HUNTING U-BOATS.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 2 October 1917, Page 2

HUNTING U-BOATS.

BRITISH METHODS. ADMIRALTY LIFTS VEIL. LONDON, Sept 15. ' The following incidents from Admiralty records are Illuminating as showing the growing success of the offensive measures against submarines:— One of our small craft sighted a submarine yards away. The enemy came near, and suddenly submerged. Shortly afterwards a periscope appeared close on the starboard bow for a few seconds, then disappeared again. ,We ported helm circled round, and dropped two explosive charges, which caused two explosions, the latter shaking us from stem to stern. The water was blackened over a large area, and a considerable quantity of thick oil and flotsam came to the surface.

SUNK BY BRITISH SUBMARINE. One of our submarines saw an enemy submarine two miles away to starboard. We dived. The enemy altered his course and we lost him: but hi s apparent objective being conjectured, we steered on the chance of cutting him off. Then jve picked him on our port bow, steering as we had surmised. We fired a torpedo, and a few seconds later the enemy was seen with his stern out of the water surrounded by smoke. His'conning tower was half submerged, and a minute afterwards he disappeared. A seaplane seeing a submarine manoeuvring to fire a torpedo at a merchantman, descended to the spot where the U-boat had submerged. The seaplane dropped three bombs. Five minutes later a large upheaval, like a huge bubble rising from the sea level, was noticed where the bombs had been dropped. There was no further sign of the submarine. TELL-TALE OIL BUBBLES. A patrol vessel noticed a considerable foam travelling with her. She crossed the wake or me foam and dropped a bo&b on the most likely spot, then another. Two more patrol craft arrived and dropped bombs. Thick brown oil rose to the surface for 12 hours afterwards. One of our naval ( forces, hearing gunfire, steered for the position, sighted a submarine, and fired and hit her. A large explosion resulted. Nothing more was seen of the enemy. Two submarines attacked a defensively armed vessel. •. One fired a torpedo at close but missed. The ship fired, hit the submarine twice, and caused her to disappear verti cally. The sea appeared to boil a considerable time after. OPTIMISTIC NAVAL AUTHORITY. A high British naval authority has made a statement in which he optimistically regards the fight against submarines. He says; “We are more than holding our own. Time is on our side, and ultimate success assured. There is no despite loud talk in Germany, of new U-boat tactics. Good results were obtained last quarter in the destruction of submarines The German High Command has fixed early in October as the latest arid third definite date for com [ pelling the surrender of Great Britain.”