we gradually
overcame that menace--and today most men say that the submarine menace
is a thing of the past.

That it is a thing of the past in so far as it can never win the war for
the enemy or enable the enemy to prevent us from winning the war,
provided we do not underrate the danger but take adequate steps against
it, I affirm now as the opinion of the British Admiralty; but it is a
menace that comes and goes.

The end of the great submarine menace came on November 20th, when twenty
German submarines were officially surrendered to Rear-Admiral Tyrwhitt
of the British Navy, thirty miles off Harwich, England. Within the
following week more than eighty other German submarines and a number of
Austrian craft were also surrendered to the British. The spectacle of
the surrender was most impressive.

After steaming some twenty miles across the North Sea, the Harwich
forces, which consisted of five light cruisers and twenty destroyers,
were sighted. The flagship of Admiral Tyrwhitt, the commander, was the
Curacao. High above about the squadron hung a big observation balloon.

The squadron, headed by the flagship, then steamed toward the Dutch
coast, followed by the Coventry, Dragoon, Danal and Centaur. Other ships
followed in line with their navigation lights showing. The picture was a
noble one as the great vessels, with the moon still shining, plowed
their way to take part in the surrender of the German U-boats.

Soon after the British squadron started the "paravanes" were dropped
overboard. These devices are shaped like tops and divert any mines which
may be encountered, for the vessels were now entering a mine field.

Almost everyone on board donned a life belt and just as the red sun
appeared above the horizon the first German submarine appeared in sight.

Soon after seven o'clock twenty submarines were seen in line,
accompanied by two German destroyers, the Tibania and the Sierra
Ventana, which were to take the submarine crews back to Germany after
the transfer.

All the submarines were on the surface with their hatches open and their
crews standing on deck. The vessels were flying no flags whatever and
their guns were trained fore and aft, in accordance with the terms of
surrender.

A bugle sounded on the Curacao and all the gun crews took up their
stations, ready for any possible treachery.

The leading destroyer, in response to a signal from the admiral, turned
and led the way towards England and the