Watching for U Boats

Levin Daily Chronicle, 27 September 1917, Page 4

Watching for U Boats

Tlio recent' "scare" in New York over the reported sighting of an enemy submarine off the coast is not the first that the city has experienced since Ameriac entered the war. The port was closed for several hours one morning early last month for reasons which were withheld by the authorities, but which were naturally assumed to have a close connection with a rumour'that had raged through the city concerning the presence of a large German submarine eighteen miles out at sea. Officially, no information was ava'ilablo as to the accuracy of this report, but privately the officials admitted that they knew nothing of it. There was, however, no doubt that the steel net which closes New York harbour was swung across the harbour mouth at 1 o'clock in the morning. Incoming craft were allowed through the gate in the net, but nothing was permitted to pass out to sea. Later, says a New York paper, when the number of vessels that collected about the gate in the harbour net threatened a congestion of harbour traffic a number of the larger transatlantic vessels, outward bound , wore permitted to pass through and anchor in Gravesend Bay. The embargo was lifted about noon.

Once before the port was closed for some hours in the morning, giving rise to various sensational reports.

of the Germanic race, for they seek fight, and fight until either they or their opponents are killed. German aeroplanes generally are better than those of the enemy, though the new English Sopwith triplanes are excellent. The technical preparedness of the French he described as middling, and that of the British inferior. "While we Germans consider every flight as a military act,' '■ stated tho general, "for the British flying is but sport, and, when it comes to a fight, good sport."