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diff --git a/30114-0.txt b/30114-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..968f1ba --- /dev/null +++ b/30114-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2569 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 30114 *** + + * * * * * + + +-----------------------------------------------------------+ + | Transcriber's Note: | + | | + | Inconsistent hyphenation in the original document has | + | been preserved. | + | | + | Obvious typographical errors have been corrected. For | + | a complete list, please see the end of this document. | + | | + | The erratum inserted between page xx and page xxi has | + | been incorporated into the text. Erratum text moved to | + | the bottom of the e-text. | + | | + +-----------------------------------------------------------+ + + * * * * * + + + + +THE JOURNAL OF SUBMARINE COMMANDER VON FORSTNER + + [Illustration: _Copyright by Underwood & Underwood, N.Y._ + PASSENGERS AND CREW LEAVING A SINKING LINER TORPEDOED BY A + GERMAN SUBMARINE IN THE MEDITERRANEAN] + + + + +THE JOURNAL OF +SUBMARINE COMMANDER +VON FORSTNER + +TRANSLATED BY +MRS. RUSSELL CODMAN + +WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY +JOHN HAYS HAMMOND, JR. + +[Illustration] + +BOSTON AND NEW YORK +HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY +The Riverside Press Cambridge +1917 + + + + +COPYRIGHT, 1917, BY JOHN HAYS HAMMOND, JR. AND ANNA CRAFTS CODMAN +ALL RIGHTS RESERVED +_Published November 1917_ + + + + +CONTENTS + + +FOREWORD BY THE TRANSLATOR vii + +INTRODUCTION BY JOHN HAYS HAMMOND, JR.: THE CHALLENGE TO +NAVAL SUPREMACY xi + + I. ORDERED TO COMMAND A SUBMARINE 1 + + II. BREATHING AND LIVING CONDITIONS UNDER WATER 6 + + III. SUBMERSION AND TORPEDO FIRE 17 + + IV. MOBILIZATION AND THE BEGINNING OF THE COMMERCIAL WAR 39 + + V. OUR OWN PART IN THE COMMERCIAL WAR AND OUR FIRST + CAPTURED STEAMER 53 + + VI. THE CAPTURE OF TWO PRIZE STEAMERS 74 + + VII. OFF THE COAST OF ENGLAND 97 + +VIII. THE METHOD OF SINKING AND RAISING SHIPS 122 + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS + + +PASSENGERS AND CREW LEAVING A SINKING LINER +TORPEDOED BY A GERMAN SUBMARINE IN THE +MEDITERRANEAN _Frontispiece_ + +INTERIOR OF A SUBMARINE xliv + +A TORPEDOED SCHOONER 36 + +GERMAN SUBMARINES U 13, U 5, U 11, U 3, AND U 16 IN KIEL +HARBOR 40 + +VON FORSTNER'S SUBMARINE (U 28) IN ACTION IN THE NORTH SEA: +A SERIES OF PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN FROM THE DECK OF ONE OF HER +VICTIMS 78 + From the London _Graphic_, March 27, 1915 + +LIFEBOAT LEAVING THE SINKING P. AND O. LINER ARABIA 98 + +BRITISH HOSPITAL SHIP GLOUCESTER CASTLE, SHOWING RED CROSS +ON BOW, SUNK IN THE ENGLISH CHANNEL BY A GERMAN SUBMARINE 126 + + + + +FOREWORD + + +The following pages form an abridged translation of a book published +in 1916 by Freiherrn von Forstner, commander of the first German +U-boat. It was written with the somewhat careless haste of a man who +took advantage of disconnected moments of leisure, and these moments +were evidently subject to abrupt and prolonged interruptions. Many +repetitions and trivial incidents have been omitted in this +translation; but, in order to express the personality of the Author, +the rendering has been as literal as possible, and it shows the +strange mixture of sentimentality and ferocity peculiar to the +psychology of the Germans. + +Part of the book gives a technical description,--not so much of the +construction of a submarine as of the nature of its activities,--which +presents us an unusual opportunity to glean a few valuable facts from +this personal and intimate account of a German U-boat. We are inclined +to a certain grim humor in borrowing the candid information given to +us Americans so unconsciously by Freiherrn von Forstner, for he could +hardly suppose it would fall into the hands of those who would join +the fighting ranks of the _hated enemy_, as, in his bitter animosity, +he invariably calls the English whenever he refers to them. + +Several chapters in this book are simple narratives of the commander's +own adventures during the present naval warfare waged against +commerce. His attempts at a lighter vein often provoke a smile at the +quality of his wit, but he is not lacking in fine and manly virtues. +He is a loyal comrade; a good officer concerned for the welfare of his +crew. He is even kindly to his captives when he finds they are docile +victims. He is also willing to credit his adversary with pluck and +courage. He is never sparing of his own person, and shows admirable +endurance under pressure of intense work and great responsibility. He +is full of enthusiastic love for his profession, and in describing a +storm at sea his rather monotonous style of writing suddenly rises to +eloquence. But in his exalted devotion to the Almighty War Lord, and +to the Fatherland, he openly reveals his fanatical joy in the +nefarious work he has to perform. + +It is difficult to realize that this ardent worship of detail, and +this marvelous efficiency in the conservation of every resource, are +applied to a weapon of destruction which directs its indiscriminate +attacks against women and children, hospital transports, and relief +ships. Nothing at the present day has aroused such fear as this +invisible enemy, nor has anything outraged the civilized world like +the tragedies caused by the German submarines. + +This small volume may offer new suggestions to those familiar with the +science of submarine construction, and it may also shed a little +light, even for lay readers, on a subject which for the last three +years has taken a preëminent place in the history of the War. + + + + +INTRODUCTION + +THE CHALLENGE TO NAVAL SUPREMACY + + +I + +In a letter to William Pitt, of January 6, 1806, relating to his +invention of a submersible boat, Robert Fulton wrote prophetically, +"Now, in this business, I will not disguise that I have full +confidence in the power which I possess, which is no less than to be +the means, should I think proper, of giving to the world a system +which must of necessity sweep all military marines from the ocean, by +giving the weaker maritime powers advantages over the stronger, which +the stronger cannot prevent." + +It is interesting to note that, about a hundred years later, +Vice-Admiral Fournier of the French Navy stated before a Parliamentary +committee of investigation that, if France had possessed a sufficient +number of submersibles, and had disposed them strategically about her +coasts and the coasts of her possessions, these vessels could have +controlled the trade routes of the world. He said also that the +fighting value of a sufficient number of submersibles would +reëstablish the balance of power between England and France. + +The history of naval warfare during the last few months has confirmed +the opinions of these two authorities, although in a manner which they +in no way anticipated. + +Direct comparison is the usual method by which the human mind +estimates values. We would measure the strength of two men by pitting +them against each other in physical encounter; in the same way, we are +prone to measure the combative effect of weapons by pitting them in +conflict against other weapons. But modern warfare is of so complex a +nature that direct comparisons fail, and only a careful analysis of +military experience determines the potentiality of a weapon and its +influence on warfare. Robert Fulton and Admiral Fournier both +indicated that they believed in the submersible's supremacy in actual +encounter with capital ships. The war, so far, has shown that, in +action between fleets, the submersible has played a negative part. In +the Jutland Bank battle, the submersible, handicapped in speed and +eyesight, took as active a part, as a Jack Tar humorously put it, "as +a turtle might in a cat fight." Not even under the extraordinary +conditions of the bombardment in the Dardanelles, when the +circumstances were such as lent themselves strikingly to submarine +attack, did these vessels score against the fleet in action.[1] + +It is easy to understand why the submersible did not take a vital part +in any of the major naval actions. In the naval battle of to-day we +have a number of very high-speed armored craft fighting against one +another over ranges extending up to 17,000 yards. There is a constant +evolution in the position of the ships which it is impossible to +follow from the low point of vantage of a periscope, for the +different formations of ships mean nothing to the submersible +commander. He is so placed that his range of vision is extremely +limited, and, on account of the low speed of his boat while submerged, +he can operate over only a very limited area of water while the other +vessels are moving many miles. Then, too, he is extremely vulnerable +to the effect of enemy shells and to the ramming of enemy ships. Under +these conditions the submersible commander is more or less forced to a +policy of lying ambushed to surprise his enemy. It is said that the +"Lusitania" was decoyed into a nest of submersibles. There was but +little chance of torpedoing her in any other way. There is also the +statement that Admiral Beatty passed with his battle-cruisers through +a flotilla of enemy submersibles without being touched. + +Submersibles cannot attack their target in definite formations as do +surface vessels, and therefore they cannot operate in numbers with the +same effectiveness as do the latter. They must maneuver more or less +singly, and at random. Being limited to the torpedo, which, when they +are submerged, is their sole weapon of attack, they have an uncertain +means of striking their armed enemy. The eccentricities of the +automobile torpedo are well known; but, even eliminating the fact that +this missile is unreliable, the important question of accuracy in the +estimate of range and speed which the submersible commander has to +make before firing the torpedo must be considered. There is usually a +large percentage of error in his calculations unless the submersible +is extremely close to its target. Realizing these limitations, the +German submersibles are equipped with small torpedoes, which are +generally fired at ranges not exceeding eight hundred to two thousand +yards. The necessity of approaching the target so closely is, of +course, a tremendous handicap in the general operation of these boats. +In view of these facts, it is not surprising that the submersible +should not have been able to sweep the capital ship from the seas, as +was predicted by certain experts before the war. + + +II + +Admiral Sir Cyprian Bridge regards the functions of defense by a navy +as divisible into three main classifications. He says, "The +above-mentioned three divisions are called in common speech, coast +defense, colonial defense, and defense of commerce." From this +classification we are given a hint as to what a sailor means by "naval +supremacy," "freedom of the seas," and other terms so misused that +to-day they mean nothing. "Coast defense" means defense against +invasion; "colonial defense" means the safeguarding of distant +possessions against enemy forces; the "defense of commerce" means such +supremacy on the seas as will insure absolute safety of the mercantile +marine from enemy commerce-destroyers. + +To-day every great nation is waging a trade war. The industrial +competition of peace is as keen as the competition of war. All the +great Powers realized years ago that, to gain and keep their "place in +the sun," it was necessary for them to construct navies that would +insure to them a certain control of the seas for the protection of +their commerce. In this way began the abnormal naval construction in +which the Powers have vied with one another for supremacy. + +A simple way of looking at the question, what constitutes the power of +a fleet, is to consider the warship as merely a floating gun-platform. +Even though this floating platform is the most complex piece of +mechanism that was ever contrived by man, nevertheless its general +function is simple. The war has given us enough experience to convince +us that the backbone of a navy is, after all, the heavily armored +ship of moderately high speed, carrying a very heavy armament. This +floating gun-platform is the structure best fitted to carry large guns +into battle, and to withstand the terrific punishment of the enemy's +fire. + +The battleship is to-day, notwithstanding the development of other +types, queen of the seas. It is therefore not difficult to estimate +the relative power of the fleets of different nations. In fact, a +purely engineering estimate of this kind can be made, and the +respective ranks of the world's naval powers ascertained. Germany has +shown all through the war that she thoroughly appreciated the British +naval supremacy. Her fleet has ventured little more than sporadic +operations from the well-fortified bases behind Heligoland. It was +probably the pressure of public opinion, and not the expectation +that she would achieve anything of military advantage, that forced her +to send her high-sea fleet into conflict with the British squadrons +off Jutland. + +If one should examine the course of this battle, which has been +represented by lines graphically showing the paths of the British and +German fleets, one could easily see how the British imposed their will +upon the Germans in every turn that these lines make. It reminds one +very much of the herding of sheep, for the German fleet was literally +herded on May 31, 1916, from 5:36 in the afternoon until 9 o'clock +that night. Admiral von Scheer, however, fought the only action which +it was possible for him to fight. It was a losing action, and one +which he knew, from a purely mathematical consideration, could not be +successful. + +Through the very definiteness of this understanding of what +constitutes naval strength, Great Britain's navy until recently has +remained a great potential force, becoming dynamic for only a few +hours at Jutland, after which it returned to that mysterious northern +base whence it seems to dominate the seas. Because of the potentiality +of these hidden warships, thousands of vessels have traversed the +ocean, freighted with countless tons of cargoes and millions of men +for the Allies. Even at that psychological moment when the first +hundred thousand were being transported to France, Germany refrained +from a naval attack which might have turned the whole land campaign in +her favor. + +To-day, however, the world is awakening to a new idea of sea-power, to +a new conception that will have a far-reaching influence on the future +development of naval machinery. + +Sir Cyprian Bridge has stated that one of the functions of a fleet is +the defense of commerce. There is no more important function for a +fleet than this. A nation may be subjugated by direct invasion, or it +may be isolated from the world by blockade. If the blockade be +sufficiently long, and effectively maintained, it will ruin the nation +as effectually as direct invasion. + +Thus, in the maintenance of a nation's merchant marine on the high +seas, its navy exercises one of its most vital functions. There can, +therefore, be no naval supremacy for a nation unless its commerce is +assured of immunity from considerable losses through the attack of its +enemy. It is idle for us to speak of our naval supremacy over Germany, +when our navies are failing in one of their most important functions, +and when our commerce is suffering such serious losses. The persons +best qualified to judge are those who are most anxious regarding the +present losses in mercantile tonnage. + +While it has been shown that the submersible of to-day, as a fighting +machine, is considerably limited, and in no sense endangers the +existence of the capital ship, nevertheless in the new huge +submersible it seems that the ideal commerce-destroyer has been found. +This vessel possesses the necessary cruising radius to operate over +sufficient distances to control important routes; it makes a surface +speed great enough to run down cargo steamers, and has a +superstructure to mount guns of considerable power (up to six-inch). +It embodies almost all the qualifications of the light surface +cruiser, with the additional tremendous advantage of being able to +hide by submergence. To be completely successful, it must operate in +flotillas of hundreds in waters that are opaque to aërial observation. +Germany has but a limited number of these submersibles, otherwise she +would be able to crush the Allied commerce. + +The ideal submersible commerce-raider should be a vessel of such +displacement that she could carry a sufficient number of large guns in +her superstructure to enable her to fight off the attack of surface +destroyers and the smaller patrol craft.[2] She should be capable of +cruising over a large radius at high speed, both on the surface and +submerged. The supersubmersible flotillas should comprise fifty or +sixty of these units. The attack on the trade routes should be made by +a number of flotillas operating at different points at unexpected +times. To-day Germany has concentrated her submarine war particularly +in the constricted waters about England. It is here that the shipping +is most congested, and therefore the harvest is richest, but it is +also easier to protect the trade routes over these limited areas of +water by patrols, nets, etc., than it would be to protect the entire +trans-oceanic length of the steamship lanes. If the submersible were +capable of dealing directly with the destroyer in gun-fighting, a +tremendous revolution would take place in the tactics of "submarine +swatting." Then it would be difficult to see how the submersible could +be dealt with. + +Improvement in motive machinery is the vital necessity in the +development of the submersible. The next few years may see unexpected +strides taken in this direction. A great deal will also be +accomplished in perfecting methods of receiving sounds under water, +particularly in relation to ascertaining the direction of these +sounds. When this is done, it will be possible for the submersible +commander to tell a great deal about the positions of the vessels +above him, and thus his artificial ears will compensate to a great +extent for his blindness. By the addition of a greater number of +torpedo-tubes, and the improvement of their centralized control in the +hand of the commander at the periscope, along lines which we are now +developing, it will be possible for the submersible to achieve a +greater effectiveness in its torpedo fire. Probably torpedoes will +then be used only against the more important enemy units, such as +battleships, cruisers, and the like. To be certain of striking these +valuable targets would be worth expending a number of torpedoes in +salvo fire. + +Whether the German U-boat campaign succeeds or not will be largely a +question of the number of submersibles that the Central Powers can put +into service, and to what extent the submersible will be developed +during the present war. + + +III + +German submarines have sunk over 7,250,000 tons of the Allied +shipping. In December, 1916, it was stated in the British Parliament +that the merchant marine of Great Britain had at that time over +20,000,000 tons. Within the first three months of the unrestricted +submarine warfare, 1,100,000 tons of British shipping went to the +bottom. At this rate, England would lose 25 per cent of her merchant +marine per annum. It is for this reason that the attention of the +entire world is concentrated upon the vital problem of the submarine +menace. On land, the Central Powers are still holding their ground, +but there is a continuous increase of the forces of the Allies which +should lead finally to such a preponderance of power as will overwhelm +the forces opposed to them. The Allied armies, however, depend for +their sustenance and supplies upon the freedom of the seas. The trade +routes of the world constitute the arteries which feed the muscles of +these armies. Germany is endeavoring to cut these arteries by the +submarine. Should she even appreciably limit the supplies that cross +the ocean to the Allies, she will bring about a condition that will +make it impossible to augment their armies. In this way there will +inevitably be a deadlock, which, from the German standpoint, would be +a highly desirable consummation. + +Obviously, the first method of handling the submarine problem would +be to bottle the German undersea craft in their bases. There has been +a number of proposals as to how best to accomplish this. It has been +stated that the English Navy has planted mines in channels leading +from Zeebrugge and other submarine bases; but it is necessary only to +recall the exploits of the E-11 and the E-14 of the British Navy at +the Dardanelles, to see that it would not be impossible for the +Germans to pass in their U-boats through these mine-fields into the +open sea. It will be remembered that the E-11 and the E-14 passed +through five or more mine-fields, thence through the Dardanelles into +the Sea of Marmora, and even into the Bosphorus under seemingly +impossible conditions. Yet, in spite of the tremendous risks that they +ran, these boats continued their operations for some time, passing up +as far as Constantinople, actually shelling the city, sinking +transports, and accomplishing other feats which have been graphically +described in the stories of Rudyard Kipling. And again, if the +mine-fields were placed in close proximity to their bases, it would be +comparatively easy for German submersibles of the Lake type, +possessing appliances to enable divers to pass outboard when the +vessel is submerged, to go out and cut away the mines and thus render +them ineffective. + +Nets are also used to hinder the outward passage of the submarine. +These nets can likewise be attacked and easily cut by devices with +which modern U-boats are equipped. The problem of placing these +obstacles is a difficult one, in view of the fact that the ships so +engaged are harassed by German destroyers and other enemy craft. +Outside of Zeebrugge, shallow water extends to a distance of about +five miles from the coast, and it has been suggested that a large +number of aircraft, carrying bombs and torpedoes, should be used to +patrol systematically the channel leading from that port to deep +water, with the intent of attacking the submersibles as they emerge +from this base. It is ridiculous to suppose that the Germans would not +be able to concentrate an equally large number of aircraft, to be +supported also by anti-aircraft guns on the decks of destroyers and by +the coast defenses. We have not yet won the supremacy of the air, and +it must inevitably be misleading to base any proposition on the +assumption that we are masters of that element. + +The problem of bottling up the submersibles is enormously difficult, +because it necessitates operations in the enemy's territory, where he +would possess the superiority of power. I believe that the question of +operations against the submarine bases is not a naval but a military +one, and one which would be best solved by the advance of the Western +left flank of the Allied armies. + +The second method is to attack the submarines with every appliance +that science can produce. In order to attack the submarine directly +with any weapon, it is necessary first to locate it. This is a problem +presenting the greatest difficulty, for it is by their elusiveness +that the submarines have gained such importance in their war on +trade. They attack the more or less helpless merchant ships, and +vanish before the armed patrols appear on the scene. + +Almost every suitable appliance known to physics has been proposed for +the solution of the problem of submarine location and detection. As +the submarine is a huge vessel built of metal, it might be supposed +that such a contrivance as the Hughes induction balance might be +employed to locate it. The Hughes balance is a device which is +extremely sensitive to the presence of minute metallic masses in +relatively close proximity to certain parts of the apparatus. +Unfortunately, on account of the presence of the saline sea-water, the +submersible is practically shielded by a conducting medium in which +are set up eddy currents. Although the sea-water may lack somewhat in +conductivity, it compensates for this by its volume. For this reason, +the induction balance has proved a failure. + +But another method of detecting the position of a metallic mass is by +the use of the magnetometer. This device operates on the principle of +magnetic attraction, and in laboratories on stable foundations it is +extremely sensitive. But the instability of the ship on which it would +be necessary to carry this instrument would render it impossible to +obtain a sufficient degree of sensitiveness in the apparatus to give +it any value. The fact that the submersible is propelled under water +by powerful electric motors begets the idea that the electrical +disturbances therein might be detected by highly sensitive detectors +of feeble electrical oscillations. The sea-water, in this case, will +be found to absorb to a tremendous extent the effects of the +electrical disturbance. Moreover, the metallic hull of the submersible +forms in itself an almost ideal shield to screen the outgoing effect +of these motors. + +Considerable and important development has been made in the creation +of sensitive sound-receiving devices, to hear the propeller vibrations +and the mechanical vibrations that are present in a submersible, both +of which are transmitted through the water. There are three principal +obstacles to the successful use of such a device: when the submersible +is submerged, she employs rotary and not reciprocating prime-movers, +being in consequence relatively quiet when running under water, and +inaudible at any considerable distance; the noises of the vessel +carrying the listening devices are difficult to exclude, as are also +the noises of the sea, which are multitudinous; finally, the +sound-receiving instruments are not highly directive, hence are not of +great assistance in determining the position of the object from which +they are receiving sounds.[3] + +To locate the submersible, aërial observation has been found useful. +It is particularly so when the waters are clear enough to observe the +vessel when submerged to some depth, but its value is less than might +be supposed in the waters about the British Isles and Northern +Europe, where there is a great deal of matter in suspension which +makes the sea unusually opaque. The submersible, however, when running +along the surface with only its periscope showing, is more easily +detected by aircraft than by a surface vessel. Behind the periscope, +there is a characteristic small wake, which is distinguishable from +above, but practically invisible from a low level of observation. Many +sea-planes are operating on the other side for the purpose of locating +enemy submersibles and reporting their presence to the surface patrol +craft. In order to overcome the disadvantages of creating the +periscope wake which I have mentioned, it is reported that the Germans +have developed special means to allow the U-boats, when raiding, to +submerge to a fixed depth without moving. To maintain any body in a +fluid medium in a static position is a difficult matter, as is shown +in the instability of aircraft. One of the great problems of the +submersible has been to master the difficulties of its control while +maintaining a desired depth. The modern submersible usually forces +itself under water, while still in a slightly buoyant condition, by +its propellers and by the action of two sets of rudders, or +hydroplanes, which are arranged along its superstructure and which +tend to force it below the surface when they are given a certain +inclination; but should the engines stop, the diving rudders, or +hydroplanes, would become ineffective, and, because of the reserve +buoyancy in the hull, the vessel would come to the surface. + +In order to maintain the vessel in a state of suspension under water +without moving, it would be necessary to hold an extremely delicate +balance between the weight of the submarine and that of the water +which it displaces. Variations in weights are so important to the +submersible that, as fuel is used, water is allowed to enter certain +tanks to compensate exactly for the loss of the weight of the fuel. To +obtain such an equilibrium, an automatic device controlled by the +pressure of the water, which, of course, varies with the depth, is +used. This device controls the pumps which fill or empty the +ballast-tanks, so as to keep the relation of the submersible to the +water which it displaces constant, under which condition the vessel +maintains a fixed depth. The principle of this mechanism is, of +course, old, and was first embodied in the Whitehead torpedo, which +has a device that can be set so as to maintain the depth at which it +will run practically constant. With the addition of a telescopic +periscope, which can be shortened or extended at will, it will be +possible for the U-boat to lie motionless with only the minute surface +of the periscope revealing her position. + + +IV + +To attack the submersible is a matter of opportunity. It is only when +one is caught operating on the surface, or is forced to the surface by +becoming entangled in nets, that the patrol has the chance to fire +upon it. Against this method of attack, modern submersibles have been +improving their defenses. To-day, they are shielded with armor of +some weight on the superstructure and over part of the hull. They are +also equipped with guns up to five inches in diameter, and, affording, +as they do, a fairly steady base, they can outmatch in gun-play any of +the lighter patrol boats which they may encounter. + +One of the important improvements which have been made has resulted in +the increased speed with which they now submerge from the condition of +surface trim. A submersible of a thousand tons displacement will carry +about five hundred tons of water ballast. The problem of submerging is +mainly that of being able rapidly to fill the tanks. On account of the +necessity of dealing with large quantities of water in the ballast +system, the European submersibles are equipped with pumps which can +handle eight tons of water per minute. + +Again, the speed which the electrical propulsion system gives the +vessel on the surface greatly increases the pressure which the diving +rudders can exert in forcing the submersible under water. This effect +may be so marked that it becomes excessive, and Sueter emphasizes the +point that vessels at high speed, when moving under water, may, on +account of the momentum attained, submerge to excessive depths. To +eliminate this tendency, there is a hydrostatic safety system which +automatically causes the discharge of water from the ballast-tank when +dangerous pressures are reached, thus bringing the submersible to a +higher level where the pressure on the hull will not be so severe. +From this it follows that the opportunity of ramming a submersible, +or of sinking it by gunfire, is greatly minimized, since the vessel +can disappear so rapidly. + + [Illustration: _Photograph from Underwood & Underwood, N.Y._ + INTERIOR OF A SUBMARINE] + +A great deal has been attempted with nets. Fixed nets extend across +many of the bodies of water around the British Isles. Their positions, +doubtless, are now very well known to the Germans. The problem of +cutting through them is not a difficult one. Moreover, the hull of the +submersible has been modified so that the propellers are almost +entirely shielded and incased in such a way that they will not foul +the lines of a net. There has also been a steel hawser strung from the +bow across the highest point of the vessel to the stern, so that the +submersible can underrun a net without entangling the superstructure. +Some nets are towed by surface vessels. The process is necessarily +slow, and to be effective the surface vessel must know the exact +location of the submersible. Towing torpedoes or high explosive +charges behind moving vessels has been developed by the Italian Navy, +but the chances of hitting a submersible with such devices are not +very great. + +Bomb-dropping from aëroplanes can be practiced successfully under +exceptional conditions only. In view of the fact that such +bomb-dropping is exceedingly inaccurate, and that the charges carried +are relatively small, this form of attack ordinarily would not be very +dangerous for the submersible. Surface craft have also employed large +charges of high explosives, which are caused to detonate by +hydrostatic pistons upon reaching a certain depth. Patrol boats carry +such charges in order to overrun the submersible, drop the charges in +its vicinity, and by the pressure of the underwater explosion crush +its hull. Since the pressure of an underwater explosion diminishes +rapidly as the distance increases from the point of detonation, it +would be necessary to place the explosive charge fairly close to the +hull of the submersible to be certain of its destruction. To +accomplish this, it would seem that the ideal combination would be the +control of an explosive carrier by radio energy directly from an +aëroplane. Thus we would have a large explosive charge under water +where it can most effectively injure the submersible, controlled by +the guidance of an observer in the position best suited to watch the +movements of the submerged target. + +The third method by which to frustrate the attack of the submersible +is to give better protection to the merchant marine itself. While a +great deal of ingenuity is being concentrated on the problem of +thwarting the submersible, but little common sense has been used. +While endeavoring to devise intricate and ingenious mechanisms to sink +the submersible, we overlook the simplest safeguards for our merchant +vessels. To-day, the construction of the average ship is designed to +conform to the insurance requirements. This does not mean in any way +that the ship is so constructed as to be truly safe. Thousands of +vessels that are plying the seas to-day are equipped with bulkheads +that are absolutely useless because they do not extend high enough to +prevent the water from running from one part of the ship to another +when the ship is partially submerged. Then again, the pumping system +is so arranged as to reach the water in the lower part of the hull +when the ship is up by the head. Should the ship be injured in the +forward part and sink by the head, these pumps would be unable to +reach the incoming water before her condition had become desperate. +There is a vessel operating from New York to-day worth approximately a +million dollars, and if she were equipped with suitable pumps, which +would cost about a thousand dollars, her safety would be increased +about forty per cent. Her owners, however, prefer running the risk of +losing her to expending a thousand dollars! If the merchant vessels +were made more torpedo-proof, it would be an important discouragement +to the U-boat commander. During the past two years of the war, +nineteen battleships have been torpedoed, and out of this number only +three have been sunk, showing that it is possible by proper +construction to improve the hull of a ship to such an extent that it +is almost torpedo-proof. While it may not be practicable, on account +of the cost, to build merchant vessels along the lines of armed ships, +nevertheless much could be done to improve their structural strength +and safety; and since speed is an essential factor in circumventing +torpedo attack, new cargo-carriers should be constructed to be as fast +as is feasible. + +So radically have conditions changed that to-day we have a +superabundance of useless dreadnaught power. The smaller guns of some +of these vessels, and their gun crews, would be far more useful on the +merchant vessels than awaiting the far-off day when the German fleet +shall venture forth again. The submersible must be driven below the +surface by a superiority of gunfire on the part of the merchant marine +and its patrols. In this way the submersible would be dependent upon +the torpedo alone, a weapon of distinct limitations. In order to use +it effectively, the submersible must be not more than from eight +hundred to two thousand yards from its target, and must run submerged +at reduced speed, thus greatly lessening its potentiality for +destruction. To-day, submersibles are actually running down and +destroying merchant vessels by gunfire. If merchant vessels carried +two high-speed patrol launches equipped with three-inch guns of the +Davis non-recoil type, and these vessels were lowered in the danger +zone as a convoy to the ship, such a scheme would greatly lessen the +enormous task of the present patrol. In the event of gunfire attack by +a submersible, three vessels would be on the alert to answer her fire +instead of one: an important factor in discouraging submersibles from +surface attack! + +The future of the submarine campaign is of vital importance. The +prospect is not very cheerful. Laubeuf states that at the beginning of +the war Germany had not over thirty-eight submersibles. This statement +may be taken with a grain of salt; the Germans do not advertise what +they have. It is probable, however, that to-day they have not more +than two hundred submersibles in operation. Over four thousand patrol +boats are operating against this relatively small number, and yet +sinkings continue at an alarming rate. It is estimated that Germany +will be able to produce a thousand submersibles in the coming year and +man these vessels with crews from her blockaded ships. This will be a +tremendous addition to the number she has now in operation. The +greater the number of submersibles she has in action, the greater the +area the submarine campaign will cover. The number of patrol vessels +will have to be increased in direct proportion to the area of the +submarine zone. Since a large number of patrol boats has to operate +against each submersible, it will be seen that a tremendous fleet +will have to be placed in commission to offset a thousand +submersibles. Thus the problem becomes increasingly difficult, and the +protection of the trade route will be no more thoroughly effected than +it is to-day--unless we overwhelm the enemy by a tremendous fleet of +destroyers. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[1] The "Majestic" was torpedoed at the Dardanelles, while at anchor. +The "Triumph" was torpedoed while moving slowly; both warships had out +their torpedo nets. + +[2] The Germans have in operation submersibles of 2000 tons +displacement. + +[3] Big strides, however, have been made lately in overcoming these +shortcomings, and it would appear that the principle of sound-detection +is the most hopeful one for us to follow. + + + + +THE JOURNAL OF SUBMARINE COMMANDER VON FORSTNER + + + + +I + +ORDERED TO COMMAND A SUBMARINE + + +Every year about the first of October, at the time of the great army +maneuvers, new appointments are also made in the navy; but, unlike our +army brothers, who from beginning to end remain permanently either in +the artillery, cavalry, or infantry, we officers of the navy are +shifted from cruiser to torpedo boat, from the ship of the line to the +hated office desk on land at the Admiralty, in order to fit us to +serve our Almighty War Lord in every capacity and to the best +advantage. The commander of a torpedo boat must be familiar with the +service on board a dreadnaught or on any other large ship, for only +those who are intimately acquainted with the kind of ship they are +going to attack possess sufficient skill to destroy it. + +For the first time in the autumn of 190- some of us were surprised at +the announcement: "Ordered on board a submarine." This order naturally +met with an immediate response, but it brought a new outlook on the +possibilities of our career, for we had not yet been trained to this +branch of the service which our Almighty War Lord had only recently +added to the Imperial Navy. The question was, should we be able to +perform this new duty? + +It is well known that the French were the first to complete a type of +submarine navigable underseas, and the English unwillingly, but with a +sly anticipation of coming events, copied this type of boat. + +To all outward appearance we kept aloof from following the example of +our neighbors, and our chiefs of the Admiralty were beset with +expostulations on the subject, but they were silently biding their +time while our enemies of to-day were bragging about their successful +experiments with their newly constructed submarines. To the dismay and +astonishment of our opponents it was only when the right hour had +struck that our navy revealed that it had similar weapons at its +command; it therefore prepared for them some disagreeable surprises, +and set its special seal from the very beginning on the maritime +warfare. + +I remember a talk I had with an old army officer a few years ago, when +I had just received my appointment to a submarine. We were speaking of +U-boats and aëroplanes, and he exclaimed: "Ach! my dear Forstner, give +it up! The bottom of the ocean is for fishes, and the sky is for +birds." + +What would have happened to us in this war had we not so proudly +excelled above the earth and beneath the sea? + +At first a mystery still veiled our knowledge concerning our +submarines; we were told that the dear, good, old U-boat No. 1 had +splendidly stood every test, and shortly after, in October, 190-, I +went on board, and had the honor later to command her for two years. +But during this period, for several years, the greatest secrecy +surrounded this new weapon of our navy; strictest orders were given +to admit no one on board, not even high officers; only admirals were +allowed to penetrate within, and on every matter concerning our +U-boats we had to maintain absolute silence. Now, however, that our +usefulness has been so fully justified, the veil of discretion can be +somewhat lifted, and I can describe within certain limits the life and +activities on board a submarine. + + + + +II + +BREATHING AND LIVING CONDITIONS UNDER WATER + + +A submarine conceals within its small compass the most concentrated +technical disposition known in the art of mechanical construction, +especially so in the spaces reserved for the steering gear of the boat +and for the manipulation of its weapons. + +The life on board becomes such a matter of habit that we can +peacefully sleep at great depths under the sea, while the noise is +distinctly heard of the propellers of the enemy's ships, hunting for +us overhead; for water is an excellent sound conductor, and conveys +from a long distance the approach of a steamer. We are often asked, +"How can you breathe under water?" The health of our crew is the best +proof that this is fully possible. We possessed as fellow passengers a +dozen guinea pigs, the gift of a kindly and anxious friend, who had +been told these little creatures were very sensitive to the ill +effects of a vitiated atmosphere. They flourished in our midst and +proved amusing companions. + +It is essential before a U-boat submerges to drive out the exhausted +air through powerful ventilating machines, and to suck in the purest +air obtainable; but often in war time one is obliged to dive with the +emanations of cooking, machine oil, and the breath of the crew still +permeating the atmosphere, for it is of the utmost importance to the +success of a submarine attack that the enemy should not detect our +presence; therefore, it is impossible at such short notice to clear +the air within the boat. These conditions, however, are bearable, +although one must be constantly on the watch to supply in time fresh +ventilation. + +Notwithstanding certain assertions in the press of alleged discoveries +to supply new sources of air, the actual amount remains unchanged from +the moment of submersion, and there is no possibility, either through +ventilators or any other device so far known in U-boat construction, +to draw in fresh air under water; this air, however, can be purified +from the carbonic acid gas exhalations by releasing the necessary +proportion of oxygen. If the carbonic acid gas increases in excess +proportion then it produces well-known symptoms, in a different +degree, in different individuals, such as extreme fatigue and violent +headaches. Under such conditions the crew would be unable to perform +the strenuous maneuver demanded of it, and the carbonic acid must be +withdrawn and oxygen admitted. + +The ventilation system of the entire submarine is connected with +certain chemicals, through which the air circulates, whose property is +to absorb and retain the carbonic acid. Preparations of potassium are +usually employed for this purpose. Simultaneously, cylinders of +oxygen, under fairly high pressure, spray oxygen into the ventilation +system, which is released in a measure proportionate to the number of +the crew; there is a meter in the distributing section of the oxygen +tubes, which is set to act automatically at a certain ratio per man. +The ordinary atmosphere is bearable for a long time and this costly +method of cleansing the air is used only as a last resort; the moment +at which it must be employed is closely calculated to correspond, not +only with the atmospheric conditions at the time of submersion, but +also to the cubic quantity of air apportioned to each man according to +his activities and according to the size of the boat. + +It is unnecessary to clear the air artificially during a short +submersion, but during prolonged ones it is advisable to begin doing +so at an early hour to prevent the carbonic acid gas from gaining a +disproportionate percentage, as it becomes then more difficult to +control, and it is obvious that it is impossible to dissipate the +fumes of cooking, the odors of the machine oil, and the breath of the +crew. + +Taken altogether one can live comfortably underseas, although there is +a certain discomfort from the ever-increasing warmth produced by the +working of the electrical machinery, and from the condensation created +by the high temperature on the surface of the boat plunged in cold +water, which is more noticeable in winter and in colder regions. + +It is interesting to observe that the occupations of the crew +determine the atmospheric conditions: the quantity of air required by +a human body depends entirely on its activity. A man working hard +absorbs in an hour eighty-five liters of air. Besides the commander, +who is vigorously engaged in the turret,--as will be hereafter +described,--the men, employed on the lateral and depth steering, and +those handling the torpedo tubes, are doing hard physical work. The +inactive men use up a far smaller quantity of air, and it is +ascertained that a man asleep requires hourly only fifteen liters of +air. A well-drilled crew, off duty, is therefore expected to sleep at +once, undisturbed by the noise around them, and their efficiency is +all the greater when the time comes to relieve their weary comrades. +We had a wireless operator on board whose duties ceased after +submersion, and he had so well perfected the art of sleeping that he +never cost us more than fifteen liters of air, hourly, underseas. + +The length of time that a U-boat can remain under water depends, as we +stated above, on the atmospheric conditions at the moment of +plunging, and on the amount of oxygen and chemicals taken on board. We +can stay submerged for several days, and a longer period will probably +never be necessary. + +The distance of vision varies somewhat under water, as we look out +from the side windows cut into the steel armor of the commander's +conning tower. We can naturally see farther in the clear water of the +deep ocean than in the turbid, dirty water at the mouth of a river, +and the surface of the water-bottom has a direct influence on the +sight, which is far more distinct over a light sand than over dark +seaweed or black rocks, and at an upper level the sunshine is +noticeable many meters under water. But in any case, the vision +underseas is of the shortest, and does not extend beyond a few +meters; light objects and even the stem and stern of our own boat are +invisible from the turret. We are unaware, therefore, of advancing +ships, derelicts, or projecting rocks, and no lookout can preserve us +from these dangers. + +The crew is entirely ignorant of their surroundings. Only the +commander in his turret surveys through the periscope now and then a +small sector of the horizon; and in turning round the periscope he +gradually perceives the entire horizon. But this survey demands great +physical exertion, which on a long cruise is most fatiguing. The +periscopes erected through the upper cover of the turret must not be +too easily turned in their sockets, and the latter are very tightly +screwed in, for otherwise they would not be able to resist the water +pressure at a great depth. The effort of simply turning the periscope +is so exhausting that casual observations of the horizon are made by +the officer of the watch; but during naval maneuvers or in time of +war, the commander alone manipulates the periscope. It is essential in +this case that the periscope should not arise needlessly above water +and betray the presence of the U-boat. + +The commander must possess the absolute confidence of his crew, for +their lives are in his hands. In this small and carefully selected +company, each man, from the commanding officer down to the sailor boy +and down to the stoker, knows that each one is serving in his own +appointed place, and they perform their duties serenely and +efficiently. + +I have always allowed every man on board once, in turn, to have a +look through the periscope; it is their highest ambition, and the +result is excellent, for it reassures them and they feel more +confident as to their own safety after the granting of this small +favor. + +As we advance underseas, unless passing through a school of fish, we +seldom see any fish, for the noise of the propellers frightens them +away; but when we lie at rest on the bottom of the ocean, the electric +lights allure them, and they come and stare at us with goggling eyes +close to the windows in the turret. + +The life, therefore, in our "cylinder" as we call it, offers a good +deal of variety. The term "cylinder" is exact, for the inner +conformation of a submarine is necessarily rounded, so that relatively +thin partitions can successfully resist the greatest pressure of +water. + + + + +III + +SUBMERSION AND TORPEDO FIRE + + +A new passenger, for the first time in a submarine, has often +professed to be unaware that he was fathoms deep under water and has +been quite unconscious that the boat had been diving. Of course his +astonishment indicates that he was not in the compartment where these +maneuvers take place, for it is in the commander's turret that the +whole apparatus is centralized for submersion, for steering to the +right depth, and also for emersion. At this juncture every man must be +at his post, and each one of the thirty members of the crew must feel +individually responsible for the safety of the whole in the difficult +and rapid maneuver of plunging, for the slightest mistake may endanger +the security of the boat. + +The central control, situated in the commander's turret, is in reality +the brain of the boat. When the alarm signal is heard to change the +course from surface navigation to subsurface navigation, several +previously designated members of the crew take their post of duty in +the commander's turret. The commander, himself, is on duty during the +whole of the expedition in time of war, and he seldom gets a chance +for rest in his tiny little cabin. Day and night, if there is the +slightest suspicion of the approach of the enemy, he watches on the +exposed bridge on the top of the turret; for a few seconds' delay in +submerging might forfeit the taking of a much coveted prize. So he +learns to do without sleep, or to catch a few brief seconds of repose +by lying down in his wet clothes, and he is at once ready to respond +to the alarm signal of the officer of the watch. + +In one bound he is once more surveying the horizon through the +periscope, or mounts to the bridge to determine with his powerful +field glass whether friend or foe is in sight. His observations must +be taken in the space of a few seconds, for the enemy is also +constantly on the lookout, and continual practice enables the sailor +in the crow's nest to detect the slender stem of a periscope, although +the hull of the boat is scarcely visible on the face of the waters. + +The commander must come to a prompt decision as soon as he locates +the adversary's exact position. Not only may a retarded submersion +spoil our plan of attack, but we are exposed to being rammed by a +rapidly advancing steamer; our haste must be all the greater if the +conditions of visibility are impaired, as is often the case on the +high seas, for it takes time for the U-boat to submerge completely, +and during this process it is helplessly exposed to the fire of long +distance guns. + +Calmly, but with great decision, the commander gives the general +orders to submerge. The internal combustion engines, the oil motors +which, during surface navigation are used to accelerate the speed of +the boat, are immediately disconnected, as they consume too much air +underseas, and electric motors are now quickly attached and set in +motion. They are supplied by a large storage battery, which consumes +no air and forms the motive power during subsurface navigation. Of +course electricity might be employed above water, but it uses up much +current which is far more expensive than oil, and would be wasted too +rapidly if not economized with care. + +It would be convenient to employ the same oil motor for underseas +navigation, but such a machine has not yet been constructed, although +various futile attempts of this kind have been made. With only one +system of propulsion we should gain much coveted space and a more +evenly distributed weight; within the same dimensions new weapons of +attack could be inserted, and also effective weapons of defense. The +inventor of such a device would earn a large reward. Let him who wants +it, try for it! + +Quickly, with deft hands, the outboard connections, which served as +exhausts for the oil motors, must be closed in such a way as to resist +at once the high water pressure. It is well known that for every ten +meters under water we oppose the pressure of one atmosphere--one +kilogram to the square centimeter--and we must be prepared to dive to +far greater depths. + +When all these openings have been carefully closed and fastened, then +begins the maneuver of submersion. The sea water is admitted into big +open tanks. Powerful suction engines, in the central control of the +boat, draw out the air from these tanks so as to increase the rapid +inrush of the water. The chief engineer notifies the captain as soon +as the tanks are sufficiently filled and an even weight is established +so as to steer the boat to the proper depth for attack. +Notwithstanding the noise of the machinery, large, wide-open speaking +tubes facilitate the delivery of orders between the commander's turret +and the Central, and now is the moment the commander gives the order +to submerge. + +All this may sound very simple and yet there are a great many things +to consider. In the same manner in which an airplane is carefully +balanced before taking wing into the high regions of the sky, a +submarine must be accurately weighed and measured before it descends +into the watery depths of the ocean. The briny water of the North Sea +weighs far more than the less salty water of the Baltic Sea, whose +western basin is composed of practically fresh water. A boat floats +higher in the heavily salted waters of the North Sea and lies deeper +and plunges farther down in the waters of the Baltic. The same U-boat, +therefore, must take into its tanks a greater quantity of water +ballast in the North Sea, to be properly weighted, than when diving +into fresher waters. Even with small submarines of 400 tons +displacement, there is the enormous difference of 10 tons between +1.025 specific weight in the intake of North Sea water and 1.000 +specific weight of fresh water. On the other hand, if too much water +is admitted into the tanks, the submarine may plunge with great +velocity deeper and deeper beyond its appointed depth, and in such a +case it might even happen that the hull of the boat could not +withstand the overpowering pressure and would be crushed beneath the +mass of water. And yet again if too small a quantity of water ballast +is admitted into the tanks, the boat may not sink sufficiently below +the surface, and thus we could not obtain an invisible attack which is +positively necessary for our success. + +How much water then must we take in? The answer to this question is a +matter of instinct, education, and experience and we must also depend +on the cleverly devised apparatus made for this purpose. + +The submarine like the airplane must be always maintained at the +proper level. The weight of the boat varies continually during a +prolonged voyage. Food is devoured and the diving material of the +machinery is consumed. The water in which the boat swims continually +changes weight and the boat is imperceptibly raised or lowered in a +way very difficult to ascertain. The officer responsible for the +flooding of the submarine must painstakingly keep its weight under +control during the entire navigation. The weight of a meal eaten by +each man of the crew, the remains of the food and the boxes in which +it was contained, which have been thrown overboard, must be calculated +as well as the weight of the water, and the officer employs delicate +apparatus for these measurements. + +On the open seas these alterations in weight do not occur very +rapidly; but whenever a boat approaches the mouth of a river, then the +transition from salt to fresh water happens very suddenly and may +provoke the undesirable disturbances to which we have already alluded. +Also warm and cold currents at different depths produce thermotic +conditions, which surprisingly change the weight of the water. + +Peculiar as it may appear, a submarine must be lightened to descend to +a very great depth, whereas, in steering to a higher level, more water +must be admitted into the tanks to prevent our emerging to the surface +with too great suddenness. This demands careful attention, skill, and +experience. + +The principal condition for the success of a submarine attack is to +steer to the exact depth required. The periscope must not rise too +far above water, for it might easily be observed by the enemy; but if, +by clumsy steering, the top of the periscope descends below the waves, +then it becomes impossible to take aim to fire the torpedo. The +commander therefore must be able to depend on the two men who control +the vertical and horizontal rudders, whom another officer constantly +directs and supervises. + +When the boat has reached the prescribed depth a close examination is +made of all the outward-leading pipes, to see if they can properly +resist the water pressure; if any tiny leak has been sprung, every cap +must be tightly screwed down; for it is evident it would be very +undesirable if any leak should occur and increase the heaviness of +the submarine. Absolute silence must prevail so that any dripping or +greater influx in the tanks can be observed. + +Quietly and silently the boat advances against the enemy; the only +audible sounds are the purring of the electric motors and the +unavoidable noise made by the manipulation of the vertical and +horizontal rudders. Alert and speechless, every man on board awaits a +sign from the commander, who is watching in the turret; but some time +may elapse--now that the periscope is lowered and nearly on the level +of the waters--before the adversary becomes visible again. The ship +may have changed her course and have taken an opposite direction to +the one she was following at the moment we submerged. In that case she +would be out of reach and all our preparations prove useless. + +At various intervals, the commander presses an electric button and +raises and lowers the periscope as quickly as possible, so as to take +his own observation without, if possible, being observed himself; for +he knows that any injury to the periscope--his most priceless +jewel--would, as it were, render the boat blind and rob him of the +much coveted laurel leaves. During these short glimpses the commander +only perceives a little sky and the wide, round plate of the reflected +sea with its dancing waves, while the nervous tension of the expectant +crew increases every minute. + +At last is heard a joyous outcry from the commander, "The fellows are +coming!"--and after one quick glance, to locate the enemy exactly, +the periscope is lowered. Now every heart beats with happy +anticipation and every nerve quivers with excitement. The captain +quickly issues his orders for the course to be steered and for the +necessary navigation. The officer in charge of the torpedoes receives +the command to clear the loaded torpedo for firing, while the captain +quietly calculates, first, the relative position of his boat to the +enemy's ship, according to the course she has taken; secondly, at +which point he must aim the torpedo to take surest effect, and--in the +same way as in hunting a hare--he withholds the shot to correspond to +his victim's gait. + +Many thoughts fly through his brain. Here, among his companions, the +annihilation of the enemy will cause joyful enthusiasm, while among +them their downfall will cause overwhelming sorrow. But without doubt +they must vanish from the seas, and only a man, who has experienced +these sensations, knows how many secondary matters occur to him at +such a time. + +With lowered periscope, he sees nothing that goes on above him on the +sea, and like a blind man the boat feels its way through the green +flood. Every possible event becomes a subject of conjecture. Will the +fellow continue on the same course? Has he seen our periscope in the +second it was exposed, and is he running away from us? Or, on the +contrary, having seen us, will he put on full steam and try to run us +down with a fatal death stroke from his prow? + +At such an instant of high nervous tension, I have caught myself +giving superfluous orders to let myself relax, and yet I knew that +every man was at his post, fully conscious that his own safety, the +safety of the whole boat, and the honor of the Fatherland were all at +stake, and dependent on his individual effort. I knew, of course, that +each fine fellow, down in the machinery room or at the torpedo tubes, +had done his very best, and that all his thoughts were centered like +mine in keen expectancy on the firing of our first torpedo--the eel as +we call it, guarded with so much love and care--which would speed +along accompanied by our warmest wishes. We give nicknames to our +torpedoes, mostly feminine names: side by side below lie "the fat +Bertha," "the yellow Mary," and "the shining Emma," and these ladies +expected to be treated, like all ladies, with the tenderest care and +courtesy. + +Now comes the announcement from the torpedo officer, "The torpedoes +are cleared for firing." He stands with a firm hand awaiting the +signal from his commander to permit the torpedo to drive ahead against +the hated, but unconscious adversary, and to bore its way with a loud +report deep into the great steel flank. + +Once again the periscope springs for an instant to the surface and +then glides back into the protecting body of the turret. The captain +exclaims, "We are at them!" and the news spreads like wildfire through +the crew. He gives a last rapid order to straighten the course of the +boat. The torpedo officer announces, "Torpedo ready"--and the captain, +after one quick glance through the periscope, as it slides back into +its sheath, immediately shouts, "Fire!" + +Even without the prescribed announcement from the torpedo officer that +the torpedo had been set off, every one knows that it is speeding +ahead, and for a few seconds we remain in anxious suspense, until a +dull report provokes throughout our boat loud cheers for Kaiser and +for Empire, and by this report we know that "the fat Bertha" has +reached unhindered her destination. Radiant with joy, the commander +breathes a sigh of relief, and he does not check the young sailor at +the wheel, who seeks to grasp his hand and murmur his fervent +congratulations. But congratulations must be postponed until we +ascertain that our success is complete. + +And once again the periscope runs up towards the laughing daylight, +while the commander in happy but earnest tones utters the reassuring +words, "The ship is sinking, further torpedoes can be spared." He then +permits the gratified torpedo officer, who stands by his side, a quick +glance through the periscope to verify the result of his own +efficiency. It is chiefly owing to the care of the personnel of the +torpedo squad, that the torpedoes are maintained in such perfect +condition and that their aim is so correct; and to them is due in +great part the success of our attack. + +The commander and his officer exchange a knowing look, for they have +seen the enemy's ship heavily listing to one side, where the water is +rushing into the gaping wound, and soon she must capsize. They see her +crew hastily lowering the life boats--their only means of +escape--and this is a sufficient proof of our victory. We can depart +now in all security. Concealing our presence, we plunge and vanish +beneath the waters; having reached a certain distance, we stop to make +sure that our victim lies at the bottom of the ocean. We behold the +waves playing gently and smoothly as before over the cold, watery +grave of the once proud ship and we hasten away from the scene of our +triumph. + + [Illustration: _Copyright by Underwood & Underwood, N.Y._ + A TORPEDOED SCHOONER] + +There is no need of our going to the help of the enemy's crew +struggling in the sea, for already their own torpedo boats are +hurrying to the succor of their comrades, and for us there is further +work to be done. + +Imagine the enthusiasm our dear fallen comrade, Weddingen, and his +crew must have felt as the loud report of their last torpedo announced +the destruction of their third English armed cruiser! + + + + +IV + +MOBILIZATION AND THE BEGINNING OF THE COMMERCIAL WAR + + +After long and agitated waiting, we received in the last days of July, +1914, the command to mobilize. Joyful expectation was visible on every +face, and the only fear that prevailed was that those of us who were +awaiting our orders on land might be too late to take part in the +naval battle we were all looking forward to so eagerly. + +A few years ago, one of the Lords of the English Admiralty had +predicted that in the first naval battle fought between Germany and +England, the German fleet would be entirely annihilated. We naturally +only smiled in derision at these boastful words. The English +newspapers, besides, had for many years announced that whenever German +officers met together they drank a toast "To the Day." Although of +course this was untrue, yet we were all burning to prove in battle +what our great Navy had learned in long, hard-working years of peace. + +A mighty engagement at sea seemed to us imminent during these first +days of war, and we all longed to be in it. I was, however, at the +moment, among those unfortunates who were strapped down to a desk in +the Admiralty, and with envy I beheld my comrades rushing to active +service, for I had always hoped to lead my old beloved U-boat +victoriously against the enemy. We had all placed strong hopes in the +part our submarines would eventually play in a great crisis, but we +never dreamed that they would so successfully take the first rôle +as our most effective weapon in naval warfare. + + [Illustration: _Photograph by Brown & Dawson, Stamford, Conn._ + _From Underwood & Underwood, N.Y._ + GERMAN SUBMARINES U 13, U 5, U 11, U 3, AND U 16 IN KIEL HARBOR] + +With a happiness that can hardly be described, I suddenly received the +order to take over the command of a fine, new U-boat which had just +been built at Kiel. Never before was a pen more quickly thrown aside +and a desk closed than when I handed over my duties in the Admiralty +to my successor, and shortly afterwards I took possession of my new, +splendid boat, to which I was going to confide all my luck and all I +was humanly capable of doing. + +I addressed my crew in a short speech, and told them we could best +serve our Almighty War Lord in bringing this new weapon of attack, +confided to our care, to the highest state of efficiency, and my +words were greeted with loud cheers. + +There was much work to be done in putting the finishing touches to our +submarine, which had only just come off the ways. The auxiliary +machines had to be tested and certain inner arrangements made; but, +thanks to the untiring zeal of the crew and to the eager help we +received from the Imperial Navy Yard, our task was soon accomplished. +After a few short trial trips and firing tests, I was able to declare +our boat ready for sea and for war, and after everything had been +formally surveyed by the inspector we left our home port before the +middle of August. + +Departing at a high speed, we bade farewell to the big ships still at +their moorings, and we soon joined our fellow submarines, who had +already in the first fortnight of war, according to an announcement of +the Admiralty Staff, made a dash as far as the English coast; and here +is the proud record of what they further accomplished: At the +beginning of September, 1914, the English cruiser "Pathfinder" was +torpedoed by Lieutenant-Captain Hersing, who later sunk the two ships +of the line, "Triumph" and "Majestic," in the Dardanelles and was +rewarded with our highest order, _Pour le Mérite_. + +This initial success proclaimed our submarines to be our greatest +weapon of offense and their importance became of world-wide renown, +for we claim the honor of having fired the first successful torpedo +shot from a submarine. It opened a new era in maritime warfare and was +the answer to many questions, which had puzzled the men of our +profession the whole world over. Above all, we had proved that a +German U-boat, after a long and difficult voyage, could reach the +enemy's coast; and after penetrating their line of defense was able to +send one of their ships to the bottom of the sea with one well-aimed +torpedo shot. The age of the submarine had truly begun. + +Other victories followed in prompt succession. Weddingen's wonderful +prowess off the Hoek of Holland, on September 22, 1914, will never be +forgotten. In the space of an hour he sunk the three English armored +cruisers, "Cressy," "Hague," and "Aboukir," and shortly afterwards +dispatched their comrade "Hawke" to keep them company at the bottom of +the North Sea. + +Let me add to this list the English cruiser "Hermes" near Dover, the +"Niger" off the Downs of the English coast; the Russian cruiser +"Pallada" in the Baltic; and a great number of other English torpedo +boats, torpedo boat destroyers, as well as auxiliary cruisers and +transports. All this was achieved before the end of 1914. +Unfortunately I am not at liberty, for obvious reasons, to describe my +own part in the beginning of the War, but hope to be able to do so +after we achieve a victorious peace. + +Our dear cousins on the other side of the Channel must have been +rather disquieted by the loss of so much shipping at the hands of our +boats or of our mines; and they must have realized that a new method +of warfare had begun, for their fleet no longer paraded in the North +Sea or in any of the waters in the war zone. Their great, valuable +ships were withdrawn, and the patrol of their coast was confided only +to smaller craft and to the mine-layers, in order that their people +might supposedly sleep in peace. + +Our adversary was concealed by day, and only ventured forth at night, +confident that darkness would insure his safety. This was then the +hour for us to lie in watch for our prey, and no more glorious clarion +call could have heralded in the New Year than the torpedo shot, which, +on the New Year's Eve of 1915, sent the mighty ship of the line +"Formidable" to the bottom of the Channel. This was our first +triumphant victory, which showed that not even darkness could +circumvent our plans, and which dispelled all further doubts as to +our efficiency. A few days after the sinking of the "Formidable" a +piece of one of the row boats was washed ashore at Zeebrugge, and now +adorns our Sea Museum as the only reminder left of the great ship. + +We stood at last on the same footing as our dear old sister, the +torpedo boat, to whom we in reality owed our present development, and +from now on, in proud independence, we were justified in considering +ourselves a separate branch of the Navy. + +Now that England felt obliged to withhold the activities of her fleet, +she instigated against us the commercial blockade and hunger-war; she +obliged neutrals to follow a prescribed route; and, by subjecting +their vessels to search, she prevented them from selling us any of +their wares. In this manner, she sought to redeem herself from the +paralysis we had brought on her fleet, and her unscrupulous treatment +of the right of nations and her interpretation of the so-called +"freedom of the seas" are only too well known. + +We retaliated on February 4, 1915, by prescribing a certain danger +zone, which extended around Great Britain and Ireland and along the +north coast of France. By this interdict, public opinion was +enlightened as to the part our U-boats were going to perform in this +new commercial warfare, a part, I must admit, that few people had +anticipated before the commencement of hostilities. Of course, new +demands were to be made upon us; we should have to make long undersea +trips, and remain for some time in the enemy's waters, after which we +should have to return unperceived. The English called it German +bluff, but their tone soon changed after we had made our first raid in +the heart of the Irish Channel, and few of them now ventured abroad +except when forced by the most imperative obligations. + +At the end of October, 1914, the first English steamer "Glitra" was +sunk off the Norwegian coast. It carried a cargo of sewing machines, +whisky, and steel from Leith. The captain was wise enough to stop at +the first signal of the commander of the U-boat, and he thereby saved +the lives of his crew, who escaped with their belongings after the +steamer was peacefully sunk. If others later had likewise followed his +example, innocent passengers and crew would not have been drowned; and +after all, people are fond of their own lives; but these English +captains were following the orders of their Government to save their +ships through flight. The English authorities even went so far as to +inaugurate a sharp-shooting system at sea by offering a reward to any +captain who rammed or destroyed a German submarine, although the +latter could only obey this command at the risk of their lives; but +what cared the rulers in England for the existence of men belonging to +the lower classes of the Nation? They offered tempting rewards for +these exploits in the shape of gold watches, and bribed the captains +of the merchant marine with the promise of being raised to the rank of +officers in the Reserve. Therefore, the British newspapers were filled +with the account of the destruction of German U-boats, and of the +generous rewards given for these fine deeds. It was jolly for us on +our return to port to read the record of our own doom, and scarcely +would there be a submarine afloat if these records had been true. + +I should like to tell a short story in connection with these +assertions of English prowess. One of their small steamers had +actually contrived in misty weather to ram the turret of one of our +submarines while it was in the act of submerging. The English captain +was loudly praised in all the newspapers and received the promised +rewards for having sunk, as he declared, a German U-boat; he had +distinctly felt, he said, the shock of the collision. His statement +was certainly accurate, for the submarine was also conscious of the +shock, but it was fortunately followed with no evil results, and our +commander had the joyful surprise, shortly afterwards, when he +emerged, to find the blade of the foe's propeller stuck in the wall of +the turret, whose excellent material had preserved it from serious +injury. We happily hope that the German Empire will never run so short +of bronze that it will be obliged to appropriate, for the melting pot, +this fine propeller blade, which is one of the many interesting +trophies preserved in our Submarine Museum. + + + + +V + +OUR OWN PART IN THE COMMERCIAL WAR AND OUR FIRST CAPTURED STEAMER + + +As we have said above, our war against the merchant marine of the +Allied Nations began in February, 1915, throughout the war zone +established around the English and French coasts. Day after day, the +number increased of steamers and sail boats that we had sunk, and +commercial relations between all countries were seriously menaced. The +English were forced to believe in our threats and even the shipping +trade of the neutrals had greatly diminished. The mighty British fleet +no longer dared to patrol the seas, and the merchantmen were told to +look out for themselves and were even armed for the purpose. + +While the winter lasted, there was not much for us to do, and we +awaited fine weather with lively impatience. During this period, our +victorious armies had occupied Belgium and Serbia, and conquered the +Russian girdle of fortifications. The subsequent participation of +Italy produced but little impression on the fortunate current of +events, whereas Turkey's entrance at our side in the war, opened a new +field of operation for our U-boats in the Mediterranean. + +At last, I, myself, was ordered to prepare for a long voyage, which I +welcomed most joyfully after several months of comparative inaction. +We were to remain in the enemy's waters for several weeks, which, of +course, involved the most elaborate preparations. Every portion of +the boat was again minutely inspected, every machine repaired and +thoroughly tested. Like a well-groomed horse we must be in perfect +condition for the coming race. Each man in the crew holds a +responsible position and knows that the slightest neglect endangers +the welfare of the whole boat. The commander must be certain that +everything is completed according to the highest standard. The boat is +frequently submerged and performs various exercises underseas, while +it is still safe in the friendly waters off our own coast. + +We are always abundantly provisioned; for the thirty men must be given +the most nourishing food to be fit for their arduous tasks. I have +often laughed to see the quantity of provisions placed on deck,--for +the dealers, of course, are never allowed to penetrate the inner +shrine of the boat,--and yet we have often returned from a long cruise +because our food was coming to an end. Every available corner and +space is filled with provisions. The cook--a sailor specially trained +for the job--must hunt below in every conceivable place for his +vegetables and meats. The latter are stored in the coolest quarters, +next to the munitions. The sausages are put close to the red grenades, +the butter lies beneath one of the sailor's bunks, and the salt and +spice have been known to stray into the commander's cabin, below his +berth. + +When everything is in readiness, the crew is given a short leave on +land, to go and take the much coveted hot bath. This is the most +important ceremony before and after a cruise, especially when the men +return, for when they have remained unwashed for weeks, soaked with +machine oil, and saturated with salt spray, their first thought is--a +hot bath. At sea, we must be very sparing of our fresh-water supply, +and its use for washing must be carefully restricted. + +The commander usually spends the eve of his departure in the circle of +his comrades, but it is a solemn moment for him as soon as he sails +from his native shore. He becomes responsible for every action which +is taken, and for many weeks no orders reach him from his superiors. +He is unable to ask any one's advice, or to consult with his +inferiors, and he stands alone in the solitude of his higher rank. +Even the common sailor is conscious of the seriousness of the task +ahead and of the adventures which may occur below seas. No loud +farewells, no jolly hand, no beckoning girls are there to bid us +Godspeed. Quietly and silently do we take our departure. Neither wife +nor child, nor our nearest and dearest, know whither we go, if we +remain in home waters, or if we go forth to encounter the foe. We can +bid no one farewell. It is through the absence of news that they know +that we have gone, and no one is aware, except the special high +officer in this department of the Admiralty who gives the commander +his orders, on what errand we are bound or when we shall return, for +the slightest indiscretion might forfeit the success of our mission. + +Before dawn, on the day of our departure, the last pieces of equipment +and of armament are put on board, and the machinery is once more +tested; then, at the appointed hour, the chief engineer informs the +commander that everything is ready. A shrill whistle bids the crew +cast loose the moorings, and at the sound of the signal bell the boat +begins to move. As we glide rapidly out of port, we exchange by mutual +signs a few last greetings with our less favored comrades on the decks +of the ships we leave behind, who no doubt also long to go forth and +meet the enemy. + +The land begins to disappear in the distance, and as we gaze at the +bobbing buoys that vanish in our wake, we hope that after a successful +journey they will again be our guides as we return to our dear German +homes. After gliding along smoothly at first, we soon feel the boat +tossing among the bigger waves; but we laugh, as they heave and dip +around us, for we know everything is shipshape on board, and that they +can do us no harm. The wild seas are bearing us onward towards the +hated foe, and after all--in the end they lull so peacefully to sleep +the sailor in his eternal rest. + +In this manner, on a fine March morning, we steered our course to the +English coast, to take an active part in the commercial war. Gently +the waves splashed around the prow and glided over the lower deck. Our +duty was to examine every merchantman we met with the object of +destroying those of the enemy. The essential thing was to ascertain +the nationality of the ships we stopped. On the following morning, we +were given several opportunities to fulfill our task. + +It is well known that the English merchantmen were ordered by their +Government to fly a neutral flag, so as to avoid being captured by our +warships. We all remember how, on one of her earlier trips through the +war zone, the gigantic "Lusitania" received a wireless message to +conceal the Union Jack and to fly the Stars and Stripes of the United +States, but destiny after all overtook her at a later date. + +All of us U-boat commanders were told not to trust to the nationality +of any flag we saw, and to stop every steamer on our path and to +examine her papers thoroughly. Even these might be falsified, and we +must therefore judge for ourselves, according to the appearance of +the crew and the way in which the ship was built, whether she were in +reality a neutral. Of course many neutrals had to suffer from the +deceptions practiced by the English, and although their colors were +painted on their sides and they were lighted at night by electricity, +yet this device could also be copied. Therefore, we were obliged to +detain and examine all the ships we encountered, greatly to the +inconvenience of the innocent ones. + +I will describe the manner in which a warship undertakes the search of +a merchantman: Through flag signals the merchantman is bidden to stop +immediately; if he does not obey, the warship makes his orders more +imperative by firing blank shot as a warning. If then the merchantman +tries to escape, the warship is justified in hitting the runaway. On +the other hand, if the steamer or sailboat obeys the summons, then the +warship puts out a boat with an armed prize crew and an officer to +look over the ship's papers. These consist in certificates of +nationality, of the sailing port, and port of destination, and they +contain a bill of lading as to the nature of the cargo, also the names +of the crew and a passenger list if it is a passenger steamer. If the +ship is a neutral and her papers are satisfactory, she is allowed to +proceed, whereas an enemy's ship is either captured or sunk. If a +neutral ship carries contraband of war, this is either confiscated or +destroyed, but if it exceeds half the total cargo, then this ship is +also condemned. + +It is nearly impossible for a submarine to send a prize crew on board +a big ship, therefore neutral States have given their captains the +order to go in a ship's boat and deliver their papers themselves on +board the submarine; but they often annoyed us by a long parley and +delay, and it was always with a feeling of disappointment that we were +obliged to leave inactive our cannons and torpedoes, the crew sadly +exclaiming, "After all, they were only neutrals!" + +One sunny afternoon, we were in the act of examining the papers of a +Dutch steamer that we had stopped in the neighborhood of the Meuse +Lightship, when we perceived on the horizon another steamer coming +rapidly towards us, and we judged by its outline that it was of +English construction. The steamer we were examining proved to be +unobjectionable in every respect, and sailing only between neutral +ports, so we dismissed it, and just as it was departing, the English +steamer, evidently apprehending our presence, turned about in great +haste in hope to escape from us, and steered with full steam ahead +towards the English shores, to seek the protection of the ships on the +watch patroling the English coast. + +The English captain well knew what fate awaited him if he fell into +the hands of a wicked German U-boat. Mighty clouds of smoke rose from +her funnels, giving evidence of the active endeavors of the stokers in +the boiler-room to bring the engines up to their highest speed, and +before we had time to give the signal to stop, the steamer was in +flight. + +Meanwhile we had also put on all steam in pursuit, and drove our +engines to their utmost capacity. The English ship was going at a +great pace, and we had many knots to cover before we could catch up +with her to impose our commands, for she paid no heed to the +international flag-signal we had hoisted--"Stop at once or we +fire!"--and she was striving her uttermost to reach a zone of safety. +Our prow plunged into the surging seas, and showered boat and crew +alike with silvery, sparkling foam. The engines were being urged to +their greatest power, and the whir of the propeller proved that below, +at the motor valves, each man was doing his very best. Anxiously, we +measured the distance that still separated us from our prey. Was it +diminishing? Or would they get away from us before our guns could take +effect? Joyfully we saw the interval lessening between us, and before +long our first warning shot, across her bow, raised a high, +threatening column of water. But still the Englishman hoped to escape +from us, and the thick smoke belching from the funnels showed that the +stokers were shoveling more and more coal into the glowing furnace; +they well knew what risk they had to run. + +Even after two well-aimed shots were discharged from the steel mouths +of our cannons, right and left on either side of the fugitive, which +must have warned the captain that the next shot would undoubtedly +strike the stern, he was still resolved neither to stop nor surrender. + +Nothing now remained for us but to use our last means to enforce our +will. With a whistling sound, a shell flew from the muzzle of our +cannon and a few seconds later fell with a loud crash in a cloud of +smoke on the rear deck of the steamer. This produced the desired +effect. + +Immediately the steamer stopped and informed us by three quick blasts +from the steam whistle (the international signal) that the engines +would be reversed and the ship stopped. The captain had given up his +wild race. + +Huge white clouds from the uselessly accumulated steam rose from the +funnels, and to our signal, "Abandon the ship at once," the Englishman +replied with a heavy heart by hoisting a white and red striped pennon, +the preconcerted international sign that our order had been understood +and was being obeyed. + +This small striped pennon has a deep significance: it means that a +captain accepts this most painful necessity knowing that his dear old +boat will soon lie at the bottom of the sea; truly a difficult +decision for the captain of a proud ship to make. The crew were by +this time reconciled to their fate and, as we drew near to parley with +the captain, the life boats were launched; the men tossed in their +belongings and, jumping in, took their places at the oars. It need +hardly be said that we, on the other hand, were pleased with our +capture. I have often shaken hands with the gunner who had fired the +last deadly shot, for we waste no emotion over our adversary's fate. +With every enemy's ship sent to the bottom, one hope of the hated foe +is annihilated. We simply pay off our account against their criminal +wish to starve all our people, our women, and our children, as they +are unable to beat us in open fight with polished steel. Ought we not +therefore to rejoice in our justifiable satisfaction? + +After the crew had left in two boats the blazing hull of the +"Leuwarden" of Harwich, a well-directed shot was aimed at the water +line. Mighty jets of water poured into the rear storeroom, and the +heavy listing of the ship showed that her last hour had struck. We +beckoned to the captain to row up beside us and deliver his papers; he +stepped silently on board, and we exchanged salutes. As I saw that the +two boat-loads of twenty-five men were lying off within hearing, on +either side of us, I took this opportunity to admonish the captain +about his foolhardy attempt to escape, and how he thereby had +endangered the lives of his crew. The latter, realizing the justice of +my remarks, thanked us for having saved them by respectfully lifting +their caps. The captain awkwardly excused himself by saying he had +simply hoped to get away. + +I then notified these people whom we had saved that we would take them +in tow to the Meuse Lightship; at this, the fine-looking old captain +realized to what useless dangers he had exposed his men, and what +cause he had to be grateful to us. With tears in his eyes, he seized +my hand and murmured his thanks. I willingly took his outstretched +hand.... At that instant a Dutch pilot steamboat, which had been +attracted to the spot by the sound of firing, hove in sight, and I +committed the Englishmen to its care. We all desired, before departing +in opposite directions, to witness the final sinking of the steamer, +for apparently the English also wanted to see the last of their fine +ship, and we awaited the great moment in silence. + +We had not long to wait. The stern of the ship sank deeper and deeper, +whereas the bow rose sharply in the air, till at last with a loud +gurgle the whole steamer was drawn down, and the waters bubbled and +roared over the sunken wreck. There was now one less fine ship of the +English merchant marine afloat on the ocean! + +We had all seen enough, and each one went his way. Our course was +pointed westward towards new endeavors, while the Dutchman steered for +the nearest port in order to land the shipwrecked crew. I think it was +our English friends who waved a friendly farewell from the deck of the +pilot steamboat in grateful recognition for our having saved their +lives, although they may not actually have wished us "_aufwiedersehn_." + +We read in the Dutch papers a few days later an accurate description +of the sinking of the "Leuwarden," and the English captain was fain to +acknowledge how well we had treated him; every captain of an English +steamer might have been treated in like manner had not the English +Government wished it otherwise. + + + + +VI + +THE CAPTURE OF TWO PRIZE STEAMERS + + +The next day an opportunity offered itself to us which opened to +submarines a new field of activity in the commercial war. It was a +gray, misty morning, the sea was becalmed, and over the still waters a +heavy vapor hung low like a veil before the rising sun. But little +could be seen, and we had to keep a sharper lookout than usual to +avoid running unawares into a hostile ship, and we also had to be +ready for a sudden submersion. We strained all the more an attentive +ear to every sound; for it is well known that in a fog, during a calm, +we sailors can perceive the most distant noise that comes over the +water. In time of peace fog horns and whistles give warning of any +approaching vessel, but in time of war, on the contrary, no vessel +wishes to betray its presence. It is essential for us to have two men +down below, at listening posts, with their ears glued to the sides of +the boat, to catch the throbbing of a propeller, or the rush of waves +dashing against the prow of a ship, or any suspicious vibrations, for +these noises are easily discernible under sea, water being an +excellent sound conductor. + +On this March morning we were all keenly intent on the approach of +some ship; many times already as we stood on the bridge we had been +deceived by some unreal vision or some delusive sound; our +overstrained nerves transformed our too lively fancy into seeming +reality; and in a thick fog objects are strangely magnified and +distorted: a floating board may assume the shape of a boat, or a motor +launch be taken for a steamer. + +I remember a little story about a man-of-war seeking to enter a harbor +in a heavy fog; every one on board was looking in vain for a buoy to +indicate the channel when the captain himself called out, "It is for +me then to point out the buoy; there it is!" but as they drew near, +the buoy floating on the water spread but a pair of wings and flew +away in the shape of a gull, and many a gull in a fog may have +deceived other experienced seamen. + +But to return to our own adventures on this misty morning; we not only +saw gulls rising from the sea, and boards floating on the water, but +we also encountered English mines adrift, which had parted from their +moorings, and to these we thought it safer to give a wide berth. At +last the fog lifted, and we discovered in the distance, a few knots +away, a steamer; we immediately went in pursuit. Rapidly it steamed +ahead, but we caught up with it, and found it belonged to the +Dutch-Batavian Line, but as it was steering for the English coast, +towards the mouth of the Thames, we took for granted it carried a +contraband cargo. We signaled for it to stop, but the steamer refused +to obey our command and increased its speed. Having ascertained that +we could easily overtake it, we spared our shot, which must be +carefully preserved for more useful purposes. After a chase which +lasted about three quarters of an hour only a thousand meters +remained between us. The Dutch captain wisely gave up a further +attempt to escape, and awaited our orders. In compliance with my +signal he sent his first officer in a boat with the ship's papers. +While we lay alongside the steamer, gently rocking to and fro, the +crew and passengers flocked on deck to gaze at us with wondering eyes, +and we in return tried to discover to what nationality they belonged. + +On reading the papers the officer handed me, I saw the steamer was the +"Batavian IV," destined for London, carrying a cargo of provisions, +which is contraband of war. I had to make a rapid decision as to the +fate of the steamer, and I resolved to bring the "Batavian" into one +of the Belgian ports now in our possession. No U-boat had ever +attempted such a feat before, but why not try? Of course we had to +cover a long distance with the imminent threat of being overtaken by +English warships, but if we did succeed, it was a very fine catch, and +after all,--nothing venture, nothing have. Besides the misty weather +was in our favor, and it would only take a few hours to reach the +protection of our batteries on the Flemish coast. + + [Illustration: THE START: TAKING IN OIL FROM HER TENDER + + THE CHASE: FOLLOWING IN THE WAKE OF A DUTCH STEAMER + + OVERHAULING HER PREY: ROUNDING THE BOW OF THE BATAVIER IV + + THE SUMMONS TO SURRENDER: CALLING UPON THE STEAMER TO HEAVE TO + + ABOUT TO BOARD THE PRIZE: THE PILOT LEAVING THE TENDER FOR THE + STEAMER + + THE TRIUMPH: THE SUBMARINE LEADING THE WAY THROUGH MINE-FIELDS + INTO ZEEBRÜGGE + + VON FORSTNER'S SUBMARINE (U 28) IN ACTION IN THE NORTH SEA + A Series of Photographs taken from the Deck of One of her + Victims] + +The Dutch officer was notified that a prize crew would be at once sent +on board his steamer to conduct it to the port of Zeebrugge. He opened +wondering eyes, but made no protest, for he was fully aware of our +cannons turned on his ship and of the loaded pistols of our crew. The +crew and passengers on board the Dutchman were no less astounded when +our prize command, consisting of one officer and one sailor, climbed +up on deck. I could not well dispense, myself, with more men, and in +case my prize was released by the English, it would be better they had +so few prisoners of ours to take. + +The Dutch captain raised several objections at being led away captive +in this manner; above all he was afraid of the German mines strewn +before the entrance of Zeebrugge, but my officer reassured him by +telling him we should lead the way and he would therefore run no risk. +He finally had to resign himself to his fate. So we proceeded towards +the shores of Flanders; we, in the proud consciousness of a new +achievement, and the Dutchman lamenting over the seizure of his +valuable cargo. The passengers must have wondered what was in store +for them. Many of the ladies were lightly clad, having been roused in +fright from their morning slumbers, and their anxious eyes stared at +us, while we merrily looked back at them. + +Our officer on board exchanged continual signals with us, and we were +soon conscious, with a feeling of envy, as we gazed through our field +glasses, that he was getting on very friendly terms with the fair sex +on board our prize. We had feared at first that he might have some +disagreeable experiences, but his first message spelled, "There are a +great many ladies on board," and the second, "We are having a +delicious breakfast," and the third, "The captain speaks excellent +German," so after this we were quite reassured concerning him. + +An hour may have elapsed when a cloud of smoke on the eastern horizon +announced the approach of another steamer, and the idea that we might +perhaps capture a second prize ship was very alluring. The wisdom of +abandoning for a while our first captive was considered somewhat +doubtful; if we delayed it might escape after darkness set in, but +when I heard my officers exclaim "What a fine steamer!" I decided to +try for it. The "Batavian" was ordered to proceed slowly on the same +course, and we would catch up with it later; then turning my attention +to steamer No. 2, I made quickly in her direction to intercept her on +her way to England. After half an hour's pursuit we signaled for her +to stop, and we discovered she was also Dutch. The captain, seeing it +was useless to try and escape, put out a boat and came on board with +the ship's papers; he seemed thoroughly displeased at the meeting, and +hoped no doubt by coming himself to get away more easily, but of this +expectation he was to be sadly disabused. On discovering that he was +also carrying contraband of war--cases of eggs for London--I ordered +him to follow us to Zeebrugge. One officer and a stoker, for I could +not spare another sailor, accompanied him as our prize command on +board his ship, the "Zaanstroom," and after a lapse of an hour and a +half, followed by No. 2, we caught up with No. 1. + +The difficulty of my task can be easily imagined, for I was obliged to +make the two steamers follow each other at a given interval and at +the same speed; like a shepherd dog herding his flock I had to cruise +round my two captives and force them to steer a straight and even +course, for one tried occasionally to outdistance the other, probably +with the desire to escape in the foggy weather, which increased my +fear of not reaching the Flemish coast before dark. + +But finally I got the steamers into line, and where persuasion might +have failed the menace of my cannons was doubtless my surest reason +for success. + +My second officer on the "Zaanstroom" signaled that everything was +going to his liking and that they were just sitting down to a savory +meal of dropped eggs. This was reassuring news, and I could also feel +tranquil on his behalf; besides in a few hours we should be safely +under cover of our coast artillery. We notified the Pilot Depot by +wireless to send us a pilot for each ship, and our messages having +been acknowledged we were certain of being warmly welcomed, and that +every preparation would be made for the reception of our two prizes. + +The closer we got to the coast the heavier the fog lay upon the water, +a not unusual experience at sea. We had to advance with the greatest +caution; our U-boat led the way to confirm anew the assurance we had +given our two steamers that they were in no danger of mines. We had to +measure the depth of water repeatedly with the lead, and so doing we +had to stop very often; otherwise the lead being dragged by the +current draws the line to an inaccurate length. It is but too easy a +matter to run aground off the coast of Flanders, as submerged +sandbanks are everywhere to be encountered, and this would have been +in our present case a most unfortunate occurrence. This continual +stopping rather disturbed the order of our march, for steamers are +more unwieldy and less accustomed to rapid maneuvering than war +vessels. Luckily all went well with us, for after a fine trip of +several hours we gladly greeted our German guard-ships lying off the +port of Zeebrugge, and the lighthouse on the mole beckoned to us from +afar through the thin afternoon mist. + +We quickly surrendered our two captive's to the patrol of the port +authorities, into whose care and surveillance they were now entrusted. +Our job for the day was over, and we could joyfully hurry to our +berth within the harbor. We passed along the tremendous stone quay of +the artificial port of Zeebrugge; it extends several kilometers, and +was built by Leopold II with English money; it had cost many, many +millions, and was intended to serve quite another purpose than its +present one. We could look with defiance at the mouth of our German +cannons that gaped over the highest edge of the jetty towards the sea, +as if awaiting the foe. + +Farther on up the mole, instead of English troops that the King would +so gladly have sent over in transports to march through neutral +Belgium and pay us an uninvited visit, stood, side by side, our own +brave fellows of the Army and of the Navy. Men from every branch of +the service, in their different uniforms, were visible, as they +crowded on the pier to witness our arrival with our two prize boats, +for the news of this unusual capture had already spread far and wide, +and they all wanted to satisfy their curiosity. Their enthusiasm would +have been even greater had they guessed that concealed within the hull +of our two vessels an Easter feast of undreamed-of dainties lay in +store for them. But even without this incentive a tremendous cheer +from a thousand throats hailed our appearance as we rounded the mole, +and our thirty voices returned as hearty, if not as loud, a three +times repeated cheer for the garrison of Zeebrugge. Our tow lines were +caught by the eager hands of the sailors, and in a jiffy we were lying +securely alongside the quay, safe in port to rest in peace a day or +two after a many days' cruise enlivened by such exciting events. Our +friends of the Navy, whom we had not seen since the beginning of the +war, came to visit us at once; much gay news was exchanged and also +sad regrets expressed at the loss of dear fallen comrades. + +Shortly afterwards one of the Dutch captains, escorted by two guards, +asked me to grant him an interview, and I was glad to make his +personal acquaintance; we discussed over a little glass of port wine, +which we were both surely entitled to, the incidents of the day, and +he gave vent to his affliction at being thus seized, by ejaculating: +"A great steamer like mine to be captured by a little beast like +yours!" I could sympathize with his feelings, for he had sustained a +severe pecuniary loss, and he well knew what would become of his ship +and cargo according to prize law, but I suspected he found some +consolation in having a companion in misfortune, for the other Dutch +captain had to submit to the same conditions. We shook hands and +parted excellent friends, knowing that each one of us had only +accomplished his duty. + +Before making my official report I inspected my two prizes that were +docked just behind us; a chain parted them from the rest of the quay, +with sentries placed on guard. I gave the preference of my first +visit, naturally, as a polite man should, to the steamer with so many +of the fair sex on board. I hoped that by appearing surrounded by my +officers I should dispel their fear of the "German barbarians." I was +told the ladies belonged to a variety troupe that was to give a +performance the next evening in London. Poor London, to be deprived +by our fault of an enjoyable evening! + +Among the other passengers were Belgians and French, who had waited +six weeks in Holland for a chance to get across, and also an American +reporter of the Hearst newspaper. He had a camera for taking moving +pictures, and we discovered later that he had photographed the whole +occurrence of the capture of the ship by our submarine. A few days +later the _Graphic_ of March 27, 1915, published several of his +pictures, which eventually found their way to many American papers. + +I was ordered that evening to dine with the Commanding Admiral of the +Marine Corps, Excellency von Schröder, and a motor called for me and +took me to Brügge where he resided. The peaceful landscape and the +ploughed fields betrayed but few signs of war, and I saw Belgian +peasants and German soldiers planting together the seed for the coming +harvest. + +While the authorities were passing judgment on my two prizes I had a +chance to visit the surrounding country. The English had destroyed in +their retreat everything in Zeebrugge, except the new Palace Hotel, +the new Post Office, and the Belgian Bank. I made the most of this +short opportunity to observe the doings of our men in this conquered +land paid for with German blood. I was interested to note how our +Marines had been incorporated in every branch of the Army service, and +how easily they adapted themselves to this new life. They served as +infantry in the trenches, as artillery behind the great coast guns, +and also as cavalry mounted on big Flemish mares. They had even been +transformed into car conductors on the electric line that runs behind +the dunes between Zeebrugge and Ostend. In fact they filled every kind +of position, and few Belgians were to be seen. We had created here a +second German fatherland and home, notwithstanding the enemy's reports +that we had acted like Huns and barbarians, but as neither the country +nor the people were of great interest to me my attention was centered +on the study of our own troops. + +Meantime the unloading of our steamers had begun and I had to +supervise it myself. As the cargoes were composed of perishable +foodstuffs the usual delays were overcome, and hundreds of sailors +and soldiers were ordered to unload the ships. Out of the hold rose +newly slaughtered pigs, and sheep, and ducks, which were at once +distributed among the various regiments. Two hundred barrels of the +best Munich beer were rolled over the quays, and two barrels found +their way on board our little boat, which no one could begrudge us. On +the "Zaanstroom" there were 4,400 boxes of fresh eggs, each box +containing 1,800 eggs, and I was told by an Army officer that every +man of the Northern Army received eight eggs for the Easter festival. + +On the following afternoon the nationality of the crew and of the +passengers was recorded; a number of them were sent as prisoners of +war to concentration camps, and many touching farewells ensued +between the men and the women who were left behind. The others were +taken on a special train under military guard to the Dutch frontier. +The German sailors on whom this mission devolved looked very jolly as +they sat armed to the teeth in the railway carriages, by twos, +watching over two pretty variety actresses, and I think they would +willingly have prolonged the journey farther. + +I walked along the train to say goodbye to the passengers, who had so +unwillingly made our acquaintance, and I was warmly thanked by an old +American, to whom I personally had done a small favor, for my +courteous treatment; he spoke in the name of all the passengers who +had experienced also the greatest civility at the hands of the port +authorities. I declined these words of thanks, for they had only +received the treatment that was their proper due. + +After the train had left, the hour of our own departure had struck; we +cast off the lines that had kept us bound for two such memorable days +on the Flemish coast. In passing by, I waved a farewell to the two +Dutch captains, and away we went--westward ho! + + + + +VII + +OFF THE COAST OF ENGLAND + + +Our boat carried us speedily away farther and farther towards the +west, and soon the lighthouse on the mole and the outline of the +country we had conquered faded away in the evening twilight. Before +long we should be surrounded by only hostile shores. + +We first sighted the French port of Boulogne where the imposing bronze +statue of Napoleon I stands on a marble column fifty-three meters +high, with eyes turned towards the English coast. It was built to +commemorate the expedition planned by Napoleon in 1803 against the +sons of Albion, whose descendants have so recently landed on French +soil, and as they lie there encamped, they may wonder, when gazing at +the statue of the great Emperor, if he would have welcomed them with +the same enthusiasm with which they have been received by the present +rulers of France. + +On our very first day in the French Channel we were able to sink +several steamers, after the crews had left in their lifeboats, and on +general lines a similar picture was traced at every sinking. We were +now granted our first opportunity to steer a submarine above and below +the waters of the North Atlantic. The ocean seemed to rejoice at our +coming, and revealed itself to us in all the glory of a March storm. +Only those who have seen such a storm can realize its proud majesty. +The gigantic, blue-black waves, with their shining crests lashed by +the west wind, came rushing onwards into the open mouth of the +Channel, and the hemmed-in waters, roaring and surging, dashed +themselves against the sharp, rocky points of the French coast, or +broke less violently but in ceaseless unrest on the chalk cliffs of +England which glimmered white in the rays of the sun. + + [Illustration: _Copyright by Underwood & Underwood, N.Y._ + LIFEBOAT LEAVING THE SINKING P. AND O. LINER ARABIA] + +It is a splendid sight to watch this great spectacle from the high +deck of a steamer as it ploughs its way through the foaming flood, or +to be borne aloft on the top of the waves with a ship under full sail, +but it is still more wonderful to behold Nature's great display from +the half submerged conning-tower of a U-boat, and to dive through the +mountainous breakers until they close gurgling over our heads and hide +us from all curious glances. Our little nutshell, in perpetual +motion, is drawn down into the deep valleys of the ocean waves, or +tossed upwards on the comb of the following breaker. We are soaked to +the skin, and the spray covers us like a silvery veil; our boat as +well as ourselves is daubed with a salt crust, our eyes smart and our +lips have a briny tang, but to us sailors it's a joy to be the sport +of the wild waves, and even those few unfortunates who always suffer +from sea-sickness never lose their love of the sea. + +We were thus, in the midst of a strong southwesterly gale, lying in +wait for our prey at the entrance of the English Channel, but no ship +was to be seen; most of them took the northerly course beyond the war +zone, around the Shetland Islands, and it was not until the next +morning, north of the Scilly Isles, in the Bristol Channel, that we +caught sight behind us of a big steamer, running before the wind, like +ourselves. The wind had somewhat fallen and the March sun was shining +bright and warm; the steamer was heading for Cardiff, and we judged by +her course that she had sailed from some port in South America. + +Turning about and breasting the waves we faced the oncoming steamer +and signaled to her to stop; but hardly had she espied us than she +also turned about in the hope to escape. She showed no flag to +indicate her nationality, so surely we had sighted an English vessel. +Even after we had fired a warning shot, she tried by rapid and +tortuous curves to return to her former course, and endeavor thereby +to reach her home port. Meantime she sent up rockets as signals of +distress in quick succession, to draw the attention of British patrol +ships that must be hovering in the neighborhood. + +This obliged us to fire a decisive shot, and with a loud report our +first shell struck the ship close to the captain's bridge. Instead of +resigning himself to his fate, the Englishman sent up more signals and +hoisted the British flag. This showed us he was game, and the fight +began in dead earnest. All honor to the pluck of these English +captains!--but how reckless to expose in this manner the lives of +their passengers and crew, as we shall see in the present instance. + +Circling around us he tried to ram us with his prow, and we naturally +avoided him by also turning in the same direction. Every time he +veered about he offered us his broadside for a shot; with +well-directed aim we took advantage of this target, and our successful +fire gave him full proof of the skill of our gunners. The latter had a +hard time of it; the high seas poured over the low deck, and they +continually stood up to their necks in the cold salt water. They were +often dragged off the deck by the great receding waves, but as they +were tied by strong ropes to the cannons we were able to pull them up +again, and fortunately no lives were lost. + +On seeing our gunners struggling in the seas, our foe hoped to make +good his escape, but with each telling shot our own fighting blood was +aroused and the wild chase continued. A well-aimed shell tore off the +English flagstaff at the stern, but the Union Jack was quickly +hoisted again on the foretop. This was also shot down, and a third +time the flag flew from a line of the yard of the foretop, but the +flag had been raised too hastily and it hung reversed, with the Union +Jack upside down, and in this manner it continued to fly until it sank +with the brave ship. + +The fight had lasted four hours without our being able to deliver the +death stroke. Several fires had started on the steamer, but the crew +had been able to keep them under control; big holes gaped open in the +ship's side, but there were none as yet below the water line, and the +pumps still sufficed to expel the water. It often occurred that in the +act of firing the waves choked our cannons, and the shot went hissing +through tremendous sheets of water, while we were blinded by a deluge +of foam. Of course we were all wet, through and through, but that was +of no importance, for we had already been wet for days. + +It was now essential for us to put an end to this deadly combat, for +English torpedo-boat destroyers were hurrying on to the calls of +distress of the steamer. Big clouds of smoke against the sky showed +they were coming towards us under full steam. The ship was by this +time listing so heavily that it was evident we need waste no more of +our ammunition, and besides the appearance of another big steamer on +the southern horizon was an enticing inducement to quit the battle +scene and seek another victim. We cast a last look on our courageous +adversary who was gradually sinking, and I must add it was the first +and last prey whose end we did not have the satisfaction to witness. +We had been truly impressed by the captain's brave endurance, +notwithstanding his lack of wisdom, and we knew that the men-of-war +were coming to his rescue. We read in the papers, on our return to a +German port, that the "Vosges" had sunk soon after we had departed, +and what remained of the passengers and crew were picked up by the +English ships. The captain was rewarded for his temerity by being +raised to the rank of Reserve officer, and the crew were given sums of +money; but all the other officers had perished, as well as several +sailors and a few passengers, who had been forced to help the stokers +in order to increase the speed of the flying steamer. + +We hurried away, therefore, in the direction of the other ship, and as +we approached we soon recognized the Spanish colors flying from her +flagstaff and painted on her sides. The captain willingly stopped at +our bidding and dispatched an officer to us bearing the ship's papers. +The stormy waves had somewhat subsided, and although the occupants of +the boat got very wet, yet they were able, without danger, to come +alongside our submarine. There was no contraband on board the Spanish +steamer, and before dismissing the officer I admonished him always to +stop at the first signal from a U-boat; he assured me that since the +English were constantly hoisting the Spanish flag he had lost all +desire to navigate again in the dangerous waters of the war zone. Much +relieved at getting away so easily he went on board his own steamer, +which resumed its voyage towards the lovely city of Santander on the +Spanish coast. + +I read an account later of our encounter with the "Agustina" in a +number of the _Matin_ of April 1, 1915. It was entitled "_Toujours +l'U_" and spoke of our undesirable presence in French waters; a +following number did us the honor to represent a large picture of our +boat with the officers standing on the bridge, taken probably by a +passenger on board the Spanish vessel. An arrow pointed to us with the +inscription, "_Voila l'équipage de bandits_." The English usually +refer to us as "the pirates," and in their rage describe our +activities as those of the "German submarine pest." We are accustomed +to these flattering allusions, and it amused me to preserve and frame +our picture from the _Matin_. + +In the next few days we stopped and searched several neutral steamers, +and sank many English ones. The captains were occasionally stubborn +and refused to obey our signals, so a few accidents occurred; in one +case, for instance, a stray shot struck some passengers in a lifeboat, +which collapsed; but as a rule passengers and crews were picked up by +the many sailboats and fishing boats which circulate in the Irish Sea +and in St. George's Channel, and it was we who generally summoned +these fishermen to go to the rescue of their shipwrecked countrymen. + +The method of capture was always the same, and now, our ammunition +being nearly exhausted, we steered a homeward course, with the hope +of securing a few more steamers on the way. We were again favored by +good luck, for at the entrance of the English Channel we ran across a +large steamer, coming from America and heading for a French port, +heavily laden with all the fine things that the Americans at present +so willingly export. + +The chase began in the usual fashion as we followed closely in the +enemy's wake. Although the captain made an effort to escape, yet he +evidently felt certain from the beginning that he would be unable to +do so, for he immediately swung out the lifeboats, ready to be +lowered. We were economizing our ammunition and did not, according to +our custom, fire a warning shot, but as we drew near the steamer we +suddenly saw dark, round objects thrown overboard. The man at the +helm beside me exclaimed: "They are throwing mines," but I was not of +the same opinion. We proceeded quietly to examine these suspicious +objects more closely, and we discovered they were simply bundles of +clothes the sailors were trying to save. In pitching them into the +lifeboats they had missed the mark and the bundles had fallen into the +sea. A report had apparently spread through the English seaports that +the men had but scant time to save their belongings when they were +sighted by one of our submarines, and since that time their clothes +were strapped together ready for a sudden emergency. The steamer +stopped and the crew on this occasion took to the boats with a perfect +discipline we were little accustomed to witness; the "Flaminian" was +sent to the bottom of the sea with one of our last torpedoes. + +The following morning, before bidding the west coast of England a +temporary farewell, we made another good catch. We sighted a +broad-bottomed, four-masted steamer, also coming from America, laden +down, as we soon ascertained, with 5,000 tons of oats, and making its +way to Havre. We started after it, and as usual it tried to escape, +but a well-directed shot through the bridge and chart house brought it +to a stop, and it signaled that the engines were being reversed. The +boats were lowered, and on drawing near we perceived the captain with +others on the bridge holding up their hands as a token of surrender. +As soon as those on board had taken their places in the lifeboats they +rowed towards us and showed the liveliest interest in the final +torpedoing of their steamer. They looked upon it as a new kind of +sport, and under the present conditions they could watch the +performance in the most comfortable way. The sea was like a mirror, +and reflected the smiling spring sunshine whose warming rays were most +agreeably felt. + +The English captain had scarcely been on board my submarine a moment +when he begged that we might go together and verify the excellent aim +of our first shot through the forward part of his ship, which he told +me had nearly grazed his ear. I consented to go on his lifeboat and +admire with him, to our mutual enjoyment, the irreproachable +marksmanship of my gunner, although I did not accept a drink of +whisky one of the English officers offered me. + +On seeing the gaping hole in the forecastle, the captain and his men +clapped their hands and cried out, "A very good shot!" The captain +congratulated me for securing, as he asserted, the richest prize I had +ever made, but I assured him we had sunk even more valuable cargoes +than the present one. I decided, as the sea was calm and no ship was +in sight, to spare our torpedoes and shells and to put an end to the +steamer with little hand grenades. The Englishmen took a sportsmanlike +interest in the proceedings, and one of the officers even volunteered +to show me the most effective position for the explosive. I naturally +did not gratify his wish to place it there himself, for I knew myself +very accurately the most vulnerable spot in the ship. In a very few +moments a big hole was torn in the side of the "Crown of Castille" and +with a gurgling sound the waters rushed in. At the same time long, +yellow threads of the finest oats floated far out on the sea and, +glistening with a golden shimmer, gave proof long after the steamer +had sunk of the precious cargo which had lain within its flanks. You +poor French army horses, I fear your rations were cut short for a +while! + +I had made an interesting study of the manner in which the English +crews of the present day were composed. Apart from the British +officers there were but few experienced seamen on board. This was made +evident by the awkward way the men usually handled the lifeboats. Even +with the enormous increase of wages, sailors could not be found to +risk their lives in the danger zone, and a lot of untrained fellows, +negroes and Chinamen, revealed by their clumsy rowing that they had +only recently been pressed into service. + +Various other interesting incidents occurred on our return trip, which +I shall not mention now, but having safely reached our newly conquered +port of Ostend, we read to our amusement in a French paper that our +U-boat had been sunk in the Channel by a fleet of six fishing +steamers. + +We were again warmly welcomed by our comrades from the Army and Navy, +all anxious to hear the news we had to tell, and we had the special +honor of a visit from H.R.H. the Crown Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria, +who, after inspecting our boat, permitted me to give him a detailed +account of our recent splendid cruise. + +We had many other experiences during the quiet, warm, summer months, +with their long, clear nights, which enabled us to achieve the further +destruction of a large number of steamers. It was glorious to work in +fine weather on our U-boat on the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, so +peaceful at this season of the year, and so doing we indulged in much +friendly intercourse with the various fishermen we met. + +Fishing steamers have replaced the old sailboats to a great extent, +and they represent an enormous fishing industry. Our larder was daily +replenished with fresh fish, which was a greatly appreciated item on +our monotonous bill of fare. + +One windy evening in August, we captured a Belgian steamer bringing +home coal from Cardiff; the crew having left the ship, the latter was +rapidly sinking, when to our astonishment a man sprang on deck from +below. He had evidently been forgotten and our shot going through the +steamer had warned him of his danger. He hesitated to obey my repeated +orders to jump overboard, until finally encased in two life belts he +plunged into the water and began to swim; but the screw was still +slowly revolving, and he was drawn deep down by the suction of the +water. We had given him up as lost, when we were amazed to see him +reappear on the other side of the ship. The screw, which had slowly +pulled him down, had thrown him up again, and he swam towards us. A +big wave having tossed him onto our low deck, we were glad to find he +was unhurt, and we gave him the best of care. He was a Dutchman, and +after a fortnight spent in our midst, he was so happy he no longer +wished to leave us. + +When it came to our sinking of the "Midland Queen" a similar incident +occurred. A negro had been forgotten by his white fellow-countrymen, +and on finding himself abandoned and alone he was so greatly scared +that he did not dare to leave the sinking ship; we watched him, and +beckoned to him to come to us; but he refused, and swore at us +furiously. Presently the "Midland Queen" pitched violently forward, +and stood nearly erect with her nose in the water; then with a shrill +whistling sound she dived below the surface of the waves. The negro's +black head vanished in the turmoil of the waters; then suddenly a +loud detonation occurred; an explosion of compressed air within the +ship threw up, sky-high, barrels and boards, and among them, to our +unbelieving eyes, we saw the wriggling body of the negro. He was +projected into the sea, and swam towards us, apparently none the worse +after this strange and violent experience. We rescued him and handed +him over to his mates, who had rowed back to his assistance. + +On our return voyage through the North Sea we met a large sailboat, +with the Swedish flag flying from the topmast. She lay completely +becalmed, and signaled for us to draw near. We saw a large crowd +gathered on her deck, and we approached cautiously, fearing some trap; +when to our joyful surprise we found she had 150 German officers and +sailors on board. They belonged to one of our auxiliary cruisers, the +"Meteor." Her captain after many exploits had been pursued by several +English cruisers, and to save his little vessel from being captured he +had deliberately sent her to the bottom of the sea, and the Swedish +sailboat had picked up the crew. Our shipwrecked comrades told us they +were desperately hungry, but our own provisions were exhausted; so we +took them in tow, for not a breath of wind stirred the sails. + +By clear sunshine we merrily covered the short distance to our nearest +port, and towards midday the sailing ship and ourselves let down our +anchors once more off the German coast. + + + + +VIII + +THE METHOD OF SINKING AND RAISING SHIPS + + +During the present naval warfare we have had the opportunity to watch +the sinking of ships of every type and size; shortly after receiving +their death wound the vessels usually disappear totally beneath the +surface. It takes even big steamers only between four and ten minutes +to sink, after being hit by a torpedo or shell beneath the water line, +and yet occasionally a ship may float several hours before going down +to the bottom of the sea. + +It is clearly evident that the slow or rapid sinking of a ship depends +on the distribution of its bulkheads and water-tight compartments. A +man-of-war, built on the latest models, has a great many small +water-tight compartments, for she is meant to be able to continue +fighting even after several of these compartments have been destroyed; +whereas, an ocean steamer is so constructed that she will remain +afloat only a short time after a collision with another ship, or if +she runs into an iceberg or a derelict, she can endure a certain +intake of water, and lists at a moderate angle far more readily than a +warship, whose guns are rendered nearly useless if the ship is heavily +canting. A warship must be built so as to withstand, without sinking, +the injury caused by a number of gun holes even beneath the water +line, where the inner part of the ship must necessarily be subdivided +into many parts. A warship is built at great cost, but so is an ocean +steamer. The sunken "Lusitania" was worth 35,000,000 marks (nearly +$9,000,000) and the mammoth steamers of the Hamburg-American Line, the +"Imperator," the "Vaterland," were still more expensive to build. + +The ordinary commercial steamer often has in her inner construction +only athwartship bulkheads through the double bottom that run from one +side to another and form large partitions; and in proportion to her +height a steamer is again subdivided horizontally into several decks. +But these are not usually water-tight, and the cross bulkheads already +mentioned form the only water-tight divisions in the hold. In the big +cargo spaces, these divisions practically do not exist, and the ship, +throughout almost its whole interior, is open from keel to deck. This +arrangement, of course, facilitates the rapid loading and unloading of +the cargo; therefore, in this type of ship the engine rooms and +boilers, surrounded and protected by coal bunkers, are the only really +water-tight portions of the ship. Whoever has gazed down into the +capacious hold of such a steamer will readily understand that if the +water should pour into one of these spaces, at either end of the ship, +the other end of the vessel would rise steadily upwards. In nearly +every case, even the largest steamer, just before sinking, tilts +abruptly its bow or stern straight up out of the sea, until the water +rushing into the hold draws the vessel downwards, and with a mighty +roar it plunges forever into the deep. We have repeatedly noticed at +this moment that the air within the boat escapes with a shrill whistle +from every possible aperture, and the sound resembles the shriek of a +steam siren. This is a wonderful spectacle to behold! + +The velocity with which a ship sinks depends on the size of the hold, +and its distance from the ship's center of gravity, for the suction +occurs more rapidly if the ship is struck at either end than if the +blow is delivered amidships. + +We are seldom concerned with ships having empty holds; those we pursue +usually carry heavy cargoes, and therefore the water can only +penetrate within, where space and air exist; whatever air is left +around loosely packed bales and boxes must be driven out before the +water can stream in; certain exceptional cargoes, like wool and +cereals, absorb a given amount of water, but these can be discounted. + + [Illustration: _Copyright by Underwood & Underwood, N.Y._ + BRITISH HOSPITAL SHIP GLOUCESTER CASTLE, SHOWING RED CROSS ON + BOW, SUNK IN THE ENGLISH CHANNEL BY A GERMAN SUBMARINE] + +Accordingly the air must escape through existing holes, as the water +pouring in drives the air into the hold; the pressure with which the +water comes in is equal to the air pressure in the hold. It is quite +conceivable that a cargo may be so closely packed that there will be +no space left for air to escape, but this is hardly ever the case; +frequently, however, the cross-sections of the air vents are so small +that the air escapes only very slowly, and the water enters very +slowly in the same ratio; under these conditions it would take a long +time for a ship to sink. This undoubtedly is very desirable in peace +time, but in time of war this is not at all agreeable to our purpose; +first, if the foundering of the vessel is prolonged we are prevented +from accomplishing other work, and secondly, warships may come to the +assistance of a sinking steamer. + +Whenever possible we found it expedient to break open with an axe big +holes in the lockers in case the hatch could not be quickly enough +removed; or, if circumstances did not permit of our doing this, we +shot holes with our cannon into the upper part of the steamer, above +the hold, so that the air might conveniently escape and the water rush +in. We employed, with excellent results, this method in the sinking of +many steamers which otherwise would have settled too slowly. + +It happens sometimes that a ship may carry a cargo that floats and +that is not porous, such as wood. It is impossible to sink a vessel +with such a cargo by admitting water into the hold. Shots therefore +must be fired at the engine and boiler rooms to force this kind of a +steamer to sink. In general this is a safe rule to follow, for these +are always the most vulnerable portions of every heavily laden vessel, +and this mode of attack is nearly invariably successful. + +A warship is usually equipped with cross or lateral bulkheads, in +addition to the longitudinal bulkhead that runs from stem to stern +through the middle of the ship, dividing it into halves, and other +bulkheads separate these two longitudinal sections into further +subdivisions. With the exception of the great fast passenger steamers, +these divisions by means of longitudinal bulkheads seldom exist on +vessels of commerce, although exceptions are to be found. + +The sinking of a steamer with a multitude of partitions is effected by +its gradually listing more and more on the side in which the water is +penetrating, until it capsizes completely and founders with the keel +uppermost. A ship can also roll over on its side as it plunges +downwards with stem or stern erect. + +Theoretically a vessel might sink on a parallel keel, descending +horizontally deeper and deeper into the sea; but it never occurs in +reality. This hypothesis assumes that a ship has taken in at the bow +exactly the same amount of water as at the stern, at exactly the same +distance from the center of gravity; this, of course, is impossible; +besides the holes through which the water is pouring in must also be +at precisely the same level, or else the water pressure would be +greater at one end than at the other, and the slightest alteration of +level would occasion a greater intake of water and upset the +equilibrium of the boat. + +There is one other point I will touch upon; it has often been +asserted, especially in romances of the ocean, that as a ship sinks +the suction creates a tremendous whirlpool which engulfs all things in +its vicinity. This statement is naturally very much exaggerated. +People swimming about may be drawn down by the suction of the +foundering ship, but in my opinion no lifeboat which is well manned is +in danger of this whirlpool. Even old sailors, deluded by this +superstition, have rowed away in haste from a sinking ship, when they +might have stood by and saved many lives. + +The question is now often being put, whether it will be possible to +raise the vessels that have been sunk during the war. The raising of a +ship depends above all upon whether the depth at which it lies is so +great that it precludes the work of a diver. + +I have already stated that the water pressure augments at the rate of +one atmosphere (one kilogram to the square centimeter) to ten meters' +increase of depth. If a diver working at ten meters' depth is under a +pressure of one atmosphere, at fifty meters he will be under the +tremendous pressure of five atmospheres. This is the greatest depth to +which a diver can attain, and if by chance a diver has gone a few +meters beyond fifty meters, no man to my knowledge has attained sixty +meters. The work of divers at a depth of forty or fifty meters is even +then not very effective, as they are unable to perform heavy tasks, +nor can they remain more than half an hour at a time under such a +pressure, and I am speaking now only of experts; therefore only light +and easy work can be performed by most divers at a great depth and the +appliance of ponderous chains for lifting purposes can only be +accomplished under unusually favorable conditions. To raise any ship +at a depth above thirty meters must be considered as a very efficient +job, whereas if this is attempted at a depth below thirty meters it +can be done only by salvage companies where neither unfavorable bottom +obstacles nor currents intervene. A strong current renders a diver's +work impossible, for it carries him off his feet. + +On the high seas the currents change with the ebb and flood. At the +precise moment of the turn of the tide the undercurrent is supposed to +be nil, and the diver must take advantage of this moment to perform +his task. Another difficulty arises from the sand being shifted by the +currents, and settling on the prominent parts of a wreck; it often +envelops them to such a degree that the ship becomes so deeply +embedded in the sand that it is no longer salvable. + +According to my estimation eighty per cent of our enemy's sunken ships +lie from fifty to a hundred meters below the surface of the sea, so +that all possibility of their being raised is excluded. The largest +ships nowadays have a draft of less than ten meters, and as the +vessels sunk lie at far greater depths they are no source of danger to +shipping in time of peace. Of the remaining twenty per cent of sunken +ships half of them are unreclaimable, either owing to their position, +or owing to the high cost of salvage, or because it is not even known +where they lie. The other half or last ten per cent have probably for +the greater part been sunk in channels where the currents are so swift +that they are covered with sand, and diving enterprises are out of the +question. In time of war such work cannot be thought of; after the war +the ships will long since have been completely buried by the sand. + +Maybe off the east coast of England one or two ships may be raised, +for they lie at a lesser depth and are exposed to slighter currents +than on the south coast of England, but in that district only the +smaller and more insignificant vessels have been sunk, and it would +hardly pay to raise them, especially as they are so damaged by +torpedoes and mines that they would probably fall apart on being +raised to the surface. + +Therefore hardly a single ship will be salvaged, and the sea will +retain all those ships it has swallowed in the course of this war +carried on by all the nations of the earth. + + +THE END + +The Riverside Press +CAMBRIDGE . MASSACHUSETTS +U . S . A + + * * * * * + + +-----------------------------------------------------------+ + | Typographical errors corrected in text: | + | | + | Page 1: VAN FORSTNER replaced with VON FORSTNER | + | | + | Unusual words: | + | | + | Page 134: salvable (adj.) means that can be salvaged | + | or saved | + | | + +-----------------------------------------------------------+ + + * * * * * + +ERRATUM + +In Introduction, page xxi, line 6 from the bottom, for "1915" read +"1916." + + * * * * * + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Journal of Submarine Commander von +Forstner, by Georg-Günther von Forstner + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 30114 *** |