BEFORE THE SURRENDER.

Taihape Daily Times, 18 December 1918, Page 5

BEFORE THE SURRENDER.

ENEMY IS NAVY'S INACTIVITY A TALKATIVE PRISONER - i The disgust of the German people at the inactivity of their High Sea Fleet prior to its ignominious surrender was apparently shared by some of the officers, who from time to time sought work more exhilarating than duty in a ship that from day to day swung at her moorings. One such officer was picked up from lan enemy submarine recently sunk. Sick and tired of being in harbour so long, he had, he said, like several other officers, volunteered for "service in a submarine. After a course of instruction he had been detailed to go to the yard and watch the vessel building, becoming familiar with her in every detail. Ever since she had been commissioned 18 months previously he had served in that submarine. Occasionally they had been given a roving icomnrission, but &k other times they had a carefully defined area to patrol. For our destroyers he showed a wholesome respect, remarking that invariably ' when -his tyatat sank a ship one of more destroyers instantly appeared on the scene. He was deeply grieved when he learnt that his commanding officer had gone down in the submarine, but for the men who had perished he showed little concern. The German naval authorities presumed a submarine lost if she were three weeks overdue, and the relatives of the officers and crew were informed accordingly. ODf -'the crew wre thought to be drowned their relatives received a portion <of their pay 5 but if it was known that they were prisoners ,*the amount received was very small. Asked why German submarine eonmiandeirs did not tow towards the shore boats with the survivors of ships they sank, the officer replied that to' do so would bo far too risky. With the quality of the British war bread he was amazed, and made no attempt to disguise the fact, readily admitting that it was infinitely better than that of the Germans. As to food supplies in Gcramny, he expressed the opinion, that there was "enough of a sort but none to spare" But whatever shortage there might be throughout the country there was evidently none in the submarines. The crews, he asserted, had special rations and for the officers there was a liberal allowance of wine, and other luxuries.