The boat approached under water
for some distance, and torpedoed
large steamer. Our whereabouts were
evidently detected for we dived rap
idly to a great depth. Hardly had the |
boat got on an even keel when we
heard a tremendous explosion which /
caused the submarine TO vibrate from /
stem 10 stern. It was a depth charge |
The effect on the crew was evident /
All stood trembling, with faces blanch-
ed with fear, not attempting 10 speak
q word, expecting a second charge. For
some moments we waited. Engines
were stopped and all means were taxi