THE SUBMARINE MENACE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3352, 12 June 1918, Page 19

THE SUBMARINE MENACE.

THE RAID ON AMERICAN VESSELS. A submarine on Thursday night attacked an Irish fishing fleet off the coast of County Down, and sank 12 out of 40 boats before being interrupted. Senator Swanson, Acting Chairman of the United States Senate Naval Committee, states that the Allies have destroyed 60 per cent, of all the German submarines built, and have reduced by one-half the Alliod shipping losses. An American transport (cabled May 26) sank a second U boat immediately after by. gunfire. No German sailors were saved. A submarine attacked a London steamship at night time during a heavy sea. Lightning and flares revealed the aggressor three cables off, and a conflict continued for three hours. Amid zig-zagging and smoke screens the Germans fired 40 rounds, but the British gunners scored three hits out of 10 shots. The submarine, after rapidly diving, reappeared with her aft part above water and the fore end submerged. Six Germans climbed out of the conning tower and proceeded aft to examine the damage, when the steamer escaped. Mr Archibald Hurd (of the Daily Telegraph editorial staff), in an article on the German submarine fables, says the German newspapers claim that the newest submarines are of 5000 tons displacement, 450 ft long, and steaming 28 knots, with a radius of action of 15,000 miles. These claims are utterly false. The term submarine cruiser has been invented to deceive the German public. That recently sunk by the British was of 2000 tons displacement, and 300 ft long, with a surface spread of 12 knots, and submerged of_ 10 knots. It is just an ordinary submarine, armed with 5.9 suns. The British have built a similar submarine.