THE BALTIC

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17319, 20 May 1918, Page 5

THE BALTIC

BRITISH SUBMARINE EXPLOITS. AN INTERESTING ACCOUNT. Australian and N.Z. Calilo Association and Router. LONDON, May 18. (Received 'May 19, at 5.5 p.m.) The Admiralty in lifting the veil from the operations of British submarines in the Baltic relates some stirring deeds. How l>y continually attacking and destroying enemy wire raft they kept a watchful eye on the movements of the German fleet. The work was so effective finally that the German ships kept in the harbours as soon as a British submarine was reported. Unlike the U boats, not a single case can be alleged of British submarine sinking a merchantman on sight. Merchantmen were invariably boarded in the orthodox manner, and the crews given plenty of time in which to abandon the vessels. They were directed to the nearest port or escorted to a neu- | tral vessel. The official •documents of the submarines' doing 6 leave a profound impression of perseverance and skill, with which crews carried on. The passage into the Baltic was most difficult, owing to the closest watch being Kept. Submarines resorted to numerous ruses or waited until they could follow surface craft and run the gauntlet submarine. Commander Goodhart on one occasion espied an enemy battleship escorted by destroyers. He fired, and observed a flash of an explosion along the waterline. When the submarine rose the ship had gone, destruction being instantaneous. It was the battleship Prinz Albert. Another submarine sighted a light cruiser of the Ancowa class, and fired a torpedo, hitting the cruiser forward. The "cruiser was apparently put out of control, and swung round in a large circle and then stopped, tho fire bursting from her decks. An escorting destroyer attacked the submarine, but the latter evaded, and fired, a second torpedo, getting the cruiser amidships, the magazine blowing up, large masses of iron wreckage falling around the submarine, which, before submerging, observed the cruiser's crew assembling on the poop. They were later rescued by a large German ferryboat. As regards operations against merchant vessels, the following is typical: 'A submarine sighted and chased a steamer from Hamburg, laden with wood. She was signalled to stop, and was boarded. The crew was ordered to leave, and subsequently the seacocks were opened, charges were exploded, and tho ship sank. Meanwhile a Hamburg-Amerika liner was sighted proceeding without lights. A boarding party overhauled her, and found she was laden with iron ore for Stettin. So quickly did the crew, abandon the ship that interrogations could not be continued. The ship was sunk in similar manner to the first one, after which, within a few hours, two more were similarly despatched. The following day the commander reported all German traffic had entirely ceased.