SUBMARINE AND ZEPPELIN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16300, 5 August 1916, Page 2 (Supplement)

SUBMARINE AND ZEPPELIN.

UNIQUE FIGHT AT SEA.

ENEMY AIRSHIP DESTROYED.

New-born day had just begun to shoulder back the mists that cloaked earth from the early sunlight when a man clad in artificer's uniform -walked to the edge of the jetty, stretched his arms, gave a mighty yawn, then dropping quickly down a ladder, stepped aboard a submarine.'

A little later a. couple of officers and a party of men came over the side of the jetty and took their place aboard the submarine. Ropes were cast off. and the boat slid quietly past the grey walls of lowering forts on her way to the open sea. On and on went the boat, sometimes awash, sometimes submerged, questing hither and thither about the sea some- i what in the manner of a terrier hunting for rats in a ditch. In truth, it was "rats" of a sort that .she was in search of: timidly artful "water-rats'' which only left their holes when the coast lay clear, and scurried back into them again the moment danger threatened. Little chance did they give for either terrier or bigger dog to get a snap at them. First Sight of the Enemy. Our boat had been "watching the holes" assiduously for some time, and in doing this had travelled long leagues from home when "the big thing" happened. She was crawling about as fishes swim and had only her periscopes peeping above water (one might, indeed, well have taken her for a huge predatory fish possessed of eyes that floated at the* surface at the end of long antennae), when the field of the periscope showed a huge body floating' between her and the sun. "A Zeppelin out scouting." reflected the submarine's commander as he studied the image before him. " I wonder if I can get. her? At any rate, I'll try," he de- ! cidedKeeping his boat as inconspicuous as possible, for he knew that eyes in the air see deep into the water, the commander gave chase to the great "gas-bat;" that i sailed above him. apparently unsuspecting of evil. Either the Zeppelin was unwary or she had seen and meant to bomb the submarine. Gradually she dropped lower and lower until she brought herself within gun-range from the sea. Gunners do Work Well. Keenly the submarine's commander watched the airship's manoeuvres, doggedly lie followed her, and promptly he acted when he judged her t<i be within reach. A pull on the lever and he blew out his tanks, a tilt of the planes and his boat rose to the surface. Up sprang her gun: eager but steady-nerved men "laid" it smartly upon the aerial target; a flash from its muzzle, an ear-splitting "bang," and the submarine's crew, watching anxiously the effect of the shot, saw the great airship stagger. "Bang" went the gun again, and once more the Zeppelin was hit. The gunners could see that she was trying, vainly trying, to increase her altitude and get away, so they gave her another dose—and this finished her. The huge silvern envelope began to sag heavily, then fell like a bird that has been winged by a fowler. Zeppelin's Crew Rescued. A queer, uncanny kind of combat this— unprecendented in the world's long fight ing history—between a ship designed U battle under water and a ship designed tc battle in the air. But the under-watei craft had been handled so cleverly thai the airship failed to hit her and receivec a death wound herself.

As she collapsed, a tangled, helpless mass, upon the water, the submarine's crew forgot for a moment their stoic selfcontrol and cheered with delight. Pardonable, too, was their exultation, for had they not accomplished a feat never achieved before! Victory, however, did not make them unmindful of the British Navy's humane practice of saving the lives "of beaten foemen whenever possible. reworking energetically at the job they brought aboard the submarine as many of the Zeppelin crew as they could find.

Seeking Vengeance. Longer search was made impossible by an interruption that could not be ignored. A six-inch shell shrieked angrily over the boat and plunged into the sea just bevond her. It came from an enemy cruiser which was tearing wrathfully towards the scene of the fight intent upon destroying the victor in it and in no mood to discriminate whether its shells fell upon foes only or upon friend and foe alike. Submarines are "slick" of movement. This one was commanded by a master of his craft, who had no intention of marring a. notable success by losing the boat that won it- " Down you go." said he to his prisoners, pointing towards the conning tower. "What, in there'." exclaimed " one of them aghast. What the Cruiser Found. Although they did not at all like it. the prisoners were jammed into the interior of the boat, whither the commander followed them, closing the conning tower behind him. and the submarine dived with a celerity that, as one of them later admitted, frightened the captives half out of their lives.

When the cruiser reached the spot she found there only the wilted-up remnants of a Zeppelin. Gone was the submarine, swallowed completely by the sea, and not a trace of her visible anywhere. Through the chilly depths, she "was speeding for home with her good news—and a batch of much-frightened prisoners to corroborate it.

Nor did the cruiser stav long abound searching for her. Over the edge ,7 the horizon leaped certain black hulls", ana the cruiser promptly put on her best, speed to escape the stings of sea-hornets that buzzed viciously along in her wake.