Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-04-23
Five Cruisers Sunk in
Ostend and zeebrugge
Harbors, Report.


naval forces today raided the
German submarine bases OF
Ostend and Zeebrugge, the ad-
miralty announces. Five old
cruisers which had been filled
with concrete for use in block
ing the channels were run
agrOunds, blown up and aban-
dOned by their crews.
The admiralty reports that
according to incomplete infOr-
nation thus far received the
raid met with reasonable
measure of success.
The statement follows:
"Early this morning a naval
raid on Ostend and Zeebrngge.
which are being used by the
enemy as destroyer and SUBJ
marine bases. Our forces are
returning and the scanty infOr-
nation so lar received is to the
effect that the raid met with u
reasonable measure of success
with the exception of covering
ships, the force employed consisted
of auxiliary vessels and six obsolete
cruisers Five of these cruisers
filled with concrete were used as
block ships and after being run
aground were, in accordance with
order, blown up and abandoned by
the crews. A further communique
will be issued when reports have
been received from the ships which
are now returning to their bases.
No report of casualties has been
| received"
Entrance Blocked.
| In all probability, the entrance
TO the Bruges canal has been
blocked effectively in consequence
of the naval raid, Sir Eric Geddes,
first lord of the admiralty an
nounced today in the house.
The result of the whole operation.
Sir Eric said, was regarded as very
successful.
Author of Scheme Killed.
While the operation was in prog
ress, Sir Eric announced, British
parties were landed to distract the
enemy. The officer who developed
the scheme of attack was killed.
Storming parties were landed on
the Mole from the cruiser Vindic-
tive. The casualties to the person
mel, said Sir Eric, was heavy in
proportion to the number engaged.
An enemy destroyer was torpedoed
at Zeebrugge.
Two of the blockading ships were
sunk and blown up at the entrance
to the Bruges canal. The piling
beside the Mole at Zeebrugge was
blown up by an obsolete submarine
filled with explosives.
The casualties TO British. Sir
Eric said, were one destroyer and
two coastal motorboats sunk and
two launches missing.
At Ostend two of the blockadiug
ships were run ashore and blown
up.
French Help.
The French cooperateI in the
raid, Sir Eric said. He character
ized it as an extremely gallant
and hazardous undertaking. car
ried out under unknown con-
ditions of navigation.
CThe Bruges canal is about six
miles long running from the city
of that name to the North sea ar
Zeebrugge. This canal IS of greay
NdLuG " NAAG NatA AAleAlH nNN a AaN AAAN
principal base of the submarines
operating from Zeebruggee is a.
Bruges.)
German Sub Bases.
The ports of Ostend and Zee
brugge on the Belgian coast are the
bases for the operations OF the sub
marines in the campaign against
the shipping in the North sea and
in the English channel. They are
of great Importance TO the Germans
for this purpose and it has been
recognized by the allies that 20 de
prive the enemy OF them would be
one of the most effective means OF
dealing with the submarine.
An attack on these ports by the
British fleet has been urged but the
British naval authorities apparently
regard the land defenses as too
strong to make this practicable.
Various measures have been
adopted to destroy German submar-
ines or leaving the ports. Field
Marshal Haig's offensive in Flan-
ders last summer was generally be-
lieyed To have as one OF its main
objectives the bending back OF the
German northern flank so as 10 de-
prive the enemy OF these two points,
News Interests Washington.
Washington. April 2S.-News OF
the British raid on the German sub
marine base and OF the attempt to
bottle up those harbors. was re-
ce!ved with great interest at the
navy department. The move was
taken as another definite step In
the carefully planned campaign
against the L boats which, Il has
been repeatedly predicted. would
begin 10 show material results
about this time The recent raid of
the British grand fleet into the Cat
tegat when ten German trawlers
were sunk. was said 10 have been