Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-14
BRITISH E.BOATS' DARING FEATS
DISCLOSED BY LOG EXTRACTS
Big German Ships Put Out Of Commission Without Damage
to the Attacking Craft-Another Fought Duel
With Airship

London, June ~.
THE British Admiralty announcement
i made some time ago that seven
British submarines remaining In Rus
sian waters had been destroyed In order
to prevent them falling into the hands
Of the enemy brought 10 close long
story Of great daring and no little
achievement. Previous to this. for over
three years, British submarines had been
operating In the Baltic. proving q con-
slant source Of harassrnent to the Ger
mans In their efforts to bring cargoes of
ores and metals across the Baltic from
Sweden. During the greater part Of this
time. before the Russians fell out Of the
struggle. the British submarines were
engaged in keeping the Russian naval
authorities informed as to the goings
and comings OF the German feet based
on the Baltic ports. SO vigorous and
effective was their work that whenever
British submarines were reported in the
vicinity German cargo vessels were kept
In harbor.
Needless to say. none OF the opera
tions Of the E-boats, as tine British sub
marines are called, were attended by any
of the inhuman acts which have char
actsrized the German submarine war
fare. Either the crews of enemy ships
which were sunk were given time TO get
clear away in their boats or the cub
marine stood by until they were rescued
by some neutral vessel. During the
whole three years not one OF these sub
marines was captured or destroyed. and
Il must be r matter of no little salts
faction TO their commanders and their
| crews that even ultimately none OF their
vessels fell into German hands. The log
.-l =
miralty has made available to the press,
are notable reading. And although as
one writer has remarked about It. to
those who have no technical knowledge
much OF the story, recorded In these
books might be monotonous, nevertheless
TO those who have any imagination with
which to clothe the plain oficial state
ment, they are full OF stirring incidents.
Attack Big German Vessels
! Among these, one Of the most re.
| markable is certainly the attack or
the Prinz Adalbert. "a big German
vessel with three tunnels and two very
high masts." as the log describes her
She had two destroyers zig-zasginE
about her. and the submarine fired a
torpedo at her from her bow tube
| There was a vivid crash, a loud con
cussion and the entire ship was hid.
den in great c'oud of gray smol D
| AS many portions of the ship wert
falling into the water the submarine
submerged. and rising to the surface
a few moments afterward could find nc
trace Of the ship.
Then there was the case of the Ger
mania, Of Hamburg. She was dscov
cred by q submarine heading recklessl.
toward the shore. The submarine com
mander fired gun to warn her of hei
danger. but she failed to realize 1t IL
time. and actually went ashore. 81
proceeded alongside cautiously" tn,
log continues, ito save the crew. ant
help to salve the ship. but found tina
she was abandoned. Then for an hour
attempts to steam and tow her of
failed to move the ship and as tl.
water was gaining in the engine room
had to abandon her. after taking thu
ships papers for safe custody, and re-
moving fresh meat 'or the use Of thu
crew. The cargo" It is siRnificantlJ
added, consisted of the finest concen
trated iron ore from Stockholm tc
Stettin."
Duel with Airplans
Then there Is remarkable story oil
a fight between an E-boat and ar
arplane. The submarine first sighted
the airpiane three miles to the south
southeast and dived. Shortly after
ward three bombs were droppet
right over her head, and, later, thre,
more. Then, after an interval of i've
minutes, came yolley of four NOR,
bombs. The submarine stayed undei
water for an hour. and then rising
cautiously to the surface looked
about her. Before her gun could b,
cleared for action, however, a biplan,
was seen planning down. with the en-
gines stopped, at great speed. TIL,
submarine dived hurriedly, but late
on the commander decided to come uI
to the surface and make fight Of II
His account runs as follows:
Decided to rise and get the gun int,
action. Got under way on a nortl
course at ten knots with the upper decl
awash. The biplane was sighted on tn
starboard bow at $3.50 D. m. and w
opened fire at 5000 yards. The biplan
Immediately sheered of and got out o
range after the eighth round and thel
kept three miles astern of her. Il de
cided to run north until dark, or unit
the airplane retired, and then to re
turn under water to a certain posi-
tion. At 1880 We lost sight of the air
plane and at 9 decided to turn an,
dive down.. Just then the airplan
was sighted. Dived. Heard nine dis
tinct explosions. Decided to remain
down until dark"
Some Graphic Log Entries
Some extracts just as they appea