IN QUEST OF U-BOATS.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 January 1918, Page 2

IN QUEST OF U-BOATS.

PIRATES THAT ""A'K.R RETURN. THRILLING STORIES OF BRITISH PATROLS. It is possible to learn, in the constant but veiled light of the returns of our tonnage destroyed, what the enemy's submarines are doing. But what is told us of the secret of the mysterious destroyers themselves amounts to no more than the favor of a few unauthentic whispers—information of blithe interest and good cheer, but with no more substantial framework, when examined, than .Tacks beanstalk (write 9 the London Daily News). The only certainty about it is that cunning seamen are at work 011 the job, in large numbers, with unmentionable gear and tricks, with craft, that most landsmen could name and recognise, and with other craft that would leave even an initiated seaman wondering whether this was real or a dream. And submarines are sunk and captured with' some regularity and dispatch; and the total of their losses, if published in Berlin, would look worse than the reduction of the bread ration; that also is certain, though not offered as evidence. Evidence about this delicate matter is difficult to submit, because its submission might qtlickly result in there being no evidence to offer; for al! the enemy requires is evidence. But as a guarantee of good faith, the Admiralty has submitted certain casual records to the representative of the Daily News. Patrols go out to sea, and thfiy merely return to port. The secret of what they learn at sea, and do there, is 50 well kept that. (I can vouch for this) naval officers themselves demand of privileged visitors to the Grand Fleet what is being done to those German submarines. Well, here are some varieties of the things that happen on the quiet at sea. These whispers, at least, are absolutely authentic.

■ LOOKING FOR TROUBLE. A vessel of our auxiliary naval forces was at sea, on its particular business, looking for trouble. The first sign of trouble, nowadays, is often the enemy's torpedo Hearing its object, which is you. The H.M.S. Auxiliary spotted the enemy in just that way. The torpedo, 100 yards off the starboard beam, leaped from a wave. The trouble for which they were looking had discovered them instead. The water line was struck amidships, and the engine room and Other compartments flooded. Some of the starboard lifeboat, on its way from the clouds, landed in the wireless aerial and stopped there. This was the moment when a periscope was sighted on the port beam. The periscope made for the Bhip, but dodged and vanished. Jt seems to have seen all it required, for it shortly reappeared, with a conning tower, and opened fire. So did 11.M.5. Auxiliary, which hit the base of that conning tower, and removed two periscopes. Our ship punched the submarine about rapidly, having little time (her eijgine room being flooded) till breathing space came with the submarine listing to port, and men scrambling in a hurry from a hatch abaft the conning tower. The submarine, knocked out, walloped about in a groggy way, oil spurting from her side, and her stern gradually sinking. The crew came on deck with fervent signs of "Kamerad." So H.M.S. Auxiliary ceased fire. Thereupon the submarine put on a air speed for a bank of fcg. Rapid fire followed her, and an explosion for'ard, and a greater list to port. What H.M.S. Auxiliary next saw was the enemy's bow, pointing skyward, but slowly going under. "Two survivors," says the report, "were picked up. Our ship reached harbor."

EXPLOSIVE CHARGE DROPPED[. Again, "a small craft" sighted an enemy submarine at 10,000 yards. She held en. The enemy stopped, and then turned towards her. He then submerged, apd his periscope, when next seen, was on the starboard bow. But it at once disappeared. "Helm was ported, and when over the position where the periscope had been seen an explosive charge was dropped. The ship circled round and dropped another charge when in position. The explosion of this was followed ffter two or' three seconds, by another and much more violent explosion, which shook the vessel from stem to stern. The water became black over a very large area, and a considerable quantity of thick oil and flotsam came to the surface. The next is submarine versus submarine. One of ours sighted an enemy craft on the starboard bow. But "our" periscope lost Fritz almost at once. So we "came up." Fritz had gone. He was seen, through guesswork proving luckily right, three hours later, about two miles away. "We dived." But Fritz feinted with an altered course. There was more rapid guessing, and presently Fritz was seen oil the port bow, "steering as had been surmised." There was manoeuvring and "we" fired a torpedo. A few seconds later Fritz was seen, with his stern out of water,, smoke hanging round it. and the conning tower half submerged. A minute or two later he disappeared.

, THE STALKER STALKED. A seaplane saw a submarine stalking a merchant ship, and prepared to strike, The submarine saw the hawk, dived, but was helped downstairs by three bombs. "A few minutes later a large upheaval was noticed . . . distinctly visible for a minute or two. There was no further sign of the submarine." A patrol vessel saw a mysterious wake moving parallel with her own, crossed it, and dropped a sort of mine for luck. And did it'again, not trusting to mere luck. Oil and bubbles coming tip, "a further charge was exploded." After twelve hours "the oil, of a heavy brown nature, was still rising." There were other reports submitted, all of a nature more or less alike, but one would like very much to hear more of that' "defensively armed" merchant ship which was surprised by a submarine attacking at close range. All we are told is: "Opened tire, hitting the submarine twice, and f causing her to disappear vertically, the sea appearing to boil for a considerable time after."