The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1919-01-15

Deen It's coincidence, says CORE
spondent OF the New York Sun who
witnessed the surrender of the first
lot of submarines by the Germans. 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
I stood at the port rails of the de-
stroyer, II. M. S. Melampus.
The setting for the last act Of the
terrible sea drama of this century was
fitting-a still morning with the mists
just breaking, a forlorn silver moon
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 a rufi1e, gray with hint of
gold, like the pulsation of hidden
light.
A British light cruiser-one of the
newest-with destroyers on either
flank headed in the line of surrender.
Two German hospital ships used as
transports-the Sierra Ventant and
the Titania-followed them. One af-
ter another, long low phantoms, some
white, some dappled, some black, came
out of the mist, their crews standing
on deck like a black fence, no colOrs
showing and no sound.
After some maneuvers the process
sion stopped and before us lay seven
submarines, with others out Of vision.
The sun had grown stronger and the
light cruisers ano deStrOyerS were
picked out in white in their beautiful
subtle shapes against the grayness,
Admiral Tyrwhitt's flagship, with it's
yellow flag, in the chief position.
AS one looked at the destroyer car
rying the British submarine comman-
ders and crews who were to take over
the German submarines the British
ships seemed to form a circle, and
everywhere one turned there was a
British white ensign at the peak. The
British ships, too, had stopped and
seemed to lie expectantly watching the
final event.
AS one gazed in the silence, this cir
Gle of white ensigns and silent ships
and the sense of everything focused
on these low, strange marine shapes,
hardly out of the sea, was thrilling.
To a spectator, the flags seemed as
eternal as the hills that looked down
on Childe Roland at the hour of his
fate. But when the German subma-
rine navy came to it's dark tower to-
day there was no bugle blast. The
event was accomplished with English
decorum and German stolidity.
One Captain Even Wept.
One German commander protested
against navigating his vessel into har>
Dor, and his protest was recorded, and
he navigated his ship into harbor. An,
other commander broke down as he
left his ship and could not conceal his
tears. Another, when the British COM
mander went on board, was unable to
speak for minute, and had to signal
to a subordinate to carry on. The
commander of the first submarine
which the British boarded took his
Iron Cross from his neck and ground
1T under his heel. Some of the sub
marines were left bare below. Others
left seXtant, compass, glasses and
many articles. In one submarine a
melodeon was left as if Germany had
no more songs to play. One man left
his ship with his guitar under his arm.
AS we first caught sight OF the sub.
marines our destroyer was crowded
with the young British submarine
of eAhilaration and high frequency
Only the day before the captain of the
MelampuS had been decorated with
the Distinguished Service order for an
exploit against a submarine eighteen
months back His delight at the scene
And nobody can indicate what il
meant in general to these men when
they beheld the vessels before them
they had sought for through priva
tons and HASTINGS and dangers as
knights die Tor the thing they love
when the eveht was accomplished.
Said one of them: eff it had only
been a month ago."
I have heard the phrase about eyes
dancing, but l never saw the fact till
then. One of them turned to me and
said: "You don't realize the humilia
ton of it. Fancy throwing in your
hand like that. Now if it had been q
scrap! 1t must be terrible for that
bunch"
Many officers seemed to feel thai
side of it. They knew what it meant
to have submarine and they knew
what pride of the sea meant. They
could understand what the German Of
fcers felt. Afterward, when the Ger
mans We're on board our destroyer ami
you saw their faces plainly, and they
saw the British navy face to face, that
sight was Overpowering. The men felt
it too.
"You could feel sorry for these poor
blighters if they had cen destroyer
men-but these"
This destroyer was probably typi,
cal of the destroyer class.
SPOKE of 1t as "Der Tag"
One of the British submarine COM