FIGHTS WITH SUBMARINES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3065, 28 April 1917, Page 10

FIGHTS WITH SUBMARINES

THE VEIL LIFTED FOR A GLIMPSE.

In raising the veil for a moment on the grim drama of the hunter, and the hunted, Sir Edward Carson .recently quoted, in- the House of Commons, the following from brief accounts of 40 encounters which the Navy had had with submarines in 18 days (in itself an enormous achievement):—

1. A few days ago one of our destroyers attacked an enemy submarine. She hit the submarine and killed the captain. The submarine dived. She was injured,' and compelled to come to the surface. ■ She was captured and her officers and men were all taken prisoners.

2. One of our transports reported that she had struck an enemy submarine and was herself damaged. She was confident that the submarine had been sunk. A further report was received that an obstruction, which was thought to- bo tho same submarine, ,had been located.

3. A report was received that two of our patrol, vssels had engaged two enemy submarines and sunk them both, and that there wei-e no casualties in the patrol boats and no survivors of the submarines. One of the reports received of this engagement seems to show that one of the submarines was Bunk, but left a .doubt about the second.

A. One of our destroyers reported that she had heavily rammed an enemy submarine awash. There is no doubt that the destroyer struck the submarine a severe blow, but it. is not possible to establish that the submarine was sunk.'

5. An enemy submarine was engaged by two of our patrol vessels, which were subsequently assisted by two destroyers. The result of the engagement was doubtful, although it is certain that one of the destroyers was slightly damaged, in running over the conning-tower of the submarine..

C. One of our patrol vessels reported striking a submerged object after engaging an enemy submarine. An examination of the patrol vessel bore out this report. '

7. A patrol vessel reported that she had been in action wMi an enemy submarine. The fifth shot hit the submarine conningtower, and it is believed'.that she was 6unk.

9. A 6eaplano dropped a bomb on an enemy submariue when it was in' the act of diving. Finally, Sir Edward Carsou explained that the building programme of the year was largely one for making good losses 'in the mercantile marine. As for the efforts of the men in the shipyards, every rivet put into a ship was a contribution towards the defeat of the murderous weapons of the Hun.

Stock sales next week to be conducted by tho New Zealand Loan aud Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., are:—To Horo, Wednesday; Upper Hntt, Thursday; Pnliiatua, Friday. Mr. W. L. Ednianson, F.8.E.A., will deliver" an open address on the- commercial importance of Esperanto as a. language, at tho Esperanto Hall, " 156 Lambton Quay, on Tuesday evening next.