The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-22

Following is an account written
by a staff correspondent of THE
SUN, who witnessed the surrender
of the first lot of submarines by the
Germans. Der Tag" for the Brit
ish is what some have called the
greatest event in naval history. The
story faScinates even the Iayn1an.
TIME most remarkable element OF
this remarkable war has been
l. its coincidence. On that tense
November morning when through the
gray mists of the North Sea came
creeping the first score U-boats to
surrender to the British navy / stood
at the port rails OF the destroyer. H.
NJ. 8. Melampus. with a young naval
cadet On three separate occasions
his vessel had been torpedoed beneath
his feet by the proving sea Huns.
Once he had swan for his life in the
water for over fourteen hours; once
been saved from a crude form Of raft
after q twenty-four hour nightmare
of tossing waters. and once-it reads
almost like Jules Verne romance
had he been prisoner aboard German
submarine for ninety minutes. Now
he waited.
He was q slip Of q lad. barely turned
eighteen summers, with fair. curling
hair and dancing. merry blue eyes.
And after this somewhat varied ca
reer he informed me that he had
Joined the British Royal Navy for a
rest cure, during which convalescent
stage he had whiled away the monot-
ony by gaining for himself a Dis
tinguished Conduct Medal for gallan-
try In action.
what will you do to your Hun II
you find him among this crowd7"
asked.
He laughed.
"Give him a cigar, I expect" he
said. HE was really rather 4 nice fell
low. that U-boat commander-for q
Hun. Treated me top hole"
His eyes commenced to devour the
ragged low line of black bulls across
the water again. Then a tiny gray
motor boat came putting UP alongside.
Tumbllng and scrambling over the
destroyer rails went the British board
ing party; officers with revolvers OF
belt, field glasses strung around their
neclSs, navigation charts In hand; the
mon, unarmed. laughing and Testing
d like a pack OF schoolboys.
"Give 'em my love. BILL" said q voice
in the background
AN a punch on the nose. for me-"
You bet, 1 WILL" replied tho sailor
d. addressed. a stocky, bearded salt
tanned a mahogany-b brown by long ex.
posture to tho North Sea winds. "and
some more"
1 felt the Boy Juggling at my elbow
"Come along" he said. "rl introduce
you"
Fitting Setting for the Drama.
The setting for the last act Of the
terrible sea drama of this century was
fitting-a still morning with the mists
Just breaking, forlorn silver moor
lingering, though the red sun was
beaming through In the east. Above
our heads was a patch of green and
lemon sky. and the North Sea lay with
hardly n ruffie. gray with a hint OF
gold. like the pulsation OF a bidder
light.
"a DIillph ibht Va bht
newest-with destroyers on either
flank headed In the line Of surrender
Two German hospital ships used IA
transports-the Sierra Ventant and TIN
Tit0nia-foliowed them. One after an
other, long low phantoms, some white
some dappled. some black. came on
Of the mist. their crews standing oil
deck Ike black fence. no color
showing and no sound.
After some mannuvrcs the process
zion stopped and before us lay sever
submarines, with others out OF visor
The sun had grown stronger and tn
light cruisers and destroyers wer
picked out in white in their beautifu
subtle Nhapes against the graynesI
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