FIGHT WITH SUBMARINE.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 January 1917, Page 3

FIGHT WITH SUBMARINE.

GALLANT FRENCH PATROL. STRUCK BY TWO TORPEDOES. Two interesting little naval affairs in which French ships have been concerned are reported. The patrol boat Rigel, 0110 of those sturdy vessels which in all weathers face the perils of ihe deep in the work of protecting tlie allies' merchant navy, was attacked 011 October 2 by a German submarine and hit by the torpedo is discharged. The explosion was terrific. The Rigel was nearly blown to pieces, and II! of the crew were killed or blown into the sea. There was wider in one of the, stokeholds, but the Rigel floated. Her guns were intact, and some of thu crew were uninjured. These brave men at once attacked tho submarine, and every time during an hour and a-lialf that the submarine emerged from the water to try to finish her prey the gftV hint Frenchmen forced the pirates to dive at once for safety again. Then two-mine-sweepers came up, and the submarine thought it best to disappear. But tlis Germans apparently were determined to sink the Rigel, and "at 1.30 —the first attack was made about 0 a.m. —the submarine managed to fire a second torpedo at the coast defence vessel. This time the stern of the Rigel was blowit away, and four more men were killed. But the Rigel again got her guns going, and definitely kep; off' the pirate until two destroyers came up at full speed, whereupon the piratf- naturally "went down," and was not teen again—at least the official statements are silent on this point. An English sailing vessel, the Alice A. Leigh, which had several parsengers 011 hoard, was concerned in tlie other incident. As usual, the pirates had come up and had given t'hoso on hoard peremptory orders to get into the boats. Tho travellers included three .vomen and two little children, and, such was the haste of the pirates, that they had to leave tho ship with hardly any clothes 011. The boats were just pulling away when the sound of firing was heard. The French destroyer Gabion had come up on the horizon, seen what was happening, and at full speed made for the submarine. As soon as she got within range she opened fire. But the Germans did not wait. They abandoned the sailing ship, hastened below their 'hatches, and in two minutes were beneath the waves. The men of the Gabion were very angry at having thus lost they prey, but they had the satisfaction of helping the sailors and women back to the Alice A. Leigh, and of seeing her wider way again. The French vessel, moreover, stood by tllie sailing ship and saw her well on her voyage. But the submarine kept out of the way and was not seen again.