AT SEA ON A PIRATE SUBMARINE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2423, 31 March 1915, Page 6

AT SEA ON A PIRATE SUBMARINE

A GERMAN COMMANDER'S STORY (Rec. March 30, 9.55 p.m.) i T . ■' London, March 30. lieutenant Hansen, commander «of the German submarine Ul6, interviewed at Kiel, said that oaclj of the German !■ submarines had a definite area. His was recently tlio English Channel. He had been out twenty-one days. He declined to say wnether this was a record. The Germans, he said, ivero gradually learning the methods of submarine war- ■ fare. It was very trying to the nerves. ' As the air becomes heated, it becomes poor, and, mixed with the odours of oil, the atmosphere at length is fearful. An overpowering sense of sleepiness often attacks the new men, requiring the utmost will power to remain awake. Sometimes tlio new-comers do not eat for three days, because they do not want to Jose a moment's sleep. The bad air also produces sea-sickness. There are no fires on board the submarines, because these burn oxygen, so they ahvavs liavi cold food. To avoid the waste of electricity he steered entirely by chart and compass. "> "I sometimes stood for eight hours with any eyes glued to the periscope. When 1 the crew was worked out we submerged i nnd had a long sleep. "Before ascending I always ordered ' Silence for several minutes to determine : whether ptopellors were in the vicinity, f The .shell-like sides of the submarine act 1 es.a -sounding-board." ' ■'■ ; 1