d that their aim is so correct; and to them is due in
great part the success of our attack.

The commander and his officer exchange a knowing look, for they have
seen the enemy's ship heavily listing to one side, where the water is
rushing into the gaping wound, and soon she must capsize. They see her
crew hastily lowering the life boats--their only means of
escape--and this is a sufficient proof of our victory. We can depart
now in all security. Concealing our presence, we plunge and vanish
beneath the waters; having reached a certain distance, we stop to make
sure that our victim lies at the bottom of the ocean. We behold the
waves playing gently and smoothly as before over the cold, watery
grave of the once proud ship and we hasten away from the scene of our
triumph.

[Illustration: _Copyright by Underwood & Underwood, N.Y._
A TORPEDOED SCHOONER]

There is no need of our going to the help of the enemy's crew
struggling in the sea, for already their own torpedo boats are
hurrying to the succor of their comrades, and for us there is further
work to be done.

Imagine the enthusiasm our dear fallen comrade, Weddingen, and his
crew must have felt as the loud report of their last torpedo announced
the destruction of their third English armed cruiser!

IV

MOBILIZATION AND THE BEGINNING OF THE COMMERCIAL WAR

After long and agitated waiting, we received in the last days of July,
1914, the command to mobilize. Joyful expectation was visible on every
face, and the only fear that prevailed was that those of us who were
awaiting our orders on land might be too late to take part in the
naval battle we were all looking forward to so eagerly.

A few years ago, one of the Lords of the English Admiralty had
predicted that in the first naval battle fought between Germany and
England, the German fleet would be entirely annihilated. We naturally
only smiled in derision at these boastful words. The English
newspapers, besides, had for many years announced that whenever German
officers met together they drank a toast "To the Day." Although of
course this was untrue, yet we were all burning to prove in battle
what our great Navy had learned in long, hard-working years of peace.

A mighty engagement at sea seemed to us imminent during these first
days of war, and we all longed to be in it. I was, however, at the
moment, among those unfortunates who were strapped down to a desk in
the Admiralty, and with envy I b