THE "S.O.S." UNDER FIRE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3027, 14 March 1917, Page 8

THE "5.0.5." UNDER FIRE

LURING ON A GERMAN SUBMARINE

DEVIL'S DANCE AT SEA

(By" Alfred Noyes.)

Few of us at home realise tho intensity of the ocean-drama in which our merchant seamen, night and day, are risking their lives to keep our sea roads open. Tho talo of the unarmed Anglo-Californian, homeward bound, with a cargo of 927 horses, is illuminated for me by tho exploration of a record of her wireless messages. She was chased and shelled by a submarine. She sent out wireless calls, and was answered by a man-of-war, beyond the horizon. The- firing grew so hot that when tho submarine,, signalled "abandon ship," tho captain decided to obey. Hβ stopped tho engines and two boats were lowerod. One was fired on, and both capsized. A wireless message was then received telling the captain to hold on as long as possible, and ho decided to do so. Tlip submarine then opened fire on the bridge awl boats. The captain and eight hands were killed; seven hands were badly wounded, and twenty horses were killed. I shall not attempt to paint that picture—the smoke, tho confusion, the changes of command, the concussion?, the noighings of the horses, tho pounding of tho engines. But, with all that as a background, and the single statement that the wireless operator was in an exposed position just abaft the bridee, and remained at his post throughout, let the rcwior study for himself tho amazing melodrama.

"Submarine Astern." "S OS. SO S. being chased by submarine. S0 S. Position latitude so-and-so N., lonjritudo so-and-so W.. steering so-and-Eo." "Go ahead. He is being led a dance, and it is O.K. to work for a. few minutes. Steer so-and-so, and keep mo informed." ."That is impossible. We are being fired on." "Whero is submarine?" "Now astern." "Endeavour to carry out instruction. Important." "Didyou get message from Cryptic?" This was an invisible destroyer, sneaking from a now point of the compass, fortv miles away. "Don't know who ho is. Believe- itis Sphinx." "Stcor as nnieh past as possible" This was Cryptic resuming her longdistance instructions and cross-exami-nation with tho calm of a doctor addressing a nervous patient. "If wo steer east, we shall have submarine abeam. We can't do it." "Have you many passengers?" "No. But we are 150 men on board. Crew. Submarine signals 'Abandon vessel as soon as possible. , " "As a last resource, ran you ram? She will then give in. Can you seo my. smoko N.E. of you?"

I "No, no. She is too close. We are stopped and blowing off." i Tt was at this point that the cap- | tain apparently wavered between abandoning his ship and going on. "Can see you distinctly," called tho Cryptic. "Am about S.W. from you. Hold, on." "Yes. Yes. He is running away. We "are between you and him. Hurry, hurry, hurry, he is getting abeam to torpedo us." "I am coming- How are vou steering?" "I can't find out how wo are steering. It is zig-zag." "Toll oaptaiu to steer straight. How many masts have you?"/ "Firing Like Blazes." "For God's sake, hurry up. Firing like blazes." "How many masts have you?" "Two-two-one funnel. I see you on our port beam." "O.K. Keep quiet, as though we were only coming to your assistance and nothing else." "Keeping.him astern. Hurry un " "What speed?" "Twelve, twelve, and submarine keeping pace. He is still very close, within two hundred yards. Captain wants to know if you will fire to scare him." "Firing to scare him. Please head towards me." Again another ship-anxiously repeats the question: "Cryptic wants to know if you can see his smoke." _ "Yes, yes, a long way off. Now sinking." you torpedoed?" "Not yet, but shots in plenty hitting. Broken glass all round me." "Stick it, old man." "Yes, you bet. Say, the place stinks of gunpowder. Am lyin°- on the floor." ° "Nothing better, old man. Keep your pecker up. lam Cryptic. Coming full speed. 33 knots." "I have had to leave 'phones. Mv gear beginning to fly around with coiieussion. Submarine lias dived." "Wo are coming. We are comingHave you launched all boats?" "Yes. Two ships coming. One abeam and ono on port quarter. Don't worry Hβ has gone. Destrovers now alongside."