A GRIM STORY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 10001, 19 June 1918, Page 7

A GRIM STORY

OF mm .SUBMARINE TWO OUT OF FORTY HUNS SURVIVE. LONDON, June 14. A grim story is told of the destruction of one" of Germany's most recent XTboats, which was one of the last to leave Zeebrugge beforo the port was bottled up. ' Out of a crew of forty only two survived after a terrible struggle with death for ninety minutes, twenty fathoms below the eurface, where the vessel foundered, after striking a mine. ' A number of the crew committed suicide, believing there was no chance of leaving the submarine alive. The commander was one of the most expert in the German submarine service. The explosion threw the delicate machinery of the vessel out of gear, and a portion of the vessel was plunged in darkness. The engineer succeeded in putting the submarine in a, horizontal position, and prevented her turning turtle. The water poured in aft, and an attempt to blow the tanks proved unsuccessful. The vessel would not rise to the surface. The inrush, of water increased, and the only chance of escaping was to force open the conning tower and the forward hatches, and trust to the compressed air driving each man like a torpedo to the surface. The effort to open one" of the torpedo hatches was futile, the outside pressuro being too great.: The water mounted higher and higher, creeping up the men's legs. The sea water mixing with the chemicals in the accumulators created a poisonous gas, and the crew was faced with suffocation*i.The : conditions become 6 o torrible that some of the men began to lose their reason, and threw themselves into the water to die. _ One.tried, to shoot himself, but the ,re,vplyer" missed fire, and he jumped into the-water in the bottom of the vessel. . After superhuman efforts the forward natch and the conning-tower were forced open, and those still alive escaped through the'hatch. As the men reached the surface, the compressed air burst thejr; .lungs. ■ Twenty, sank £h«i blo ?^ c V rdhng * ells - A British trawler picked up the two survivors. BRmSHJED GROSS SALE OF WINES AND SPIRITS. Australian and NX~Cable Association. . LONDON, Juno 17. A wine trade sale is being held on behalf of the British Red Cross, and six hundred donors contributed wines, spirits, etc. The King sent 358 dozen bottles from the Royal cellars. Extraordinary prices, wei-e realised, the wine traders vying with each other. The King's champagne realised from £SO to £62 10s a dozen. The sale • will last five days, and is expected to realise .£IO,OOO. Th© Australian Red Cross has opened the large mansion, Greenhill House, at Sutton Venoy (Wiltshire) as a social rendezvous for officers and men. NEW ZEALAND~_WOOL CONTRACT Details sattsfactokiily SETTLED. United Service' Telegram. (Received June 18, 7.55'p.m.) LONDON, June 17. Mr Massey states that the details of the New Zealand wool contract have been satisfactorily settled. The Imperial Government accepts the shipping responsibility. Other "contracts are more difficult. There is no question of squeezing producers, but the Government ' cannot shift existing purchases. The general outlook for Australasian producers will be serious unless the war terminates soon. It is hoped that decreased submarining and the higher output of ton. nage will solve the difficulties. - " WOMEfsTeofWEAR REDUCTION IN HEIGHT. . . Australian and N.Z. Oablo Association. (Received June 18, 5.5 nmV WASHINGTON, Juno 17. In order to conserve leather the Government will shortly restrict, .tho height of women's footwear, and disallow colours except black and' ten ~