New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-12-27
U-Boaf, Used as
A Ram, Sunk by
The NeaU York
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after him, that toward the end, he
rarely ventured more than a few miles
from his base; Immediately we would
start after him, back he would go in
his hole, and haul his hole in after
him.
every inducement was offered him
TO come out. Inferior forces were sent
down into the Heligoland Blight to in
duce him to attack; valuable conveys
were dispatched, apparently without
protection, and other devices to tempt
him out, but he would not come.
at is all but needless to add that
such expeditions, on every occasion,
were we'll guarded, and We were ready
to pounce on him with unseen forces
had he attempted to take advantage of
1.-THE seeming small force or unpro-
tected vessels
Many Narrow Escapes
in our operations in the North Sea
we were frequently attacked by sub
marines, and our battleships had nu-
merous escapes, often only by prompt
and sklful handling.
ION one occasion submarine
rammed the flagship New York dented
the bottom and demolished tire star
board propeller. But there is every
reason to believe that the blows from
the propeller sank the submarine En-
route to drydock. to make repairs and
install a new propeller, three torpedoes
in rapid succession were fired at her
by hostile submarines, but again she
avoided them by clever handwriting
and escaped.
"Once, when guasding or supporting
a convoy of thirty or forty vessels on
the coast of Norway in midwinter, a
bunch of hostile subs fired six torpe-
does at us. Again only our vigilance
and instantaneous maneuvring saved
us, but by very close margin
There were still other attacks bv
submarines which necessitated quick
action to avoid them.
High Seas, Snow and Ice
at would be superfuous to go into
the details Of our operations in the
North Sea, or to mention the rigorous
climate, when the latitude is north of
Sltka, in Alaska, or about equal to that
of Petrograd, in Russia; or the terrific
weather, the cold, sleet, snow, ice and
heavy seas; the arduous and dangerous
navigation, the continuous cruising in
close formation at high speed, without
lights, where the winter nights lasted
eighteen hours, or the dangers of mine
neids-our own, sometimes, as we'll as
those of the enemy--or the repeated
attacks of hostile submarines on our
battleshlps, before mentioned, and the
never ending readiness and vigilance
Of the whole feet to put to sea on all
but instant notice.
Let it be sufficient to say that dur
ing our absence of d year there was
no other condition than that Of con-
slant and continuous readiness for ac-
ton. There was no liberty or leave
n II low
from the ships after dark, nor for a
period longer than four hours, and
then only in the immediate vicinity
Of the ship, in signal or telephone com
munlcatlons, subject to recall
Fleet in Battle Trim
All ships were completely closed
and darkened from sunset to sunrise as
precautlon against air and other at
tacks; in winter this meant from ff-
teen to eighteen hours per day. This,
IN all but an arctic climate, was one
of our many hardships. But there was
no complaint. On the other hand,
every one seemed happy and commended
and all eager to go to sea every time
the occasion demanded in the hopes
that we would meet the Hun feet and
engage it.
"And let me add that with all of
the demands which have been placed
upon the ships of this division, in spite
OF this constant readiness for action.
thclr maintenance, upkeep and eff
cheney under war conditions, with no
general overhaul or repairs, have been
maintained at such high degree that
1t IS no eXaggeration to say that were
they called upon to do so they could
steam around the world as thew are
now and still be ready to 90 into ac-
ton.
"To give an idea of the immense size
and number of vessels employed in the
Grand Fleet, it might be Of interest
mere to state that entering or leaving
port our column of ships, excluding de-
stroyers, was en- an average about
slxty-hve miles long; on one occasion.
seventy-siX miles. It's length was de-
pendent upon weather and other condi-
tions, as well as upon the number of
ships.
Surrendered Ignominiously
And so after four years of war for
the Grand Fleet, and after we had
been part of it for the last year,
there came the debacle. the last scene
OF the great drama. Not as we had
all expected, as the successful termin-
atlon OF great sea battle. but as an
Ignon%lous surrender without firing
gun.
Surely no more complete victory
was ever won, nuor more disgraceful
and Illuminating end could have como
to powerful and much vaunted fleet
as that which came to the German HIGH
Neas fleet Let me try to describe it
to you.
The commanders n-chief of the
Grand Fleet demanded and received
what actually amounted to an uncondi-
tional surrender of the whole German
navy. Under his orders, the onemy's
SHIPS were dlsarmed, ammunition land
ca, torpedo war heads sent ashore.
breach blocks and fire control instru-
ments removed, and every offensive
utlllty rendered innocuous. Then, with
reduced crews, under the command Of
German admiral, in one long column,
inc heavy battleships leading, the Hun
neet sailed for q designated rendez-
Vous, TO arrive at specified time. lust
outside of the Firth of Forth in Scot
land, where the Grand Fleet Law at
anchor
Americans at Surrender
"Bfore daylight the Grand Fleet was
underway and proceeded to sea, head
ing east, IN two long columns, six
miles apart, our American battleshin
force being IN the middle of the north
ern line. A light British cruiser was
directed to meet the Germans. who
were headlng west and conduct them
III between our two columns
Here let me divcrge for a moment
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