The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-16
Fires 80 Shells Into
Dover, England.
The Shore Batteries Respond
Promptly, Stop Bombardment.
8 PATROL VESSELS SUNK
Hun Destroyers Make Sensa-
tiOnaI Dash on BIockaders.
Lightly Armed, Trawlers I'm
able To Offer Amy Defense.

London. Feb. 16.-An enemy sub
marine bombarded Dover early this
morning, it is officially announced
The submarine was fired on from the
shore and ceased the bombardmenf
after some thirty rounds had been
fired There were less than a dozen
casualties and only slight damage
The official statement reads:
Fire was opened up on Dover by
an energy submarine about 1910 this
morning, the firing continuing three
or four minutes. The shore batteries
replied and the enemy ceased firing
after discharging about thirty rounds
Only One Killed. Child
'sThe casualties were: Killed. one
child; injured, three men. one woman
and three children Slight damage
was caused to house property"
Cases have not been infreQuent OF
German submarines bobbing up Off
the the British coast and sheiling
shore points. Yarmouth, for instance.
was thus bombarded on January IA
1t is not often, however. that the u
boats have cared to take chances with
such a we'll defended town as is Dover.
the most important port in southeast
ern England, opposite Calais, on the
Strait o. Dover, across which flows q
constant stream of war traffic be-
tween England and France.
Attack Patrol in Dark.
Dover, Feb. 16.-The weather was
thick and the night was very dark
when the German destroyers dashed
upon British patrol vessels in the
Strait of Dover early Friday morning
and sank eight of them. The patrol
vessels. being equipped only with
work, did not have a chance once the
Germans got among them.
The. risk thus taken is shared by
great numbers of trawlers and drift
ers operating in all weathers and at
all hours. Yet the proportion OF
losses has been remarkably small
On the latest occasion the crews
bore themselves with the same cool
ness and courage that drifter men
have shown in innumerable circum-
stances of danger and difficulty. In
one noteworthy incident a drifter was
shelled at close quarters by two Ger
man destroyerS whose thirty-pound
shells killed all of the crew except two
and set the drifter afire. The two
survivors, seeing their craft ablaze
and believing it would sink. launched
boat. They had not rowed far when
they saw the vessel was still af1oat
and the enemy retiring. They returned.
put out the fire and brought the
drifter to port
Berlin's Account OF Sinking Ships.
Berlin, Feb. 16 (via London).-
The admiralty today made the follow
ing announcement:
"On the night of February II our
torpedo boats, under command of
Captain Heinecke, made a surprise at
tack on strong forces guarding the
English channel between Calais and
Dover, on the north and Cape Gris-
Nez and Folkstone on the south. A
large guard ship, numerous armed
fishing steamers and several motor
vessels were forced to give battle, the
| largest of them being Destroyed
Our torpedo boats suffered no
losses or damage. All returned"
A statement from the British sA-
miralty yesterday said seven drifters
and one trawler had been sunk bv
German destroyers.