Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-06-28
ASK NO QUARTER
IN FIGHTS WITH
HUN U-BOATS
Lion-Hearted British Crews Give
Good Account Of Themselves
in Sea Warfare.
MANY DEEDS OF hEROISh
Led by Clever Shippers, Sailors Bat
tie Against Almost Hopeless ODDS,
Winning Victory Frequently BY
Scsntiest tf Margins.

winning siAASiy 'Nts -
Seantiest tf Margins.
London Sometimes II is illmninat-
ing 10 look deeper into shipping :e-
ports than the statement, Tor instance,
that in three weeks six, four aud
eleven British ships of more than luU
tons haze been sunk" Doing 50, one
finds that In one Observation-Disclosures
10 mid-April--64 vessels We're at
tackled by U-boats and escaped.
From the logs Of a few tramp ships
in the custody OF the admiralty which
have come safely to port with Their
eargoes IN recent days some typical
tales may be told,
A tramp proceeding NJ leiSurely
six knots, entered the danger zeue.
All precautions We're taken, extra
lookouts were posted and the gun
crew-for she was defenSiNely ARMED
We're standing round their piece
The day had just dawned and there
was every promise Of fine day An
other three miles away to port, with
the red of the morning sun glinllns
on her gray back, German suhma-
rine was sighted.
As she was seen the U-hoat opened
fire and shells dropped ail round me
steamship. which shifted her helm ana
put the u-hoat dead astern. firing at
her all the time. The steamship
gun crew were very cool aud planted
their shells all round the submarine;
and the U-boat dill not like ii hit.
Then the steamship put up a smoke
screen and the uboat Owed IN i
panic. apparently expecting instant
dissolution.
Second u.Eoat Appears.
She had hardly disappeared when
another U-boat. about 500 feet long,
and mounting guns fore ana Mt Of the
coming tower broke surface. The
smoke screen was no longer service
able, for the wind was blowing the
wrong way; SO the steamship let lly
at her second antagonist, who replied
with yigor. shrapnel sprinkling the
tramps decks. For half an hour the
fight went on. Then one of the steau-
ships shells fell close to She C-b01l
which dived and vanished under the
water Just MS patrol boat appeared
on the scene and loosed off a couple
of devastating rounds. 1t was q ilne
performance to beat off two pirate
ships in such short space of time
ana master and guns crew received
concentration from my lords OF the
admiralty.
lii another case 1t was q duel both
of gunnery and sealnanshlp. Proceed
inc steadfnstly on her course, Brit
ish steamship heard guntlre in tile
distance, but coild see nothing Of the
enemy. The propeller thrust her
ahead.
The white cliffs of Albion were lift.
ing on the horizon when, just as tWi'
light was falling. a U-bOat appeared
a point or two on the starhoard bow
to the northWard. Instantly al
hands were ordered to their stations
Helm was put full over, and the l-boa'
brought astern, fire being opened OF
the enemy, while fireboX was light
ed 1t was difficult to distinguish th'
enemy--a large boat APPARENT,
mounting two guns which maneu
vered backward and forward acros
the steamships course IN an endeayo
to bring both her guns into action a
the same time.
Skipper Gets Fritz in Tange.
But the British skipper was a bette
seaman than the German, and he skill
fully thwarted the enemys schem,
ana got I'ritz In no end of a tanRlt
Now and again the U-boat scored
hit. The steamships wireless aerial
were carried away. her mainmast wa
holed, the exhaust stcampipe was pei
foratpd and the starb0ard llleh0u
and dinghy damaged But that Iii
not bother the steamship or her crew
The latter were -rinniug at the gul
ncrs, Hh0 were having an eNaSpera
ing time Of it. lusi imagine Il ere
Of expert guuners With "a fine gun, an
a burning desire to strafe Il subm
riue uAing that their gun pNtfor
has collapsed, and that Wit, a "sul
as a urget obey have to fire more
less ~ gueSsWork.
Bnt rs the navy men always 4
these gunners buckled to. The q
Kicked abomnabiy, and the sight
had his eyes hluckened and his fa
cut bat despite this the shooting W