ON THE SEA.

Taihape Daily Times, 6 March 1918, Page 5

ON THE SEA.

PARALYSED U-BOAT.

( ESCAPED GERMAN'S STORY

LONDON, February 20.

The “Times correspondent in Amsterdam states that an interned German sailor who was previously interned in England relates that he escaped in a small boat with a fellow prisoner. A U-boat picked them up and then proceeded to chase a fishing fleet.

The latter’s curious movements suggested a trap, causing the U-boat to dive. The screw beat irregularly, and the perplexed commander was unable to make any headway. He was for two hours under water, and was curiously still the whole time.

Ultimately he decided to come up.

When he emerged he saw alongside the U-boat the laughing faces of Brittish naval officers and bluejackets. The U-boat is now safely in a British port. It was towed in like a dead fish.

THE GERMAN RAIDER

A FORMIDABLY ARMED PIRATE. CARRIED 400 MINES. / ' Received 8.45. COPENHAGEN, March 5. A sailor among the Igotz Mendi’s captives states the Wolf had four torpedq tubes, seven nine-inch guns, all hidden so as to make her appear as a cargo steamer. She carried 400 mines, and her main object was to mine various pojnts on the overseas routes. ' Captain Benson, interviewed, said the Germans desired greatly to dash homeward with the Hitchi Maru, thus securing the rich cargo of copper, tin, rubber, and tea. They reluctantly decided to sink her owing to lack of coal. The bread aboard the Igotz Mendi was unlimited in quantity, and excellent in quality. Donovan, the New Zealand jockey, acted as baker. The Wolf caught all wireless messages, enabling her to avoid several armed British transports.

THE WOLF S EXPLIOTSt

LONDON, March 4.

Lloyd’s report that in addition to vessels already mentioned* the Wot£ captured the American sailer, John Kirby, the French ship Maresehal Davout and the Norwegian barque Storebror.