ON THE SEA.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 May 1918, Page 5

ON THE SEA.

OSTEND HARBOR BLOCKED. BRILLIANT NAVAL EXPLOIT. London, May 10. Ostend harbor lias been blocked. The cruispr Vindictive lias been sunk at the mouth of the harbor. One motor launch was lost. Mr. Mason, the United Press naval erpert, says that the blockade of Ostend was a brilliant exploit and took the Germans completely unawares. It forces the U boats to use their home bases. The affair suggests a condition of demoralisation in the German navy when the British are fulfilling the best traditions of Drake and Nelson. The Admiralty reports that the operation designed to close the ports of Ostend and Zeebrugge was successfully completed on the night of the oth, when the obsolete cruiser Vindictive was sunk between the piers and across the entrance of Ostend harbor. Since the attack on Zeebrugge on April 2.1 the Vindictive had been filled with concrete and fitted as a block-ship. Our light forces returned to the base with a loss of a motor launch, which was damaged and was sunk by the ViceAdmiral's orders, to prevent her falling into the enemy's hands. Our casualties ■wore light.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc, and Reuter.

DETAILS OF OPERATIONS. MAGNIFICENT COURAGE EXHIBITED INTENSE ENEMY FIRE. Received May 12, 5.5 p.m. London, May 11. I The rescue of the Vindictive's crew [ was a very gallant operation under heavy fire. i A great naval air raid accompanied I the Vindictive's raid. Eritish monitors also bombarded Ostend. The Vindictive sunk obliquely off the pier, 150 or 200 yards therefrom. • Monitors, destroyers, and smaller craft preceded the Vindictive to the entrance at Ostend. About two o'clock the weather suddenly thickened. The Vindictive cruised for twenty minutes before she sighted the pier. The commander I'ammed her stem against the pier, the Vindictive grounded and the charges were blown. Admiral Keyes was present throughout the operations at Ostend aboard a small craft, which was the last vessel to return to Dover. The flotilla of attackers afforded a splendid spectacle on leaving Dover. It was a calm, clear night. The Vindictive was heavily sand-bagged, having the place of honor. She travelled slowly to Dunkirk, thence to Ostend, which was brilliantly lighted by powerful searchlights, but the sea haze and artificial fogs concealed the British purpose until the Vindictive was within a quarter of a mile to the entrance to the Ostend harbor gates, when the Germans sent up a regular pyrotechnic display of star shells. The guns on all sides opened fire, which was continued until the Vindictive sunk 150 yards inside the pier*. Throughout, four great monitors steadily bombarded the shore, while p.eroplanes caused many fires. The Vindictive's success was secured despite the fact that the Germans heavily mined the seaway, expecting another attack. The silt will materially assist the completion of blocking up the channel. Monitors, destroyers, motor launches, and coastal motor boats were placed at Captain Lynes' disposal by Admiral Keyes. They assembled at the entrance to Ostend at 1.45 a.m., fifteen minutes before the Vindictive was due. WEATHER CONDITIONS FAVORABLE. "Weather conditions were all that could be desired, there being a calm sea and light wind, but, before the Vindictive arrived the sea fog drifted towards the shore, reducing visibility to about 300 yards. , The Vindictive, therefore, found it extremely difficult to locate the entrance, and was obliged to cruise backwards and forwards for twenty minutes seeking the entrance. ! ENEMY OPENS FIRE. Meanwhile the enemy detected the presence of the ships, and the shore batteries opened a heavy fire. The Vindictive suffered a number of casualties before the piers were suddenly sighted, almost alongside. There was intense fire from the guns, which, with ma-chine-guns, were now concentrated against the Vindictive.

THE VINDICTIVE GROUNDS. The Vindictive, with a crew of fiftytwo, swung into the channel and ran stem on against the east pier in order to swing the ship athwart the channel. The Vindictive grounded at the stern and would not swing, so the commander ordered all below to come on deck while he prepared to blow the charges. The crew made their escape in motor launches, which gallantly ranged alongside the Vindictive to save the crew, despite the heavy fire. The gallant rescuers were severely punished, one launch •being sunk. The charges went off and tho Vindictive settled down. During the raid not a single enemy vessel was sighted. The Vindictive's crew C3nsisted of volunteers drawn from the ships of the Dover patrol. At 3.15 the rescuing motor launch was picked up by the Warwick, which was 'Admiral Keyes' flagship, and from it 38 of the crew were taken aboard. One died later. MEN PRAISED FOR GALLANTRY. Captain Lynes, reporting on the affair, warmly praised the gallantry of all engaged. The sea on the outward voyage could not have been mere suitable for nnall craft, which went te tlieir stations with the destroyers in support. SMOKE SCREEN AND FOG. The enemy war. quiet till 1.45, when he opened a heavy fire. Out star shells showed that our smoke screens were progressing. Then the sky, which had 'been hitherto unclouded, became obscured. The sea fog was so dense that it stopped our air attacks, even the searchlights being invisible. The fog lasted an hour. Our air attacks were resuineil. The enemy's five, assisted by "earcklights. lasted for an '

GALLANT MOTOR LAUNCHES. One motor launch showed especial gallantry in ranging alongside (he Vindictive, mid taking oil' the ollieevs and two men who were left behind, the others having escaped. Two launches gallantly searched the shore, despite the heavy lire, but found nobody. THE RETIREMENT. 'The retirement began at i.'M. according to programme, (lie inshore forces gradually closing on (he destroyers. Two hundred shells fell round the British monitors, but there were no hits or casualties. HALF THE CHANNEL BLOCKED. Aircraft, which flew over Ostend today, report that half the channel is blocked, possibly usable by destroyers and submarines, but useless for cruisers. The naval men who participated returned to Dover in the highest spirits. They looked thoroughly worn out after their sleepless night, but were thoroughly delighted with their success. MEN AS KEEN AS MUSTARD. They state that the programme was carried out admirably, and that the small craft performed their task magnificently. The smoke screen could not have been better. The Vindictive striking the harbor had the luck which was denied the Brilliant on the former occasion. It is evident the men behaved splendidly, all being as keen as mustard. —Press Association. NO DOUBT OF VINDICTIVE'S POSITION. ANGLE ON BETWEEN THE 'PIERS. „ CHANNEL NOT EFFECTIVELY BLOCKED. SILTING UP WILL HELP. Received May 12, 5.5 p.m. London, May 11. It is now disclosed that the previous attempt to block Ostend failed because the enemy had just previously moved a buoy a mile out of position. It is stated there is no shadow of doubt about the present position of the Vindictive. She lies at an angle.of 4!) degrees between the piers, about 200 yards inside the entrance. This has been photographically confirmed. She does not effectively block the channel, which is twenty feet wider than her length, but a partial and most serious blockade has been achieved that, will certainly tend to increase under the conditions of the tide and the rapid silt prevailing along this coast.* What is very important is that German light craft, when chased by our vessels, will be unable, as hitherto, to rush at full speed to shelter. The small number of British casualties indicates that the' enemy was surprised. SILT COLLECTING AT ZEEBRUGGE. It has been ascertained that the silt at Zeebrugge is collecting very fast, despite the dredging. The blocking cruisers are so placed that any attempt to blow them up is fraught with danger to the neighboring permanent structure.— Reuter.

RAIDERS RETURN TO DOVER. GREAT REJOICINGS. Received May 11, 5.5 p.m. London, May 10. There were great rejoicings at Dover, to which port the raiders returned. Heavy gunfire was heard at one, two, and three o'clock in the morning. It was a brilliant night. Admiral Keyes directed the operations. THE GERMAN VERSION. ATTEMPT A COMPLETE FAILURE. Received May 12, 5.5 p.m. London, May 11. Wireless German official: The splendidly directed fire of our coastal batteries repelled several enemy vessels which were endeavoring to penetrate Ostend harbor. An old criser lies, completely battered by shells, aground outside the channel. The whole entrance is quite clear. Two survivors, who jumped overboard, were taken prisoner. The attempt to block, the port was completely frustrated. We sank two motor boats and badly damaged a monitor.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc, and Renter. The German official version of the exploit states that enemy ships, protected by artificial fog. tried to force their way into the harbor, but were driven off by the coastal batteries. It also asserts that the Vindictive, which was entirely battered to pieces, lies aground before the harbor, outside the navigation channel, and that the entrance is quite free. —Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc, and Reuter. PRAISE BY NEW YORK PRESS. Received May 1-2, 11.30 p.m. New York, May 11. New York newspapers accord much praise to the British Navy for bottling Up Ostend.—Press Assoc.

THE NEW MINEFIELDS. A COMPLETE BARRAGE. SUBMARINE ACTIVITIES BLOCKED. Received May 12, 5.10 p.m. London, May 11. The Daily Mail says that the new minefields comprise one of the most important undertakings of the war, and are a complete barrage to both ends of the North Sea. Submarines are able to penetrate in the Atlantic only by using the edge of the Norwegian waters, where the Admiralty is presumably taking special measures to deal with the unavoidable gap.—United Service. SUBMARINE LOSSES. VERY LARGELY REDUCED. Received May 12, 11.30 p.m. New York, May 11. Official statistics from France Btate that the total submarine losses of the Allies and neutrals amount to 381,631 tons, as nsainst G34.653 tons in April, i 11)17-—Press Assa

THE SUBMARINE CAMPAIGN. uIiDKRS TO AVOID i'.KUiIAN PORTS Received May 12, 5.5 p.m. London, May 11. Tim Times nuval correspondent states tliiit the submarines using tin?. Belgian ports have certainly been deprived of mueli of their freedom of movement. They have been instructed by wireless not to return to Zcubrugge or Oatend. If they do'so, they will Jind the passage impeded by the new North Sea, minefields. It is hoped that before long the fulfilment of other plans will cause a decided shrinkage in the tonnage of sinkings.—Times Service.