The correspondent of the London _Standard_ tells how destroyers and
submarines of the British fleet by close surveillance discovered the
passage between the mines which the German destroyers used in coming out
to the North Sea. With that information a flotilla of submarines and
destroyers proceeded to round up the German ships. When the operation
was finished the British vessels returned to their base with the
exception of one submarine.
There was much anxiety as to the fate of this vessel, and as nearly a
day passed without any news of her the fleet began to conclude she had
been lost. Just as this fear began to be viewed as a certainty the
submarine came calmly into the midst of the fleet and asked to be
replenished.
The excitement among the bluejackets at the return of the wanderer
spread to every ship. The questions on every lip were, “Where has she
been and what has she been doing?” The explanation was soon
forthcoming, and all who heard it were thrilled at the daring feat
accomplished by the commander and crew.
The submarine actually had penetrated into the harbor of Bremerhaven,
where she fired two torpedoes. The Germans were panic-stricken, in the
midst of which the submarine went to sleep on the bottom of the harbor.
For hours the ship and crew remained there while the harbor was being
trawled, but the nets fortunately passed over her. As soon as he
considered it was safe the commander gave orders to proceed out of the
German harbor, the submarine returning across the North Sea without
mishap.