U-BOAT DESTROYED.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12065, 21 July 1917, Page 6

U-BOAT DESTROYED.

THE ATTACK DESCRIBED. A THRILLING NARRATIVE, A few days ago a cablegram was received from Rome in which it was stated that a report from a German source admitted that the warships that were convoying tho first contingent of American troops destroyed four of the largest and latest German submarines in tho Atlantic. The Paris corresipondent of the " New York Times" gives a thrilling narrative of tho American transport's' encounters with U-boats, on the voyage across the Atlantic. Tho first attack by the U-boats, lie says, was delivered so swiftly that everything was over before anyone save the crew and officers of the warships were aware of tho peril. The phosphorescence of the. water enabled the j look-out on a. big warship to discern I tho roaming wake of a submarine's periscope. At the same moment the alarm was given the U-boat launched a torpedo in the direction oi a big transport, in which slept a thousand soldiers. The correspondent interviewed one of the Americans, who said:—"Hell broke loose on our ship, a big warsliij... which had the helm jammed and wa- firing every available gun. \Ve swung out in a wide circle from the line, and a smaller ship took our place. I believe one of he.r shells lauded directly above the submersible, which showed only her periscope. The (--boat fired cither three or four torpedoes towards the fleet of transports, but, by the mercy of God alono, all missed. One passed near our stern, and. if the helm had not providentially jammed, it might have got us. The jamming of the helm caused our ship to drivr> directly towards the U-boat. The s'ubmersible disappeared. Possibly it was hit, or possibly it fled, fearing ramming. A young Yankee calmly timed the battle, which lasted about a minute and a half. A second attack was made next morning. Every soul thrilled at tho news of the night encounter, and the decks of all tho warships and transports were crowded. The weather was fine and the mot calm. when, at 10.30, a wild yell from the leading transport announced a lino of bubbles, but the periscope was invisible. Again fortune favoured us, the (-boat being directly ahead. Our commander ordered the gunners to fire where he judged the submersible to be bidden. Immediately afterwards a column of smoke and foam shot a hundred fret into the air, and the. soldiers in the nearest transport clearly distinguished pieces of ood and steel, also dark blue fragments which a moment previously had teen living Germans. It is impossible hat there was any mistako, as all the transports steamed through floating oil Mid wreckage." Hie Paris correspondent, of the Loniou Daily Telegraph " says that tho American naval officers accompanying j :he transports state that they are positive they sank one of the largest and nost powerful submarines the Germans iovo yet built. A look-out upon an 11 merienn destroyer sighted the subr. uinc, which dived, hut the sea was >erv transparent, and it. could be dis'iit'Mv seen l>e.neath the surface. The v>tioyor manoeuvred and got the submarine just astern, and dropped a -'oinb upon tho submarine, which was ii:>ily perceived. A violent explosion lecurred, and tho surface of the sea .wis covered with oil. The naval officers ire confident that one of tho transports rammed a, second submarine.