U-BOAT RUFFIAN.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1684, 10 March 1917, Page 1

U-BOAT RUFFIAN.

TYPICAL HUN irUHDEHEH. Tlie Cliantiila way an unarmed British ship and she was torpedoed without warning. The crew had all taken to the boats. It was hazy weather, with a long swell, a light breeze, and what sailors call “low visibility.’’ The boats lay to for nearly an hour, without sighting the submarine; and, as the ship had not yet shown signs of sinking, the master decided to return to her. The Üboat, however, was evidently watching them like a lynx; an easy matter with a periscope, that it almost invisible at a few hundred yards’ distance. As soon as the master’s boat began to pull towards the ship there was “a whizzing noise” and a shell passed over-head, striking the water very near them. Then the submarine appeared, about a mile away, rushing up at full speed. The boat was stopped at once; but four more rounds were tired directly at her, and narrowly missing her. The submarine then fired ten rounds at the ship, seven of which crashed into the stern.

It was evidently a highly-excit-able submarine; for she broke off this amusement abruptly and came tearing for the boats, with her commander bellowing, “Where’s your captain? Come on board, you English dog! You murderer! You bastard!” The minister got his boat alongside, and the German commander swore at his own men, struck them and kicked (hem, for not fending her off properly. FOUL-MOUTHED HUX. The master was then told to come to (he conning tower, which he did. There (he submarine captain caught him by the throat, threatening to hang him, and using very foul language. One of the sailors described him as “a short man, with fair hair, a glassy eye, clean shaven, and about as foul-mouthed as a pig-sty.” 'fhe submarine captain said that his brother had been murdered by the Bara long; but it was more than likely that he never had a brother, for he was apparently ready to say anything that came into his head, with a decided preference for what was violently uni rue. It is a mood well known to psychologists, and to every judge in the criminal courts. It is the way of the weak man seeking to impress or terrorise those who are temporarily in his power.

He asked the master the name of his ship and her port of departure. The German did not deny the name of the ship, but when the master named (he Port of London he replied, “You dirty dog! 1 know you called at Plymouth.” Probably he had been reading of the exploits of Devonshire seamen. He (hen abused the master at more length, took three snapshots of him, and ordered him back to his boat. The natives in the boat’s crew began salaaming to the submarine commander, who returned the compliment by spitting at (hem and calling them “dirty black dogs.”

'fhe submarine then sent a boat to the ship, and after looting her of a considerable amount of portable property, including a crate of prize fowls, they sank her with time-fuse bombs. The crew of the Chantala were left in (heir open boats, eighteen miles from land. But in this case only the eight seamen who were killed by the first unexpected explosion lost their lives. The “only eight,” however, is commentary enough on the present state of civilisation and the importance of international Jaw. —Alfred Noyes in the Daily Mail.