MERCHANT SHIPS SINK THREE U-BOATS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 207, 21 May 1918, Page 6

MERCHANT SHIPS SINK THREE U-BOATS

: ♦ Liverpool, March 8. Three Liverpool sternum have sunk throe German subinnnnce in tko Atlantic leccntly, iuul it is now permitted to relate tlie circumstances. In the feit instance, a Liverpool steamer was iired upon by a submariuo in the Atlantic at daybreak. The steamer paid no heed to the shots and kept on her course. The submarine followed cautiously steaming along the surface, keeping np a long-range bombardment for an hour and a half. Suddenly the ship slowed down and the boats were lowered, apparently indicating that tho captain had received nil the pimiehment ho wanted, and was abandoning his ship. The submarine commander, fearful of a trap, circled around the ship several times, and then came closer to the vessel. The last act came very swiftly. There was a sharp sound of falling timbers as a false side dropped away and then six explosions as a gun spoke eix times. Four of the shots hit the mark, three of them destroying tho conning tower, and the other disabling the German gun. . The submarine's bow rose high in tho air and then slipped down into tho water like a gigantic dart. ■A second Liverpool steamer was ,ontbound at a speed of oigM knots when a torpedo passed twenty foot astern, Aβ the vessel was turned a second torpedo missed hor bow. The guilty periscope was observed a quarter of a mile away, and the gun crew began firing. Tho first shot went too high, but tho second and third exploded on hitting the enemy, which disappeared amid a great pool of bubbles and)oil. A sailing ship accounted for the third submarine Tho ship was fired upon by a IS-boat junt before noon. As tho German came within range his fire was answered, tho sailing vessel firing thirteen s'hols. The chief gunner was a former potty officer in the British Navy, and lie scored eight bull's-eyes in a space of less than two minutes. His roport gays:—' "The bows of the submarine disappeared and the stern roso clear out of the water. She remained in thin position , for about fifteen seconds and then disnppoiiml. A in inn to later the stern, and rudder came up agiiin and ronniincil flU'iidy nhovo.lhs w'alor, nl an :ins.rle of thirty degrees for a few seconds before i paesing finally from TJew." _ __