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VOYAGE OF THE 
 
 DEUTSCHLAND 
 
© Tut. Film Service 
 
 Captain Pail Konig 
 
 From a photograph taken on the Deutschland 
 :M Baltimore 
 
VOYAGE OF THE 
 
 DEUTSCHLAND 
 
 THE FIRST MERCHANT SUBMARINE 
 
 BY 
 CAPTAIN PAUL KONIG 
 
 NEW YOEK 
 
 HEARST'S INTERNATIONAL LIBRARY CO. 
 
 1916 
 
copyeight, 1916, by 
 Hearst's International Library Co., Inc. 
 
 All rights reserved, including the translation into fore-Ian 
 languages, including the Scandinavian. 
 
 J151; 
 
 PRINTED IN -THE U. S. A. 
 
 SCHLUETER TTO. CO., NEW YORK 
 
 NOV 25 I9I6 
 
 ©CI.A445833 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER PAGE 
 
 Introduction ix 
 
 I. How Germany Got the U-Deutsch- 
 land, and How the U-Deutschland 
 
 Got Me 1 
 
 II. Trial Trip and Outward Bound . . 12 
 
 III. The First Day at Sea. .... 20 
 
 IV. The U-Boat Trap 35 
 
 V. Head Downwards in the North Sea . 48 
 
 VI. "Westward Ho ! 61 
 
 VII. In the Atlantic 72 
 
 VIII. Hell With the Lid On 109 
 
 IX. America 121 
 
 X. Baltimore 136 
 
 XI. Farewell to Baltimore . . . .160 
 
 XII. Breaking Through 183 
 
 XIII. Homeward Bound 191 
 
 XIV. Home Again 211 
 
 XV. How Germany Welcomed Us Back . 218 
 
 [v] 
 
„Zum Kampfen und Streiten man rufet Euch nicht, 
 Zum friedlichen Handel fiihrt Euch die Pflicht, 
 Gliiek auf denn ! Gott mit Euch, er segne die Fahrt, 
 Seid wacker und mutig nach echt deutscher Art; 
 Dass wieder ihr kehrt in die Heimat zuriick, 
 Ganz DeutschlandEuch wiinsehet herzinniglich Gliiek !" 
 
 Heinrich, Prinz von Preussen. 
 
 Herrn Kapitan Konig, 
 dem Fuhrer des ersten 
 
 deutschen Handels-U -Bootes 
 
 [vi] 
 
ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 PACING PAGE 
 
 Capt. Paul Konig. From a photograph taken on the 
 Deutschland at Baltimore . . . . Frontispiece 
 
 Capt. Paul Konig. From a photograph taken in 
 Bremen before the war . . 16 
 
 The Deutschland coming up Chesapeake Bay on the 
 way to Baltimore 17 
 
 The American manager of the German Ocean Navi- 
 gation Co., welcoming Captain Konig on his arrival 
 at quarantine, Baltimore . . 32 
 
 Posing for their first American photograph. A por- 
 tion of the crew on the stern of the Deutschland 
 on its way up Chesapeake Bay 33 
 
 The tug Timmins conveying the Deutschland from 
 quarantine to Baltimore . . . . . . 4S 
 
 A three-quarter view from the stern of the Deutsch- 
 land as she was warped into her berth at Baltimore 49 
 
 Preparing to dock at Baltimore. An exceptional 
 view from the stern showing unique construction. . 64 
 
 The Deutschland docking at Baltimore 65 
 
 Left — Captain Hinsch, of North German Lloyd. Cen- 
 ter — Capt. Paul Konig. Bight — Paul G. L. Hilken, 
 American Manager German Ocean Navigation 
 Company 80 
 
 Ashore at Baltimore after many days at sea. First 
 picture of the crew of the Deutschland taken on 
 arrival . . 81 
 
 Capt. Paul Konig. Photograph taken in Baltimore 
 on arrival of the Deutschland 96 
 
 Paul G. L. Hilken, American Manager, German 
 Ocean Navigation Company 97 
 
 A close view of the commanding tower and periscope 
 of the Deutschland . . . . 112 
 
 The first autographed photograph in America after 
 the arrival of the Deutschland, signed by Captain 
 Konig, First Officer Krapohl, and Chief Engineer 
 Klees 113 
 
 [vii] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 FACING PAGE 
 
 The last photograph of the Deutschland leaving 
 Baltimore. The Deutschland as she appeared pass- 
 ing out to sea from Chesapeake Bay . . . . . . 128 
 
 The creators of the Submarine Mercantile Service. 
 Director Zetzmann, builder of the merchant sub- 
 marine, Deutschland. Alfred Lohmann, founder of 
 the German Ocean Navigation Company 129 
 
 Up the Weser to Bremen. The Deutschland receiving 
 ovation on its triumphant return to Germany . . 142-143 
 
 A broadside view of the submarine 160 
 
 The Deutschland with all colors set, the German flag 
 at her fore-peak, the United States flag aft, ap- 
 proaching the mouth of the Weser 161 
 
 The triumphant return to Germany. The Deutschland 
 entering the mouth of the Weser 176 
 
 Home at last. The Deutschland alongside its pier 
 in Bremen . . 177 
 
 Welcoming the crew of the Deutschland at the City 
 Hall in Bremen 192 
 
 Captain Konig and Dr. Alfred Lohmann, President 
 of the German Ocean Navigation Company, leav- 
 ing reception given Captain Konig in Bremen . . 193 
 
 Celebration at City Hall, Bremen, August 25, 1916. 
 The crowd in front numbered many thousands. 
 The officers and crew on the balcony acknowledging 
 cheers . . 208 
 
 Portrait of officers and crew of Deutschland taken 
 on their arrival at the mouth of the Weser, August 
 23, 1916 209 
 
 Interior view of the Deutschland. The central con- 
 trol or navigating room 224 
 
 The Deutschland on the stocks. Photograph taken 
 the day before launching 225 
 
 [ viii ] 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 The mysterious voyage of the mer- 
 chant submarine Deutschland has now 
 kept the attention of the old and new 
 world under strain quite long enough. 
 The wildest rumors regarding our trip 
 and our fate have cropped up in in- 
 numerable papers, not to mention the 
 magnificent flights of fiction made by 
 the English. We were stranded, we 
 were sunk — we had even been taken 
 apart and sent in separate packages to 
 America. What fun we used to have 
 on the high seas when our wireless op- 
 erators would catch one of these plump 
 English canards in full flight ! I there- 
 fore have the greater pleasure in giv- 
 [ix] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 ing a longer, more detailed description 
 of our legendary voyage and our ad- 
 ventures. 
 
 The voyage, after all, was far from 
 being a fabulous one — for this would 
 have made it doubly precarious. And 
 as for adventures, we naturally avoided 
 these as far as possible. 
 
 I hope, therefore, that the reader 
 will not expect a whole series of excit- 
 ing episodes, such as may fall to the 
 lot of a military submarine in the war 
 area. Our duty was as follows: to 
 transport our valuable cargo to Amer- 
 ica as smoothly, and with as few inter- 
 ruptions as possible, to make a joke of 
 the English blockade, and to return 
 with a cargo equally valuable. These 
 things we accomplished, and I shall 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 now describe how we accomplished 
 them. 
 
 That our voyage did not always pro- 
 ceed smoothly, that now and then we 
 found ourselves in devilish hot water, 
 that this or that did not come off ac- 
 cording to program — was entirely ow- 
 ing to the gentle endeavors of the 
 English. The reader owes them thanks 
 for these little exciting interludes. The 
 English, to be sure, despite all at- 
 tempts, were unable to hinder our 
 course — still they succeeded in giving 
 additional color and variety to my ac- 
 count of it. It would be ungracious 
 not to acknowledge this. 
 
 I wish to express my special thanks 
 to my two officers of the watch, Messrs. 
 Krapohl and Eyring. The notes taken 
 [xi]' 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 by these two gentlemen completed my 
 own on many points. It is impossible 
 for a captain to remain continually on 
 the turret — I had almost said "bridge" 
 from old habit — and then six eyes see 
 more than two. And to be able to see 
 is one of the first laws of the sub- 
 marine. 
 
 Paul Konig. 
 
 [ xii ] 
 
The Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 HOW GERMANY GOT THE 
 
 "U-DEUTSCHLAND," AND HOW 
 
 THE "U-DEUTSCHLAND," 
 
 GOT ME 
 
 How did Germany come to build the 
 U-Deutscliland f That would be a long 
 story. I must leave it to others to re- 
 late—to men who are better qualified. 
 The most important facts are revealed 
 in the speeches which were made upon 
 the return of the Deutschland during 
 the festivities in honor of this history- 
 making event at the Eathaus in Bre- 
 men. These may be read in the de- 
 scription I give of our reception at the 
 close. 
 
 The idea of building submarine 
 
 [i] 
 
Voyage of the Deutscliland 
 
 cargo-boats for long distance is to me 
 an idea growing out of the resolve of 
 the German people to nullify the block- 
 ade of the German and American 
 coasts, as well as the complete cutting- 
 off of our legitimate imports. The 
 old Hanseatic spirit of enterprise, the 
 technical genius of German shipbuild- 
 ing, and the efficiency of one of our 
 largest shipyards combined to give 
 British arrogance upon the seas the 
 heaviest blow it has suffered since the 
 Union Jack first fluttered over the 
 waves. 
 
 It is impossible to forecast to-day 
 what changes and revolutions will fol- 
 low upon the building and traffic of 
 submarine merchant ships. It is pos- 
 sible that all the laws of naval warfare 
 may be altered. Through this the sum 
 and relationship of armed ships may 
 
 [2] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 undergo change throughout the world, 
 and this may influence the destiny of 
 the nations even more than the present 
 war. It would seem that humanity 
 stood face to face with a new epoch of 
 its history. 
 
 We Germans may well be proud of 
 the fact that this epoch has been 
 ushered in by a German ship. That 
 Canadian war-submarines crossed the 
 Atlantic before us cannot alter this 
 truth. They traveled in groups, always 
 upon the surface, and under escort of 
 torpedo-boats, cruisers and auxiliary 
 craft. Moreover, they traveled under 
 far more favorable conditions than a 
 merchant submarine, since they had 
 only to carry their provisions and 
 munitions and no dead weight apart 
 from their armament. They were 
 above all able to defend themselves. 
 
 [3] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 On the other hand the sole means of 
 defense of a submarine freighter con- 
 sists in diving. And even this is not 
 everywhere possible with a large vessel 
 of over 2,000 tons. 
 
 I was therefore faced by a new and 
 extraordinary problem when asked to 
 navigate the U -Deutschland to Amer- 
 ica. The task would have been almost 
 as novel had I been a young patrol- 
 boat commander instead of an old 
 Lloyd captain, and a navigator of big 
 liners. 
 
 But I must first tell you how the 
 TJ -Deutschland managed to requisition 
 me. Things developed with great swift- 
 ness and many surprises. 
 
 I happened to be in Berlin during 
 the middle of September, 1915, on some 
 business or other. I had been forced 
 to surrender my good ship Schleswig 
 
 [4] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 long before, but the North German 
 Lloyd knew where it could find me. 
 One evening I found a message at my 
 hotel. It was from Herr Lohmann, 
 of Bremen, who asked me to come and 
 see him at the Adlon, in Berlin, as soon 
 as possible. 
 
 I was surprised. I knew, of course, 
 that Herr Lohmann was the head of 
 the well-known Bremen house, and I 
 had met him personally in Sydney, 
 where his firm had the agency of the 
 North German Lloyd. 
 
 But what did Herr Lohmann wish to 
 see me for now — now when "German 
 shipping had been swept from the 
 seas" — as you might read day after 
 day in any English paper ? There 
 would be certain difficulties in starting 
 a new German line of steamers to Aus- 
 tralia or the Straits under present con- 
 
 [5] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 ditions. As for the Baltic, I knew that 
 his firm had no connections there. 
 What could they want with an old East 
 Asia — America — and Mediterranean 
 sea-dog like myself ? 
 
 Those thoughts went puzzling 
 through my head as I made my way 
 to the Adlon. 
 
 Herr Lohmann greeted me in the 
 most affable manner. He did not beat 
 long about the bush. After referring 
 to the pleasant days in Sydney, he 
 asked me if I was not bored by this 
 uneventful sitting about on land ? Was 
 I not anxious to be up and off on — a 
 long cruise? 
 
 What was an old captain of the 
 merchant marine to say to that? — an 
 old captain who had to leave his ship 
 at the outbreak of war, and was drift- 
 ing about the country like a derelict — 
 
 [6] 
 
Voyage of the JDeutschland 
 
 while the English cruisers were prowl- 
 ing about the Canal and the Shet- 
 lands and taking the American mails 
 from neutral ships at four miles dis- 
 tance from New York? 
 
 I shrugged my shoulders and was 
 silent. 
 
 Then the secret came out. Herr 
 Lohmann now told me that he was en- 
 tertaining the idea of running a line of 
 submarine merchant ships between Ger- 
 many and America. He asked me 
 whether I was willing to navigate the 
 first of these vessels? The first trip 
 would be to Newport News. He knew 
 that I had a certain amount of knowl- 
 edge regarding the waters and sound- 
 ings of Chesapeake Bay, acquired dur- 
 ing my trips in the Baltimore service 
 of the North German Lloyd. Did I 
 think that I would be able to take a 
 
 [7] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 freight "boat of this kind across to 
 America — in case the thing really 
 came off? 
 
 This was to the point. I have never 
 been fond of long deliberations, so I 
 promptly said : ' ' Yes ! ' ' 
 
 Here was a chance for an old fellow, 
 over 45, to take part in this war of 
 " black lists" and daily mail robberies. 
 
 "Herr Lohmann," I said, "if the 
 thing really comes off, I am your 
 man!" 
 
 And the thing did come off ! 
 
 In less than two months a telegram 
 called me to Berlin to an important 
 conference. Here I looked at sketches, 
 plans and working drawings until my 
 eyes swam. Four more months passed 
 which I utilized to the full. I then went 
 to Kiel and saw a remarkable frame- 
 work of steel slowly take shape upon 
 
 [8] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 the stocks across the way at Gaarden. 
 Rotund, snug and harmless the thing 
 lay there. Inside it were hidden all 
 the countless, complicated and power- 
 ful features of those sketches and 
 working drawings. I cannot boast that 
 the reality as executed in steel and 
 brass was any easier to grasp than the 
 endless network of lines and circles 
 which had bewildered me when inspect- 
 ing the blue-prints. 
 
 Those of you who have seen illustra- 
 tions and photographs of the interior 
 of the " central-station" or the "tur- 
 ret" of a submarine, will understand 
 what I mean. And should you have 
 entered a submarine itself and felt 
 yourself hopelessly confused by the be- 
 wildering chaos of wheels, vents, 
 screws, cocks, pipes, conduits, above, 
 below and all about — not to speak of 
 
 [9] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 the mysterious levers and weird me- 
 chanisms, each of which has some im- 
 portant function to fulfil, you may find 
 some consolation in the thought that 
 my own brains performed a devils' 
 dance at the sight. 
 
 But after this monster, with its tan- 
 gle of tubes and pipes, had been duly 
 christened, and its huge gray-green 
 body had slid majestically into the 
 water, it suddenly became a ship. It 
 swam in its element as though born to 
 it — as though it had never known 
 another. 
 
 For the first time I trod the tiny 
 deck and mounted the turret to the 
 navigation platform. From here I 
 glanced down and was surprised to see 
 beneath me a long, slender craft — with 
 gracious lines and dainty contours. 
 Only the sides, where the green body 
 
 [10] 
 
Voyage of the Deutscliland 
 
 vaulted massively above the water, 
 gave an indication of the huge size of 
 the hull. I felt pride and rapture as 
 my eye took in this picture. The 
 fabric swayed slightly beneath my feet 
 — an impressive combination of power 
 and delicacy. 
 
 And now I knew that what had at 
 first seemed to me nothing more than 
 the product of some mad phantasy on 
 the part of the technicians was in 
 reality a ship. It was a ship in which 
 oceans might be crossed, a real ship, to 
 which the heart of an old sailor like 
 myself might safely attach itself. 
 
 I laid my hand upon the edge of the 
 TJ-Deatschlan&'s turret and pledged 
 her my faith. 
 
 And thus I came to the U-Deutsch- 
 land and became the commander of the 
 first undersea merchant vessel. 
 
 [ii] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 II 
 
 TRIAL TRIP AND OUTWARD 
 BOUND 
 
 We were now in for a strange and 
 wonderful time. Day after day we 
 went out into the bights and down into 
 the depths. We made trial trips in all 
 sorts of weather and at every oppor- 
 tunity. Every man of our picked crew 
 knew of the task we were expected to 
 fulfil. 
 
 Our job was to acquire facility in 
 steering this fine and complicated craft, 
 the last word in bold and subtle com- 
 putation. Our job was to learn how to 
 understand and control this most mar- 
 vellous product of modern shipbuild- 
 ing, the submarine. We were obliged to 
 learn how to impose our wills upon this 
 
 [12] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 heavy mass of almost 2,000 tons, so that 
 it would obey the slightest turn of the 
 rudder, and turn and manoeuvre like a 
 torpedo-boat, and rise and sink in the 
 water like a dirigible in the air. 
 
 It was also necessary to observe the 
 strength of the steel body, to test the 
 force and obedience of the powerful 
 engines, to studjr the imperfections or 
 little perversities of the whole, to cap- 
 ture the secret of the life and move- 
 ment of this weird, mysterious, fish- 
 like organism. 
 
 A submarine is as full of moods as 
 a woman, and as delicate as a race 
 horse. It is as solid as a tramp 
 steamer, and as reliable as a tug-boat. 
 It may have good qualities — and bad. 
 It may be as manageable as a racing 
 yacht, or it may buck like a broncho, 
 and it will only obey him who knows 
 
 [13] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 it from the beginning to the end of its 
 minute mechanism. 
 
 So we spent weeks upon the seas — 
 upon and beneath them. We studied 
 our boat, and strove to grow acquainted 
 with all its possibilities. We were bent 
 on mastering all the peculiarities of 
 this nautical amphibian. 
 
 After returning from the quiet bays 
 and coves, where we carried on our 
 practice, to the yards, the smashing 
 uproar of the rivetting hammers and 
 the ceaseless clamor of the docks, we 
 would sit for hours with the construc- 
 tors and swap experiences. Many hints 
 and valuable suggestions resulted from 
 this practical experience, and gave rise 
 to new plans and ideas. 
 
 I cannot sufficiently express my 
 thanks to these gentlemen — the ship- 
 builders who worked hand in hand 
 
 [14] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 with me. They never tired in their 
 efforts to assist ns, nor in helping to 
 test this wonderful creation of their in- 
 ventive genius. On the very day of 
 our departure, Chief Engineer Erbach, 
 the constructor of the vessel, rowed 
 out to our anchorage — in order to 
 make one final diving test. 
 
 •K *• #• 
 
 The day of our departure had come. 
 The TJ -Deutschland had been loaded. 
 The precious cargo lay well packed in 
 the freight-chambers. Then the whole 
 ship was once more overhauled and 
 brought to a perfect trim. We then 
 stored enough provisions for this long 
 trip; then came boxes of cigars, and 
 gramophone plates. 
 
 All our various needs had been pro- 
 vided for and the TJ -Deutschland was 
 ready to "sail." 
 
 [15] 
 
Voyage of the Beutschland 
 
 We, too, were ready. Our farewells 
 with our loved ones had already taken 
 place, thank God — at home. These 
 moments, especially when there is to be 
 a trip into the unknown, are always 
 painful ones, which had best be got 
 over as quickly as possible. Our last 
 handclasps were with the men of the 
 Germania Shipyard. 
 
 Then the gang-plank was drawn in. 
 I ordered the men to their stations and 
 mounted the turret. The tug-boat 
 Charlotte was already alongside and 
 picked up the hawser. I called " At- 
 tention!" down into the central station 
 and lifted my hand. 
 
 The mighty moment had come. 
 
 "Cast away aft!" 
 
 "Aye, aye, sir." 
 
 "Pull away, Charlotte!" 
 
 The bell of the signal dial upon the 
 
 [16] 
 

© Int. Press Exchange 
 
 ( 'm'taix Paul Konig 
 
 From a photograph taken in 
 Bremen before the war 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 stout little tug-boat tinkles. The 
 sturdy craft pulls the tow-line tight 
 and slowly draws the stern of the 
 Deutschland away from the wharf. 
 
 "Cast away for'd!" 
 
 "Aye, aye, sir." 
 
 The hawsers flop splashing from the 
 pier wall into the grimy, churned-up 
 water of the harbor. 
 
 And now it is our turn. I pick up 
 the speaking-tube: 
 
 "Larboard engine — half power — re- 
 verse!" 
 
 ' ' Starboard engine — slow speed 
 ahead." 
 
 "Helm 20 points starboard!" 
 "Helm 20 starboard!" 
 
 The answers from the engine-room 
 came up promptly. 
 
 Prom where I stood upon the tur- 
 ret, close beside the helmsman with his 
 
 [17] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 small wheel, I could scarcely feel the 
 throb of the electric engines going in- 
 to action. Only the dirty water, which 
 was cast up by the propellers and went 
 wallowing and whirling to sternward 
 over the round body of the Deutsch- 
 land, betrayed the fact that the engines 
 were in operation. 
 
 Slowly the great green whale-back 
 swung around and lay at first at right 
 angles to the course, drove forward a 
 little to larboard, remained still, and 
 then pushed itself with the help of the 
 tug once more to starboard stern on. 
 
 I ordered both engines to stop. 
 
 The boat still proceeded backwards 
 for a piece, tugging fiercely at the tow- 
 ing cable like some cumbrous monster 
 of the brine. 
 
 I cast a swift glance from the turret 
 upon the course and the pier. There 
 
 [18] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 was now enough room to manoeuvre in. 
 
 I ordered the tow-lines to be cast off 
 and both engines to drive ahead at half 
 speed with helm to larboard. 
 
 We were still turning and made a 
 good clearance of the pier wall close to 
 a large gray war-submarine which was 
 just being completed. I then ordered 
 the helm to be put amidships, and both 
 engines : 
 
 "Full steam ahead!" 
 
 The bows of the ship began to trem- 
 ble in rhythmic vibrations under the in- 
 creased pressure from the engines. The 
 water came foaming from the propel- 
 lers. We were under way and the 
 Deutschland began pushing herself fas- 
 ter and faster through the dingy waters 
 of the port — out of the bay, out toward 
 the broad ocean — toward the freedom 
 of the seas. 
 
 [19] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 III 
 
 THE FIRST DAY AT SEA 
 
 The North Sea came rolling toward 
 us in long swells. The weather was 
 bright and there was a stiff breeze 
 Nor '-nor '-west. I stood with the First 
 Officer of the Watch in the turret — in 
 the " bath-tub." This is what we call- 
 ed the protecting wall of metal which 
 rose above the navigation platform as 
 a kind of parapet and encircled the 
 turret manhole in elegant sweeping 
 lines. It somewhat resembled the gon- 
 dola of an aeroplane. The outer steer- 
 ing wheel is situated directly in front 
 of this, but can be used only in fair 
 weather. 
 
 We were standing in oilskins behind 
 the shield, for the sea had just enough 
 
 [20] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 movement to wet everything. The deck 
 was continually flooded and every few 
 moments the waves went slapping 
 against the turret. In my hand I held 
 the speaking-tube connection with the 
 central station, where the helmsman 
 passes on the orders to the engineer by 
 means of the signal dial. I stood with 
 every sense alert. There was a sound 
 of dull thumping, the bows plunged in- 
 to the foam, the seas came rumbling a- 
 cross the deck and shot hissing up 
 against the superstructure of the tur- 
 ret. The turret manhole had to be 
 flung to instantly and we w r ere forced 
 to duck behind the protecting wall in 
 our crackling oilskins. These manoeu- 
 vers were repeated every few minutes. 
 In the intervals w T e rose to a standing 
 position, listened to the howling of the 
 wind, and gazed at the horizon. The 
 
 [21] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 German coast toward the southeast 
 had vanished behind us some time be- 
 fore and the only bit of the homeland 
 still with us was the accompanying tor- 
 pedo-boat which was forging on ahead 
 of us. We soon approached the outer- 
 most chain of German f oreposts. Four 
 patrol vessels passed us in a keel line 
 and hoisted the signal : 
 "Gliickliche Reise !" (Bon Voyage !) 
 Our faithful escort then darted up 
 closer to us. Her crew gave us three 
 tremendous cheers, her officers stood 
 at salute upon her bridge, and we two 
 lonely men upon the turret returned 
 the salute. Then the black craft struck 
 her nose into a sea, made a splendid 
 turning and drove off with a whirling 
 wake. She grew smaller and smaller 
 and then vanished with her fluttering 
 pennons of smoke. 
 
 [22] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 We were now left to ourselves. We 
 were travelling into the unknown. 
 
 However, there was little time for 
 meditation. Danger threatened us from 
 all sides. I had to make sure that the 
 craft was in the best of trim and that 
 the engines and diving arrangements 
 were under complete control. 
 
 I gave the order: 
 
 " Clear for a diving test!" 
 
 Instantly the response came back 
 from the turret and the central station, 
 and the men hurried to their posts. 
 The oil engines were still hammering 
 away at a mad rate. I left the alarm 
 bell clang and jumped into the manhole 
 of the turret. The cover was battened 
 down, the engines stopped at the same 
 moment. 
 
 We felt a slight pressure in our ears 
 for a moment. We were cut off from 
 
 [23] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 outside and silence reigned. But this 
 silence was merely an illusion — and was 
 due to the change. 
 
 "Open the diving- valves. Sub- 
 merge ! ' ' 
 
 The valves were flung open and the 
 compressed air escaped hissing from 
 the tanks. At the same time a gigantic, 
 intermittent snorting ensued, like the 
 blowing and belching of some prehis- 
 toric monster. There was an uncom- 
 fortable pressure in our ears, then the 
 noise became more regular, followed 
 by a buzzing and a shrill hum. All 
 the high notes of the engines in the 
 central station intermingled and made a 
 bewildering noise. It was like a mad, 
 diabolical singsong. And yet it was 
 almost like silence after the dull, heavy 
 pounding of the oil-motors — only more 
 insistent and irritating. The penetra- 
 
 [24] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 ting hum in the various vents announ- 
 ced the fact that the diving mechanism 
 was in operation. It moaned and sang 
 lower and lower in the scale of tones. 
 These slowly diminishing and steadily 
 deepening tones give one the physical 
 feeling of mighty volumes of water 
 pouring in and flooding full. 
 
 You have the sensation of growing 
 heavier and sinking as the boat grows 
 heavier and sinks, even though you 
 may not be able to see through the 
 turret window, or the periscope, how 
 the bows are gradually submerged and 
 the water climbs higher and higher up 
 the turret until all things without are 
 wrapped in the eerie twilight of the 
 depths. 
 
 The faithful lamps burned, however, 
 and then a real silence suddenly en- 
 sued. There was no sound but the 
 
 [25] 
 
Voyage of the BeutscMand 
 
 gentle, trembling rhythm of the electric 
 engines. 
 
 I then gave the order : 
 " Submerge to twenty meters!" 
 "Both engines half steam ahead!" 
 I was able to follow our submersion 
 by means of the manometer. Through 
 flooding the tanks, the boat is given 
 several tons over-weight and the en- 
 closed ship's space is made heavier 
 than the displaced quantity of water. 
 The titanic fish, therefore, began to sink 
 downward in its element, that is to say, 
 it began, in a certain sense, to fall. At 
 the same time the electric engines are 
 put into motion and the propulsive 
 force of the propellers acts upon the 
 diving rudders and causes the sinking 
 to become a gliding. After the requir- 
 ed depth has been reached — something 
 which may easily be read from the 
 
 [26] 
 
Voyage of the Deutsehland 
 
 manometer that records the depth — all 
 further sinking may be stopped by 
 simply lightening the hull, which is 
 done by forcing out some of the water 
 in the submarine's tanks. The furious 
 growling of the pump is always a sure 
 sign that the required depth is being 
 approached. The noise ceased, only the 
 electric motors continued to purr and 
 the word came from the central station : 
 
 " Twenty meters — even keel!" 
 
 "Budder set!" 
 
 So we forged ahead at a depth of 
 20 meters. Of course we are " blind" 
 under such conditions and can regulate 
 our movements only by means of the 
 depth recorder and that precious little 
 jewel of the boat, our compass. No 
 ray of light reached us any longer from 
 without, the periscope was submerged 
 long ago and the steel safety covers 
 
 [27] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 over the windows were closed. We had 
 been metamorphosed completely into 
 a fish. 
 
 Reports now came from all parts of 
 the U-boat — the central, the engine- 
 room, the bow, the stern, the cargo- 
 room, the battery-room — all tight. The 
 Deutschland might safely proceed 
 through the deeps. But it is not al- 
 ways so simple a matter to steer a boat 
 of this size at a specified depth. A 
 change in the specific gravity of water 
 in consequence of alterations in the 
 temperature of the water or the amount 
 of salt influences this greatly. As an 
 example let me explain the difference 
 between the water of the Baltic and 
 that of the North Sea. The specific 
 gravity of the two seas is in the rela- 
 tion of 1.013 to 1.025. This appears 
 trifling. But with a boat of the size of 
 
 [28] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 the Deutschland, which requires over- 
 weight of many tons to enable it to 
 dive, this difference mounts up to a 
 quite formidable weight. In order to 
 submerge in the denser water of the 
 North Sea, we must make our boat at 
 least 17 tons heavier than is necessarv 
 in the Baltic — otherwise we cannot 
 dive. In addition, the most disagree- 
 able surprises are to be expected when- 
 ever there are sudden alterations in the 
 temperature of the water, as in bays 
 and river mouths. These are further 
 influenced by the lighter sweet water. 
 Many a U-boat commander has been 
 misled by thinking that a certain over- 
 weight was all that was required to 
 take him under water and keep him 
 posed at a certain level. . . . Suddenly, 
 however, the manometer indicates a 
 still greater depth and the submarine 
 
 [29] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 begins to fall like an aeroplane which 
 has struck an " air-hole." A test of the 
 specific gravity and the temperature of 
 the water will usually explain such be- 
 havior on the part of the U-boat. Only 
 calculations such as these will enable 
 the commander of an undersea boat to 
 sink into the depths and rise to the sur- 
 face with a certain degree of assurance. 
 
 We had now completed our trial dive 
 to my satisfaction. Everything was 
 safe and in good working order — we 
 had excellent control of our complica- 
 ted apparatus. 
 
 I then gave the order to rise. The 
 diving rudders were slanted "up" and 
 soon I was able to observe their action 
 and that of our gallant exhaust pump 
 by the manometer. 
 
 After I had made sure that there 
 were no vibrations from propellers to 
 
 [30] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 be heard in the vicinity and no steamer 
 with which one might collide, we mas- 
 tered the so-called " blind moment." 
 This is the interval during which the 
 boat has already risen so high as to 
 permit of its being rammed, the while 
 it is still too far under water to per- 
 mit the use of the periscope above the 
 surface to have a look around. 
 
 This interval is very brief. I stood 
 at the eye-piece of the tube and stared 
 hard. The field of vision grew lighter, 
 silver air-bubbles rose glimmering, a 
 winking of light and a rilling of water 
 flashed athwart the glass, then daylight 
 came — a picture appeared. Clear and 
 luminous the North Sea lay outspread 
 before me into the empty and endless 
 horizon. 
 
 I then gave orders to rise to our full 
 extent. The planes of the rudders 
 
 [31] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 forced the boat more and more toward 
 the surface of the water. In order to 
 accelerate this, compressed air was 
 forced into one of the tanks. The 
 movement was now very rapid, the tur- 
 ret cleared itself, the deck lifted itself 
 dripping, the manhole in the turret 
 was opened and fresh air came stream- 
 ing in: 
 
 "Blow out the tanks!" was my next 
 order. 
 
 There was a wild howling and hissing 
 in the central station. The powerful 
 air-blasts were forcing the water out 
 of the diving tanks. This takes but a 
 short time. As soon as one tank is 
 empty, the air which has been blown 
 into it comes bubbling up with a gurg- 
 ling noise along the sides of the boat 
 which soon attains its normal position. 
 
 We were still proceeding under elec- 
 
 [32] 
 
. I _,^M i 1 
 
 £ fly ^3 — » t-~fl 
 
 i 
 
 
 •Afi^ 
 
 iB,]^ 1 
 
 5 
 I 
 
 4^ 
 
 sfgj 
 
 
 f 
 1 
 
 I 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 trie power. The next step was to 
 switch on the heavy Diesel motors by 
 means of the electric engines. I had 
 already climbed up to the turret and 
 so I noticed nothing of this operation, 
 except the reports that came to me from 
 the central. But on such occasions an 
 exciting picture is presented to the men 
 in the engine-room. 
 
 The engine observers stand at their 
 posts. The order comes through the 
 speaking-tube — everybody is rigid with 
 attention. Then the Chief Engineer 
 gives a shrill whistle and lifts one hand. 
 A few swift movements of the trained 
 hand — and certain long and blinding 
 lightnings flash across the switchboard 
 in the electric-motor chamber. The first 
 piston-heads lift themselves hesitatingly, 
 slowly, unwillingly — then increase their 
 speed. Terrific reports and loud hiss- 
 
 s [33] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 ings ensue, and a curious, irregular 
 coughing. The roaring of the explo- 
 sions then becomes rhythmic and faster 
 and faster the engines fall into their 
 places and begin to pulsate in a regular 
 harmony — like the strokes of innumer- 
 able hammers. 
 
 The trial dive was at an end, and 
 stamping and pounding, the Deutsch- 
 land hurried on her way. The wind 
 did not slacken, but the weather re- 
 mained fair and observation was easy. 
 
 No steamer hove in sight — so we 
 were able to proceed quietly on the sur- 
 face. Of course we had the best of 
 reasons for navigating with the utmost 
 care and attention. Thus the day came 
 to an end. 
 
 But when the sun sank in dull and 
 threatening clouds, there was a storm 
 brewing for the morrow. 
 
 [34] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 IV 
 
 THE U-BOAT TRAP 
 
 And there was a storm. The farther 
 we left the coast behind, the more 
 violent grew the sea. Our ship was 
 flung and tossed about in great style. 
 I was aware of this as I lay in my 
 berth. About two o'clock in the morn- 
 ing I was awakened by a "Hoo — eel" 
 in the speaking-tube in the wall close 
 to my head. 
 
 Second Officer of the Watch Eyring 
 reported that a white light was visible 
 to starboard and was swiftly approach- 
 ing. I leaped out of my berth, went 
 balancing around the corner into the 
 central, then up the ladder, through 
 the manhole and on to the platform. 
 
 Eyring pointed out a white light. It 
 
 [35] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 was comparatively close and appeared 
 to be coming on at a great rate. We 
 decided to take no risks, sounded the 
 alarm and dived. It was then that I felt 
 for the first time that overwhelming 
 sensation of security which arises from 
 the possibility of such a rapid mode of 
 escape. 
 
 It all seemed most natural. Here we 
 were in the very midst of a world-war, 
 going on our way with an unarmed 
 freight-boat in the dead of night. A 
 light draws near — it may be an enemy, 
 most probably it is an enemy. In a 
 few moments a couple of guns may 
 flash forth, a couple of shells smash our 
 superstructure, the seas go plunging 
 into the inner shell of our craft and 
 then the North Sea closes above our 
 heads. 
 
 But nothing of this sort happened. 
 
 [36] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 A brief command shot down to the 
 central station. A few quick move- 
 ments were made with hand-wheels 
 or levers and we proceeded on our 
 way in absolute safety. Brute 
 force may bar our path upon the 
 surface of the seas, but it is impotent 
 and must let us pass as soon as we 
 take our course a few yards under the 
 surface. 
 
 For reasons of safety we continued 
 to screw our way forward in a sub- 
 merged state, and remained under water 
 until dawn. We rose to the surface 
 about four o'clock. It was already day, 
 but unfortunately, there was a mighty 
 uncomfortable sea running. We saw 
 a few fishing boats in the distance, la- 
 boriously toiling away. We kept a 
 sharp eye on them, but soon became 
 convinced of their harmless character 
 
 [37] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 and so continued our course above 
 water. 
 
 This was rough work. The move- 
 ments of the submarine were such that 
 the heads and stomachs of the men in 
 the interior of the boat — which could 
 only be ventilated by the fans — began 
 to be affected. A part of the crew 
 found no charm in the temptations of 
 dinner. It was also impossible to re- 
 main on deck, since this was constant- 
 ly being flooded. It was a trifle dryer 
 behind the protecting wall of the 
 " bath-tub" and in the lee of the turret, 
 protected from the sea and the wind. 
 Here a few members of the free watch 
 remained huddled. They clutched the 
 rails, sniffed up the fresh air, and shook 
 themselves whenever a breaker came 
 bursting against the turret in an erup- 
 tion of foam and spray. 
 
 [38] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 We proceeded thus during the entire 
 day. We saw a few steamers in the 
 distance — as betrayed by their smoke; 
 but these we avoided by a change of 
 course above water after carefully get- 
 ting their bearings and observing what 
 course they were following. 
 
 This is not so difficult as would ap- 
 pear. You know your own bearings 
 and can obtain those of the other ves- 
 sel by triangulation and computing its 
 position and course by means of the 
 chart. After comparing these details 
 with the lines of the chief steamer 
 routes as marked in the charts, you 
 are able to tell with a fair degree of 
 certainty in what direction the steamer 
 must be travelling. 
 
 A computation of this sort, as luck 
 would have it, happened to prove of the 
 greatest importance to us shortly after, 
 
 [39] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 and — as you shall see — it was even in 
 the nature of a certain amount of docu- 
 mentary evidence. 
 
 Toward evening the weather had 
 cleared a little, and even the sea had 
 grown quieter. The sun went down 
 amidst beautifully illuminated clouds. 
 
 The entire watch had come up to get 
 a breath of fresh air and to light up 
 a cigar or cigarette. Smoking below 
 decks is strictly forbidden. The men 
 all crowded closely together, over 
 and under each other, against the 
 protected side of the turret, hugging 
 the steel wall. They made a remark- 
 able picture in their rough and heavy 
 sea clothes and looked like a swarm of 
 bees — a grape-like cluster of tangled 
 human forms. Not much etiquette was 
 observed to be sure. I let the men do 
 as they pleased. Their job was a hard 
 
 [40] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 one down below. When one of them 
 wished to stick his head out of the man- 
 hole in order to have a few whiffs of 
 his pipe, I gladly granted him the brief 
 enjoyment. 
 
 All eyes were now engaged in search- 
 ing the horizon. This was a good thing, 
 for the more eyes there are peeled the 
 more the ship sees. Some of the men 
 had eyes like hawks. 
 
 We saw two masts come bobbing up 
 to port in the translucent twilight of 
 this June evening. A smoke-stack fol- 
 lowed and soon the hull of a steamer 
 loomed above the horizon. With the 
 aid of our powerful prism-glasses we 
 were able to keep her under close ob- 
 servation. We decided to fix her 
 course, so as to be able to avoid her, yet 
 remain on the surface. We soon man- 
 aged to secure a few good observations 
 
 [41] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 and I proceeded to consult the chart. I 
 studied this, made comparisons, took 
 another observation, made certain cal- 
 culations and once again referred to 
 the chart. I was stunned. The course 
 this steamer was taking would never 
 lead her into any port ! 
 
 How could this be possible? 
 
 She was steering directly for the 
 coast — heading for the rocks ! 
 
 I summoned Krapohl and showed 
 him my figures. We once more took the 
 steamer under observation with our 
 glasses and compared the chart — 
 everything tallied. The fellow was 
 bound straight for nothingness! 
 
 In the meantime we had approached 
 close enough to enable us to distinguish 
 her clearly. The June evening was 
 still so clear and bright that we could 
 remark everything with great ease. 
 
 [42] 
 
Voyage of the Beutschland 
 
 She was a fine steamer, of middling 
 size, carried a large neutral flag and 
 was conspicuously painted with the 
 same colors along her sides. In the 
 middle of her length she bore a long, 
 double name, which we could not yet 
 make out. 
 
 Suddenly Kropohl sang out : 
 "Donner wetter! how does it happen 
 that this fellow is still flying his colors 
 so long after sundown? Can that be 
 mere accident? And there's something 
 suspicious about the way that paint is 
 laid on! The rascal looks queer to 
 me!" 
 
 I was forced to agree. I was par- 
 ticularly suspicious about the senseless 
 course the ship was taking. One 
 doesn't go promenading for pleasure 
 around the reaches of the North Sea 
 in the midst of a World War! 
 
 [43] 
 
Voyage of the Deutscliland 
 
 We consulted as to what action to 
 take. The steamer apparently had not 
 yet seen ns. She pursued her myste- 
 rious course and was already a trifle 
 off our stern. 
 
 I therefore decided not to dive, since 
 our two courses would soon take us far 
 apart. 
 
 Suddenly the steamer made a sharp 
 turn and came directly toward us. We 
 were now able to see that this good 
 neutral had also swung out his boats, 
 naturally in order to establish still fur- 
 ther his character as a harmless mer- 
 chantman who was ready for all con- 
 tingencies and quite willing to obey 
 all the orders of a fighting submarine. 
 
 We were sufficiently satisfied with 
 this most ingratiating endeavor to 
 please. I sent all men below decks and 
 at once sounded the alarm. We pre- 
 
 [44] 
 
Voyage of the Deutscliland 
 
 pared to dive and made a turn toward 
 the steamer, so as to lie cross to the 
 seas, as this facilitates getting under 
 water. 
 
 And now to our great astonishment, 
 we observed the following: The neu- 
 tral steamer had hardly seen us make 
 one turn and prepare to dive, than she 
 made a quick move and altered her 
 course. And as we sank beneath the 
 surface we saw her vomiting clouds of 
 smoke and making for the distance in 
 a zigzag course! 
 
 This confession of an uneasy con- 
 science was overwhelming evidence for 
 us. We roared with laughter over the 
 flight of this jolly " neutral" with the 
 mysterious course. The crafty fellow 
 knew that the game was up. He natur- 
 ally took us for a war submarine and 
 was fearful of getting a torpedo be- 
 
 [45] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 tween his ribs during the next few 
 moments. 
 
 He must have been boiling with rage. 
 It would have been so pleasant to come 
 up close to the "pest" under the guise 
 of a "neutral" and then at a safe 
 distance to drop his porthole covers 
 and his harmless colors and to let fly 
 at us with shells. The U-boat trap had 
 been prettily prepared — the German 
 "pirate" need only have come a trifle 
 closer ! 
 
 Instead of accommodating our friend 
 the enemy, we made our bow under 
 water and emerged after some two 
 hours had elapsed. I first searched the 
 horizon through the periscope and 
 then, still half submerged, I opened 
 the turret manhole in order to sweep 
 the seas with the glass. All was safe. 
 The moon had risen in the south, and 
 
 [46] 
 
Voyage of the Dentschland 
 
 made the bright summer night still 
 more radiant. As far as my vision 
 reached, the sea was clear, not a steam- 
 er in sight. 
 
 The Deutschland might now go 
 her ways unhindered. Apart from 
 the joy felt over the disillusionizing 
 of the cunning manipulator of the U- 
 boat trap, I now had the certitude that 
 we would be able to see all vessels be- 
 fore they saw us. 
 
 That, as you will agree, is, under the 
 circumstances, a great deal. 
 
 [47] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 V 
 
 HEAD DOWNWARDS IN THE 
 NORTH SEA 
 
 I had decided to proceed submerged 
 under electric power during the dark- 
 est hours of the following night — that 
 is, between eleven and one o'clock. 
 When we made our dive during the 
 dusk of the long summer day, there 
 was still little wind. But a high swell 
 was flowing — a sure sign that in a few 
 hours the storm would come lashing 
 along. About two o'clock a.m. I gave 
 orders to rise and was soon aware, by 
 the increasingly wild movements of the 
 boat, that the storm had come and that 
 a still heavier sea was accompanying it. 
 
 Our craft made regular leaps and 
 capers. Nevertheless we calmly blew 
 
 [48] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 out our tanks and came up in fine 
 fashion. As soon as the periscope pro- 
 jected, I tried to obtain a view of 
 things above. But it was impossible to 
 see a thing, as the periscope cut into 
 thick hills of water every few moments. 
 In addition to this the cold, gray dawn 
 light made the waves that came wallow- 
 ing along appear still larger and more 
 sinister than usual. So we emerged 
 completely above the surface. I climbed 
 upon the turret, in order to have a 
 proper look over the madly waltzing 
 seas. 
 
 A pretty bit o' weather! All around 
 us in the livid glow of the dawn a 
 veritable witch's kettle of impossibly 
 monstrous mountains of water crowned 
 with foam, which the wind blew off in 
 the shape of briny dust and drove 
 hissing through the air. The boat la- 
 
 [49] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 bored heavily head on, and now and 
 again fell violently away. The entire 
 deck was, of course, flooded. Every few 
 seconds a sea came lurching against 
 the turret and burst over me in dense 
 showers of spray. I clung to the 
 parapet of the "bath-tub" and 
 searched the horizon — a most remark- 
 able horizon of heavy hills of water 
 which went sliding in and out like the 
 wing-pieces in a stage-setting. 
 
 I was just about to order the Diesel 
 engines to be switched on — when I gave 
 a start. What was that — that dark line 
 there ? Was it a trail of smoke ? 
 
 But it was already blocked out by a 
 billow which shoved itself between the 
 ashen heavens and the heaving sea. . . . 
 
 I watched and waited, and stared 
 through my glass until my eyes began 
 to ache. . . . 
 
 [50] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 There it was again! No doubt of it 
 — it was a glimmer of smoke; and 
 there! — thin as a needle — a masthead! 
 I had got it centered in my glass. And 
 then ! as I bored my eyes into the glass 
 — something came heaving up out of 
 the valleys of the sea — a dark, drab 
 thing — with smoke hanging above it — 
 and four squat smoke-stacks . . . 
 
 ' * Donnertvetter — a destroyer ! ' ' 
 
 I made one jump into the turret and 
 slammed the cover fast. 
 
 " Alarm! Dive quickly! Flood!" 
 
 "Set diving rudder!" 
 
 "Twenty meters depth!" 
 
 The commands were uttered in al- 
 most one breath. But the execution of 
 them! 
 
 To attempt to dive with such a sea 
 running was sheer madness, as experi- 
 ence has taught us. What was I to do % 
 
 [51] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 The destroyer might have seen us 
 already ! 
 
 Well, we knew we must get under — 
 and as quickly as possible. 
 
 The men in the central below me 
 were working away in silent haste. 
 All the exhausts were opened wide, the 
 compressed air hissed from the tanks 
 — the diving vents were chanting in all 
 possible keys. 
 
 I stood with my lips pressed together 
 and stared out of the turret window 
 upon the tossing sea, and watched for 
 the first sign of our going down. But 
 our deck remained still visible and we 
 were continually lifted into the air by 
 some wave. There was not a moment 
 to be lost. 
 
 I ordered the diving rudder to be 
 set still more sharply and both engines 
 to drive ahead with full power. 
 
 [52] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 The whole vessel quivered and 
 thrilled under the increased pressure 
 of the engines and made several leaps. 
 She staggered about in the furious 
 seas — but still seemed loath to leave the 
 surface. Then she gave a jerk and her 
 bows suddenly dipped and cut into the 
 flood. She began to sink into the 
 depths at an ever-increasing angle. 
 The coming daylight vanished from the 
 windows of the turret, the manometer 
 in rapid succession showed 2 — 3 — 6 — 
 10 meters depth. But the angle of the 
 boat also began to increase. 
 
 We staggered about, leaned back, 
 slipped off our feet. We then lost our 
 footing entirely — for the floor of the 
 Deutschland slanted sharply toward 
 the front. I was just able to catch 
 hold of the ocular or eye-piece of the 
 periscope. Down in the central the 
 
 [53] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 men were hanging on to the hand- 
 wheels of the diving rudder. A few 
 terrible seconds passed thus. 
 
 We had not yet seized the full sig- 
 nificance of this new situation when 
 there came a severe shock. We were 
 hurled to the floor and everything that 
 was not fastened down went flying in 
 all directions. 
 
 We found ourselves in the queerest 
 attitudes — and stared into one an- 
 other's faces. There was a grim 
 silence for a moment, then First Officer 
 Krapohl remarked dryly: 
 
 "Well, we seem to have arrived!" 
 
 This broke the ghastly tension. 
 
 We were all rather pale around the 
 gills, but at once tried to get our bear- 
 ings. 
 
 What had happened? 
 
 What had caused this unnatural in- 
 
 [54] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 clination of the boat? And why were 
 the engines above us raving at inter- 
 vals in a way that made the whole boat 
 roar from stem to stern? 
 
 Before any of us had arrived at any 
 solution of the mystery, our Chief Engi- 
 neer, little Klees, had jumped up from 
 his crouching position and, swift as 
 lightning, had swept the engine-signal 
 dial around to "Stop!" 
 
 And suddenly there was a deep 
 silence. 
 
 We slowly assembled our proper 
 legs and arms and thought hard over 
 what had happened. 
 
 The vessel had slanted down toward 
 the bows at an angle of about 36 de- 
 grees. She was standing, so to speak, 
 on her head. Our bow was fast upon 
 the bottom of the sea — our stern was 
 still oscillating up and down like a 
 
 [55] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 mighty pendulum. The manometer 
 showed a depth of about 15 meters. 
 
 I soon had a clear picture of our 
 situation — it was far from cheering. 
 
 According to the chart we should 
 have some 31 meters depth at this spot. 
 But the steep slant of the long vessel 
 must have caused the stern to go rak- 
 ing above the surface for a consider- 
 able distance. This would furnish a 
 splendid target for an enemy destroyer. 
 As long as the engines still ran, the 
 following must also have occurred: 
 Every time the hollow of a wave raced 
 over us, the propellers raced in empty 
 air part of the time, and no doubt in- 
 creased our powers of attraction by 
 flinging up fountains of water and 
 whirls of foam. Klees had at once 
 recognized this by the racing of the 
 motors, and his presence of mind had 
 
 [56] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 at least obviated the more immediate 
 peril. 
 
 Nevertheless we had betrayed our 
 resting-place by a self-made little 
 storm. And so we expected to hear 
 the crash of a shell at any moment — 
 smashing into the high-uprearing and 
 outstanding stern overhead. 
 
 More seconds passed — under a ter- 
 rific strain. 
 
 But nothing happened. The screws 
 were no longer able to betray us. It 
 was not yet full daylight overhead, and 
 it was possible that the furious sea gave 
 the destroyer enough to bother about. 
 
 Of course we at once hastened to 
 get out of this idiotic fix. The boat 
 had remained quite watertight, and had 
 sustained the heavy shock without the 
 slightest damage. So everything pro- 
 ceeded according to program. The 
 
 [57] 
 
Voyage of the Deutscliland 
 
 after-tanks which had not yet been en- 
 tirely exhausted of air were swiftly 
 flooded, and so bit by bit the boat be- 
 gan to assume a more reasonable 
 attitude. 
 
 Still she by no means lay horizontal 
 as yet — for she had struck her nose 
 too deeply into the mud for that. 
 Nevertheless we were now completely 
 under water and could proceed quietly 
 with our work. The forward tanks 
 were emptied of a part of their con- 
 tents. Thus by balancing and trim- 
 ming with the tanks we finally man- 
 aged to get the bows clear of the bot- 
 tom. We now began to rise, but were 
 at once obliged to offset the inclination 
 to oscillate caused by the full af t-tanks. 
 After a time the center of gravity w r as 
 again restored and I once more had 
 the Deutschland well in hand. 
 
 [58] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 We now also had time to consider 
 what had caused this sudden bucking 
 on the part of our usually so well-be- 
 haved boat? This must have been 
 due to a whole chain of circumstances. 
 Quite apart from the difficulty of sub- 
 merging a large submarine in a high- 
 running sea, it was possible that the 
 tanks, owing to the haste induced by 
 the presence of the destroyer, had not 
 been quite freed of air. Added to this 
 must be the sudden dynamic force ex- 
 erted by the diving rudder, which in 
 combination with the full force of the 
 engines and the crushing weight of a 
 particularly heavy sea, had given the 
 boat this dangerous slant. 
 
 We were in a position similar to that 
 of a dirigible balloon which steers for 
 the earth at too steep an angle just be- 
 fore landing, and which is furthermore 
 
 [59] 
 
Voyage of the BeutscMand 
 
 crushed to the ground with double 
 force owing to a sudden downward 
 blast of air. Of course, the wonderful 
 material of our steel outer hull with- 
 stood the shock without damage. It is, 
 however, possible that the bottom of 
 the North Sea sustained some slight 
 damage in latitude x degrees north, 
 and in longitude x degrees east. 
 
 One thing appears remarkable to me, 
 as I now strive to recollect what my 
 impressions were as we rushed at full 
 speed downward into the depths at an 
 angle of 36 degrees — my first thoughts 
 were entirely for the cargo. Was it well 
 stored ? Might it not be pitched about ? 
 This thought was wholly instinctive, odd 
 as this may seem, for the Old Adam 
 which has once got hold of the captain of 
 a big fat liner is not easily shaken off, 
 even when he steps aboard a submarine. 
 
 [60] 
 
Voyage of the Deutscliland 
 
 VI 
 
 "WESTWARD HO!" 
 
 We had had enough of the North 
 Sea. And now we were about to strike 
 for the outer reaches — for the "open 
 sea!" 
 
 As to our course, everything, thank 
 Heaven, was certain! Less certain, to 
 be sure, were the things that might 
 happen to us upon that course. We 
 were bound to encounter various little 
 surprises. 
 
 But what is the use of voyaging in 
 a submarine if you are not ready to 
 evade surprises — and to evade them 
 with a good chance of success? We 
 thought of the numbers of war subma- 
 rines which had been successful in 
 
 [61] 
 
Voyage of the Detttschland 
 
 reaching the outer seas. And these 
 fighting brethren of ours had a certain 
 number of difficult duties to fulfil en 
 route — whereas we had merely to avoid 
 being seen, and to slip through with a 
 whole hide. 
 
 The first duty imposed upon us was, 
 of course, not so much to avoid being 
 seen, as to avoid being recognized as 
 a merchant U-boat. 
 
 The peculiar nature of our gallant 
 little Detttschland as an unarmed, 
 peaceful merchant vessel would not 
 have protected us a moment from be- 
 ing sunk insta,ntly without warning. 
 Of this we were absolutely convinced, 
 and we were afterwards confirmed in 
 this belief by the official declarations 
 of the English and French govern- 
 ments. 
 
 Had they, however, recognized us as 
 
 [62] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 a merchant submarine — then we should 
 not only have been in immediate peril, 
 but our entry into our American port 
 of destination would have been endan- 
 gered in the highest degree — for we 
 should at once have had a pack of blood- 
 thirsty sleuths lowering for our trail. 
 Even if things went favorably, we 
 should have been done out of the effect 
 of our astonishing arrival in America. 
 As you may well imagine, it was espe- 
 cially upon this point that we had set 
 our pride and honor. 
 
 Such, in the main, were my delibera- 
 tions, as we approached the regions of 
 the " danger zone." 
 
 We " snaked" ourselves along with 
 the greatest possible vigilance. We 
 saw many things; we ourselves were 
 seen but seldom, and recognized never. 
 In the daytime we avoided various 
 
 [63] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 steamers by simply altering our course. 
 During the night-time we drove along 
 with all lights blinded, and dived 
 whenever we thought it necessary. 
 
 The weather was also favorable. 
 Once we sighted a British auxiliary 
 cruiser at a considerable distance. She 
 was bound in a definite direction, and 
 was following a zigzag course. For a 
 time we maintained a parallel course, 
 keeping her under close observation. 
 But the high seas that were running 
 seemed to absorb her entire attention, 
 and so we ourselves remained unob- 
 served. 
 
 On another occasion, toward dusk, a 
 patrol boat approached us. It had 
 seen us and adopted the mask of harm- 
 lessness in order to tempt us to an at- 
 tack. But we continued quietly on our 
 way and the patrol boat gave up in 
 
 [64] 
 
<Q Int. Cross Exchange 
 
 Preparing to Dock at Baltimore 
 
 An exceptional view from the stern, showing unique construction 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 disgust. There were also swifter patrol 
 craft which we were able to steer clear 
 of in good time. 
 
 Later the wind subsided, and it be- 
 gan to grow misty. We dived and lay 
 upon the bottom. There was no need 
 of hurry, and why should we not grant 
 ourselves a little rest? 
 
 The waters we chose were, to be sure, 
 far from shallow — on the contrary, 
 they were quite deep. But we reposed 
 all the more safely and quietly for 
 that. And we had a profound faith in 
 the splendid sounding apparatus, and 
 the wonderful compression hull of our 
 good Deutschland. 
 
 This night, spent upon the bottom of 
 the sea, meant real recuperation for 
 all of us. We were all able to have 
 a proper wash and to lie down to rest 
 without having to fear that a sudden 
 
 5 [65] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 "Hoo-ee!" in the speaking-tube would 
 startle us out of our dreams. First, 
 however, we had dinner — a real and 
 regular dinner. The two gramophones 
 were set going and we clinked our 
 glasses, filled — thanks to somebody's 
 thoughtful courtesy — with French 
 champagne. 
 
 Our steward, Stucke — the dear soul! 
 — served us with a solemn ceremoni- 
 ousness, just as though he were still 
 the dining-room steward aboard the 
 Kronprinzessin Cecilie, and had not 
 spent almost a year in French captiv- 
 ity ! And now he was showing his arts 
 aboard the Deutschland at a depth of 
 many meters ! He was inexhaustible in 
 constantly devising new resources for 
 our cheerful little mess, and it was 
 amazing to see what undreamed-of 
 quantities of silver and linen he was 
 
 [66] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 able to stow away in his miniature 
 pantry and a couple of drawers. 
 
 The following morning we once more 
 rose to the surface. The exhaust pumps 
 snored and hummed, and we began to 
 climb out of the depths with hundreds 
 of gallons " above normal," and with 
 the diving rudders set as they 
 should go. 
 
 At a depth of tw T enty meters, the 
 boat began to lose her fine stability. 
 She rocked and tossed. The mano- 
 meter was the first to record this, then 
 the diving rudders began to announce 
 the fact by setting up a stout resist- 
 ance. They have a habit under such 
 circumstances of bucking heavily. 
 
 The higher we rose, the more lively 
 our movements grew. A very respec- 
 table sea was bowling along overhead. 
 
 I ordered us to proceed for a time 
 
 [67] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 with the periscope protruding just 
 above the surface and surveyed the 
 field. Nothing could be seen but a 
 waste of white-crested waves racing 
 along. But this sort of weather was 
 quite to my liking, for it enabled us 
 to slide along without keeping up such 
 a vigilant watch. 
 
 So I decided to emerge completely 
 and ordered compressed air to be shot 
 into the tanks until the turret was suf- 
 ficiently free. Then the Diesel motors 
 were switched on, and the ventilating 
 mechanism began to supply fresh air. 
 But we had no sooner opened the cover 
 of the manhole than the first damp 
 greetings came whizzing into the cen- 
 tral. So we clamped her down again. 
 Another tank was blown clear — the 
 " turbo" blast made short work of the 
 imprisoned water. 
 
 [68] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 A certain trick of seamanship was, 
 however, necessary, before we could 
 undertake this step. In order to rise 
 entirely it is necessary to lie in the 
 trough of the waves, since a high sea 
 makes it impossible for the long and 
 heavy hull to emerge head on. 
 
 So under a low speed, we laid the 
 Deutschland cross to the seas. She 
 rolled heavily — a beastly situation! 
 which ahnost shook the soul out of 
 one's body. Every few moments the 
 ponderous cross seas went rolling over 
 the vessel. But she obeyed the diving 
 rudders and slowly stuck her nose out 
 of the water. After we had reached 
 the surface the turret, with its peri- 
 scopes, described terrifying arcs, swing- 
 ing back and forth. 
 
 There was another highly unpleas- 
 ant moment to get over — to bring the 
 
 [69] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 Deatschland around upon her course 
 once more. 
 
 I stood behind the thick turret win- 
 dows down which the driving spray 
 went steadily streaming, and braced 
 myself with arms and legs against both 
 sides in order to withstand the fear- 
 ful tossing. Following old seaman's 
 lore I watched for the period of irregu- 
 lar comparative calm, which usually 
 follows upon three particularly tall 
 waves. 
 
 The third billow had just lumbered 
 by. I shouted an order to the helms- 
 man in the central — the manoeuvre 
 succeeded. The bow slowly nosed itself 
 around — and we resumed our old 
 course without being specially hard 
 pounded by the big rollers. 
 
 But there was still much work to do. 
 The storm was still on the increase, 
 
 [70] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 and we were able to proceed only 
 slowly against this heavy sea. In addi- 
 tion, some of the crew were suffering 
 from seasickness, for the short jerky 
 motions of the ship were dreadful. 
 
 But the farther we proceeded the 
 more the long steady swell of the 
 Atlantic became recognizable. The 
 short plunging and thumping ceased 
 and passed over into a slow majestic 
 cradling swing. In the distance we 
 observed two English cruisers return- 
 ing homeward from some nightly 
 cruise. "We were lying too deep, how- 
 ever, for them to observe us, and we 
 saw them disappearing rapidly in an 
 opposite course. 
 
 We were now free of the Eng- 
 lish patrol boats. We steered joy- 
 ously toward the west, out upon the vast 
 and rolling Atlantic — toward freedom. 
 
 [71] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 VII 
 
 IN THE ATLANTIC 
 
 We were now safely upon the high 
 seas. But the Atlantic was far from 
 giving us a friendly welcome. We had 
 become inured to many things during 
 the last few days, but I was anxious to 
 spare the nerves of my men. It was 
 necessary to husband their strength as 
 far as possible in view of the long 
 voyage before us. So I decided to 
 adopt a more southerly course, think- 
 ing to find better weather there. Un- 
 fortunately we were deceived in this. 
 
 As I now look over my log-book 
 written during those first few days in 
 the Atlantic, I constantly come across 
 notes such as; "A heavy sea." " Stiff 
 
 [72] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 wind from the west-nor'-west — velocity 
 8." "The wind develops to a storm." 
 "Heavy seas sweep over the entire boat 
 and even the turret." "The boat is 
 traveling under water almost the en- 
 tire time." The few disconnected 
 phrases may give you some idea of the 
 serious and extraordinarily wearing 
 life of twenty-nine human beings in a 
 closed-in steel fish which cuts its way 
 without pause through a wild and 
 tumultuous sea. 
 
 Here, during these storms upon the 
 Atlantic, the splendid seaworthiness 
 and marvellous constructive genius em- 
 bodied in the Deutschland were put to 
 the most extreme tests. The elements 
 certainly did their utmost to defeat our 
 attempt to reach America. The most 
 terrific strain was put upon both the 
 hull of our boat and the engines, which 
 
 [73] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 were forced to keep running at a regu- 
 lar speed day after day if we were to 
 have any chance of reaching our 
 goal. 
 
 I consider it an honorable obligation 
 at this point to express my grateful 
 thanks to the builders whose work had 
 furnished us such a magnificent instru- 
 ment for the successful completion of 
 our voyage. It is easy to grow enthu- 
 siastic over a splendid ship which lies 
 snug in some port and captivates 
 everybody with its beautiful lines, or 
 arouses the admiration both of sailors 
 and landsmen as it goes rushing along 
 at its highest speed, but the real worth 
 of a ship, its inner worth, so to speak, 
 can only be ascertained after it has stood 
 its test upon the high seas. You realize 
 its good qualities and have confidence in 
 its reliability and seaworthiness only 
 
 [74] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 after it lias made headway against a 
 wind pressure of 10, and a sea of 8 
 degrees of velocity! And this not 
 merely for a few hours, but for days 
 and weeks! A ship has a good chance 
 of proving her worth under such con- 
 ditions. 
 
 This applies particularly to a U-boat 
 in times of war. A tramp steamer in 
 times of peace, a craft which is often 
 able to fulfil all kinds of demands made 
 upon it, is always able to reach some 
 port in case of need, or to call for help. 
 At the very worst, it can drive before 
 the wind for a few days, and wait for 
 better weather. But all this is impos- 
 sible for the U-boat. In addition to 
 the dangers of the sea, it must reckon 
 with danger from the side of the ene- 
 my — the cruellest and most merciless 
 of all enemies. There is no port of 
 
 [75] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 distress open to it. Should it remain 
 helpless upon the surface only a few 
 hours and be discovered, then every 
 passing sail, which would be the first 
 to bring help to a steamer in distress, 
 will merely proceed to call to lowering 
 bloodhounds of the sea to fall upon 
 their prey. The master of no ship is 
 so lonely, so forced to depend en- 
 tirely upon himself as the master 
 of a submarine. Should he not be able 
 to depend absolutely upon his craft, he 
 is doomed beyond hope. 
 
 So we of the Deutschland all knew 
 what we owed to Chief Engineer Er- 
 bach, the constructor of our boat, and 
 to the Germania Yard, where it was 
 built. The Deutschland' s quality is 
 owing to Erbach's plans and the ad- 
 mirable co-operation of all the men 
 who had her construction in charge. 
 
 [76] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 All the work done upon the stocks at 
 Kiel in that amazingly short time dur- 
 ing the winter of 1915, work exact and 
 minute to the most microscopic detail, 
 all that Herr Erbach had shown me 
 and taught me upon those unforget- 
 table trial trips in the spring of the 
 same year — all these moral and mate- 
 rial factors were now battling their 
 way across the storm-lashed ocean. We 
 were carrying a new glory of German 
 shipbuilding across the world. 
 
 To undergo a hurricane upon a U- 
 boat is quite another affair to encoun- 
 tering it upon a steamer — even of the 
 same tonnage. One must remain on 
 the surface as long as possible in order 
 to make progress with the powerful 
 oil engines. The electric power of the 
 storage batteries must be economized 
 for use in the most extreme emergen- 
 
 [77] 
 
Voyage of the Deutscliland 
 
 cies, as it would otherwise prove impos- 
 sible to dive or manoeuvre swiftly. 
 But what is implied by a U-boat pro- 
 ceeding on the surface during a storm % 
 It is always plunged up to the turret 
 in water, and even the turret is cov- 
 ered by the waves. The seas go over 
 the entire boat, since it is too heavy 
 to be lifted like an ordinary craft and 
 because, unlike a steamer, it cannot 
 bring its " reserve displacement" to 
 bear by boring into the oncoming seas. 
 Its entire body is already submerged, 
 and so it cannot possibly increase its 
 displacement by plunging in still more 
 deeply — thus attaining more buoyancy 
 and momentum. 
 
 The elastic movements of the steamer, 
 which continually changes its displace- 
 ment during a heavy sea, and is lifted 
 and supported by a constantly increas- 
 
 [78] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 ing impetus, is something that does not 
 apply to the U-boat. Bellowing, and 
 with fearful impact, the waves fall 
 upon the trembling body of the ship. 
 Its movements are direct and in jerks, 
 and impose a tremendous strain upon 
 all joints and ties. 
 
 It is ordeals such as these which 
 test the material under a man's feet 
 and show what genius went to the con- 
 struction of a ship which is able to 
 assert itself in the infernal cauldron 
 of such a tempest, yet still make head- 
 way and obey the helm. 
 
 Yes, the U-Deutschland was put to 
 a fearful test — and stood it wonder- 
 fully well. Matters looked ugly for 
 several days. Tornado-like blasts 
 whipped up the sea and flooded the 
 vessel with thundering mountains of 
 water. Naturally, all the manholes of 
 
 [79] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 the deck were battened down. Even 
 that one which opened upon the plat- 
 form of the turret and was so well 
 protected by the wall of the " bath-tub" 
 had to be banged shut at short inter- 
 vals by the officer on watch — whenever 
 a sea came roaring up. 
 
 It was no joke — this duty upon the 
 turret. Still, it was infinitely more 
 desirable than to remain below decks 
 where the confined air and the ever- 
 lasting rolling and pitching of the ves- 
 sel began to play havoc with the men, 
 who all suffered from sea-sickness. 
 Many an old experienced sailor made 
 his first offering to Neptune under 
 such conditions. 
 
 On the third day the weather at last 
 began to abate. The seas subsided and 
 we were able to open all the various 
 manholes so as to air the interior and 
 
 [80] 
 
© Int. Film Service 
 
 Left — Captain Hinsch , 
 
 of North German Lloyd 
 
 Center — Captain Paul Konig 
 Bight — Paul G. Tj. Hilken, 
 
 American Manager. German Ocean Navigation Co. 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 help it to dry. All the men of the 
 watch off duty came up to stretch and 
 sun themselves on the deck. Some of 
 them needed it badly. They came up 
 from below with pale faces and weary 
 eyes. But no sooner did they snuff the 
 fresh sea-breezes than they would light 
 up their beloved weeds. 
 
 As few steamers were to be expected 
 along our present route, we decided to 
 have a great drying-out. Every man 
 brought up his damp things — which 
 would never dry in the confined air 
 below — to be aired above deck. The 
 whole deck was full of mattresses, 
 blankets, clothes and boots. The un- 
 derwear was fastened to the wires of 
 the hand-rail and fluttered merrily in 
 the wind as upon a wash-line. The 
 men lay about between and sunned 
 themselves like lizards. In order to 
 
 [81] 
 
Voyage of the Beutschland 
 
 increase the fan ventilation of the 
 quarters below by good draughts of 
 natural air, wind catchers were put up 
 around all the manholes or trap-doors. 
 These have scalloped side-wings and 
 resemble the fins of fish. The curved, 
 greenish body of the Deutschland 
 rigged out with these things took on 
 the appearance of some fantastic pre- 
 historic fish-monster. We must have 
 presented a remarkable spectacle! 
 
 But there was nobody about to see 
 us or express surprise. A single 
 steamer came popping up on the hori- 
 zon toward evening, heralded by its 
 smoke, but we were able to keep clear 
 by a change of course. 
 
 The spirit of the men was splendid. 
 One of the signs of this was the voice 
 of the gramophone from the quarters 
 of the crew. We also had our " canned 
 
 [82] 
 
Voyage of the Beutschland 
 
 music" in the officers' mess — for life 
 aboard a TT-boat would be unthinkable 
 without it. 
 
 The more or less monotonous part 
 of our voyage now began. The weather 
 remained fair — we did not expect to 
 meet with many craft. 
 
 I find the following note in my log- 
 book: 
 
 "The boring part of our trip has 
 now arrived. The boat keeps on her 
 course always twisting a little, now 
 and then we evade a steamer. Days 
 go by without our seeing anything 
 whatsoever. The gramophones play 
 and everybody is in excellent spirits. 
 A TJ-boat on the high seas makes a 
 man more dependent upon the weather 
 than any other spot in the world." 
 
 This was really the first opportunity 
 we had had for breathing freely. We 
 
 [83] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 looked backward, we looked forward, 
 and all of us grew more communica- 
 tive under the influence of this eternal 
 sameness of the sea. 
 
 I happened to be standing on the 
 foredeck one day. Beside me, in the 
 open wooden shell which covers the 
 small, raised deck amidships beneath 
 which our life-boat is stored, crouched 
 our gigantic boatswain, Humke. Sev- 
 eral fastenings had been loosened dur- 
 ing the stormy days, and these had to 
 be tightened. I had been standing 
 there for quite a while, gazing west- 
 ward, my thoughts fixed upon America 
 — our goal. 
 
 I was suddenly moved by a strong 
 desire to talk to that good soul Humke 
 about these things. I asked him what 
 he thought of our voyaging to America 
 in the very midst of the war. What 
 
 [84] 
 
Voyage of the DeutscMand 
 
 was his opinion as to the purpose of 
 our enterprise? 
 
 The worthy fellow grinned and 
 replied at once: "Why, to make 
 money ! ' ' 
 
 This was a bit too summary for me, 
 and I tried to make him understand 
 what it would mean to resume our 
 trade relations with America — in the 
 very midst of war and in the face of 
 all the English blockading squadrons. 
 I also explained to him the purpose of 
 the British blockade. He answered 
 quickly in his Hamburg dialect: "Yes, 
 now I know just what these Englanders 
 are aiming for with their blockade." 
 
 I went further and explained to 
 him as best I could, the essentials and 
 the meaning of an effective, blockade. 
 His answer was given with all the 
 naive assurance of our seamen and 
 
 [85] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 with the real accent of the soul of the 
 populace : 
 
 " Achl they won't get us, any- 
 way! And then, what's the use of that 
 whole English blockade, eh?" 
 
 In the meantime, several men of the 
 watch off duty had come up and were 
 listening to my talk. There they stood, 
 with legs far apart, on the deck of a 
 small U-boat in the middle of the At- 
 lantic — broad-shouldered, fearless Ger- 
 man seamen. 
 
 "Well, now," I said, "you have now 
 heard why we are pounding away 
 across these seas. But I should like to 
 say a little more to you. 
 
 "My dear fellows! It is hard to 
 realize the real meaning of this trip 
 of ours! Our gallant little Deutsch- 
 land represents much more than a U- 
 f reight boat, with which we are carry- 
 
 [86] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 ing German goods to the Americans. 
 These goods, of course, are such as Eng- 
 lish trade-envy and English craft have 
 prevented from reaching America up 
 to now. And this not only in order 
 to damage German exports, but to 
 draw profit from the disadvantages 
 of others — to injure American manu- 
 facturers and American trade in a 
 most serious fashion. Well, we'll do 
 our little best to end that! But that 
 is not all by any means. The appear- 
 ance of the first trade submarine means 
 much more. Without carrying a sin- 
 gle gun or a torpedo, our good ship 
 Deutschland will help to revolutionize 
 the nature of all sea-traffic, not only 
 as regards the entire trans-oceanic 
 commerce, but also all international 
 law — a revolution of the most far-reach- 
 ing consequences. 
 
 [87] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 "What has been the history of sea- 
 traffic in this war — and of the U-boats 
 of our Navy? We used these boats in 
 order to protect ourselves against the 
 barbaric methods of starvation so con- 
 trary to all international law. And 
 what did the English then do? They 
 armed their merchant-ships and bom- 
 barded every U-boat which approached 
 them for the legal purpose of sinking 
 contraband. And this is what these 
 people call defense. 
 
 "What was the natural result of 
 this? We protect ourselves and our 
 submarines, toward which every fish- 
 ing-trawler is apt to prove a Baralong 
 butcher, and without warning we sink 
 these armed English merchant-ships 
 so that we ourselves may not be sud- 
 denly sunk by shell-fire or by ram- 
 ming. 
 
 [88] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 "And then the English begin to 
 whine for help. And with interna- 
 tional law as it at present stands, they 
 manage to win the Americans to their 
 point of view; for as the law at pres- 
 ent exists, there are no regulations for 
 submarines. We desire only peace 
 with the great American people and so 
 we give way. That government which 
 rewarded the Captain of the Bara- 
 long appears to have carried off a 
 victory — it has been decided that mer- 
 chant vessels are not to be sunk without 
 warning. 
 
 "And now our Deutschland comes 
 along. It is a U-boat and a merchant 
 vessel. Merchant vessels are not to be 
 sunk without warning — the law as it 
 exists contains no regulations for TJ- 
 boats. But a merchant submarine 
 which must be examined before it is 
 
 [89] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 sunk would be rather difficult to cap- 
 ture — so long as it is capable of div- 
 ing. Here the swiftest torpedo-boat is 
 quite powerless. 
 
 "The English have been caught in 
 their own trap. The Deutschland 
 brings about the collapse of this entire 
 one-sided interpretation of the formal 
 law. That which was first used against 
 us now becomes our defense." 
 
 "Things now stand thus: If mer- 
 chant vessels, which, of course, may 
 also be built as submarines, must not 
 be sunk without examination, then our 
 Deutschland under the existing laws 
 has vitiated the right of the English 
 blockade. For I should like to see the 
 German merchant U-boat which an 
 English patrol steamer could approach 
 close enough to examine. 
 
 "Or, if the U-boat is not to be 
 
 [90] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 searched, then merchant vessels may be 
 sunk without warning — including the 
 English. Thus the laws of warfare 
 would once more be brought into a just 
 equipoise by means of a peaceful, un- 
 armed merchant-submarine. 
 
 "Such, my men, is the tremendous 
 importance which devolves upon the 
 appearance of our Deutscliland." 
 
 And thus I closed what I think was 
 the longest speech which I ever made 
 in my life. 
 
 The beautiful weather continued. 
 The barometer remained at fair, the 
 atmosphere dry and clear. We gradu- 
 ally approached the latitudes in which 
 fair weather may be expected during 
 this season of the year. The warmth 
 of the sun's rays was making itself 
 
 [91] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 felt, and we began to plan ways of re- 
 freshing ourselves. 
 
 Our " surf -bath" was one of the best 
 of these. This was the invention of 
 our engine-watchman, Kissling. He 
 usually had no interest in anything ex- 
 cept his motors. For these he was ani- 
 mated by a most touching and unpar- 
 alleled devotion. How often, when high 
 seas were raging, had I seen a man pop 
 up through the turret manhole and at- 
 tempt to force himself in blind haste 
 through the " bath-tub" without regard 
 to the sublime acts of navigation which 
 were just being performed there. And 
 whenever the officer on watch was about 
 to remonstrate angrily over this dis- 
 turbance, it was always our valiant 
 Kissling who, impelled by a deep 
 anxiety for his motors, and garbed in 
 his oldest oilskins, would go scrambling 
 
 [92] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 across the dripping and flooded decks 
 toward the stern to have a look at his 
 exhaust-pipes. He was also moved to 
 examine the combustion of his motors 
 a thousand times a day — to see if the 
 pulse-beat of his engines was all it 
 should be and the explosions regular. 
 He was entirely absorbed by his be- 
 loved engines, and their rhythm became 
 part of his life. He could sense the 
 slightest irregularity in their working, 
 and would not rest until he had found 
 and removed it. 
 
 He must have been struck by the idea 
 during one of his rather dangerous ex- 
 peditions across the sloping, slippery 
 decks. Anyway, he made us all happy 
 one day with his invention of the 
 "surf -bath." The thing was quite 
 simple and obvious — like all great in- 
 ventions. 
 
 [93] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 In order to understand it properly, 
 you must picture to yourself the outer 
 superstructure of the Deutschland. 
 The outer hull which gives its distinc- 
 tive shape to the vessel is built over 
 the cylinder-like compression hull and 
 the lateral submersion tanks and oil- 
 bunkers. The upper part of this outer 
 hull also contains the so-called outer 
 tanks, which are always flooded when 
 the ship is loaded. Water and air 
 have ingress to these tanks through 
 many openings, holes and slits, that 
 diving and rising may be facilitated. 
 The outer tanks, therefore, play no 
 part so far as the floating capacity of 
 the vessel goes. They are a mere re- 
 sult of the outer skin which gives the 
 craft its shiplike shape. Toward the 
 top, this outer shell does not follow the 
 shape of the compression hull and 
 
 [94] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 tanks. In spite of their comparatively 
 minor importance, the outer tanks must 
 naturally be accessible from above. 
 This is made possible by large covers 
 which are fitted into the outer shell. 
 There are also ladders which facilitate 
 descent into the tanks. When stand- 
 ing on the so-called tank-deck, there is 
 still enough room between this and the 
 deck line for a man to stand erect in 
 the outer tanks. 
 
 When the ship is under way, the 
 sea-water, of course, comes pouring 
 into this large space from all sides. 
 One need only step into the manhole 
 after removing the covers in order to 
 enjoy a most wonderful and absolutely 
 safe ocean " surf -bath." 
 
 We made frequent use of this idea 
 and had splendid baths. 
 
 There was only one disadvantage. 
 
 [95] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 In case you stepped into the "surf- 
 bath" after we had risen from a sub- 
 mersion you would be given not a 
 surf but a regular oil-bath. The oil- 
 bunkers are seldom hermetically tight, 
 especially after a long and difficult 
 course. And so it happens that the 
 rising boat frequently breaks through 
 a layer of its own oil as it mounts to 
 the surface. This layer of oil then 
 settles upon the "bath-tub," the covers 
 of the manholes and the decks. In 
 the outer tanks it naturally remains 
 upon the surface of the water, which 
 cannot change very rapidly here. It 
 usually took more than a day before 
 the stale, oily water had streamed 
 away from these tanks and been re- 
 placed by new. So whoever happened 
 to make use of the "surf -bath" during 
 this period would come out but little 
 
 [96] 
 

 
 © Int. Film Service 
 
 Captain Paul Konig 
 
 Photograph taken in Baltimore on arrival of 
 the Deutschland 
 
© Int. Film Service 
 
 Paul G. L. Hilken 
 
 American Manager German Ocean Navigation Co. 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 refreshed and with a skin that shone 
 in all colors, like that of the "Mckel- 
 man" in Hauptmann's " Sunken Bell." 
 The crew, of course, always took a 
 special delight in this metamorphosis. 
 
 The fine weather also gave an op- 
 portunity to play another sort of game 
 with my men — something that was not 
 without bearing upon the smooth pro- 
 gress of our voyage. We got out our 
 sextants and proceeded once more to 
 get our exact bearings by means of the 
 sun. We had been able to locate our- 
 selves only approximately during the 
 stormy days that had preceded this fair 
 spell. The marvellously clear air im- 
 pelled me to exercise myself at dusk 
 in the observation of stars and in 
 computing the height of the con- 
 stellations. 
 
 [97] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 After my long period of idleness 
 ashore I felt a positive need to pro- 
 duce my chronometer and sextant and 
 to calculate a proper bearing under 
 these most remarkable circumstances. 
 
 Astronomical navigation aboard a 
 U-boat is not a particularly easy task. 
 
 An old steamer captain cannot but 
 feel a trifle queer when navigating a 
 craft of this sort through the great 
 trade routes — and a by no means tiny 
 craft — from the low post of vantage 
 of a turret. One does not have the cus- 
 tomary outlook upon the sea; one has 
 to reckon with a factor of movement 
 that is quite strange; one must accus- 
 tom oneself to a new method of ma- 
 noeuvering and to new conditions of 
 command and the estimation of dis- 
 tance. But it is especially strange to 
 take the attitude of the sun from the 
 
 [98] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 narrow " bath-tub" of a submarine 
 turret, or to check off a course or 
 reckon out a latitude. One is accus- 
 tomed to carry out one's measurements 
 and reckonings at ease from the broad 
 bridge of a great liner — high above 
 the water — and to have all the neces- 
 sary data promptly furnished by the 
 signalman. From the bridge one pro- 
 ceeds to the adjoining chart-room 
 whence, upon a large chart-table, one 
 can proceed to make one's calculations 
 in ease and comfort. 
 
 And now as to methods upon the 
 U-boat. Jammed in an oval steel tank 
 of about the size of a lady's small 
 trunk, you cling for dear life to a 
 small flap-seat, press one shoulder 
 against the parapet and try to hold the 
 sextant upright with a convulsive grip 
 — until the image of the sun appears 
 
 [99] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 directly on the artificial horizon. You 
 are then obliged to shield the instru- 
 ment quickly behind the protecting 
 wall and to scuttle down the ladder 
 into the central, just as you had pre- 
 viously scuttled up — hugging the in- 
 struments and charts against your 
 breast and bracing yourself with back 
 and knees. You then wedge yourself 
 once more through the turret manhole, 
 your eye kept peeled for every breaker, 
 and get to work with compass and 
 parallel ruler. 
 
 Your chart-table is your knee, and 
 you have the consciousness of having 
 made your entire calculations in a 
 cowering attitude. 
 
 What joy under such circumstances 
 to be able to work quietly on deck with 
 a smooth sea and a clear sky! 
 
 The experimental divings which we 
 
 [100] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 made almost every day, were greatly 
 facilitated by the fine weather. Every- 
 thing chimed perfectly. We would be 
 able to approach the American coast 
 in peace and to dive into the three- 
 mile limit. 
 
 During these experimental diving 
 tests we were treated to a spectacle of 
 fairy-like loveliness. 
 
 I had set the rudder in such a way 
 that the turret was traveling about 
 three yards under water. Overhead 
 the sun shone brilliantly and filled the 
 deeps with a clear radiance. The 
 pure water was luminous with color — 
 close at hand it was of a light azure 
 blue, of fabulous clearness and trans- 
 parent as glass. I could see the entire 
 boat from the turret windows. The 
 shimmering pearls of the air-bubbles 
 which rise constantly from the body of 
 
 [101] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 the craft played about the entire length 
 of the vessel from deck to bows, and 
 every detail stood out in miraculous 
 sharpness. Farther ahead there was a 
 multi-colored twilight. It seemed as if 
 the prow kept pushing itself noise- 
 lessly into a wall of opalescent green 
 which parted, glistening, and grew to 
 an ethereal, rainbow-like translucency 
 close at hand 
 
 We were spell-bound by this vision 
 of beauty. The fairy-like effect was 
 increased by medusae which, poised in 
 the transparent blue, frequently be- 
 came entangled in the wires of the 
 mine-guards or the railings and glowed 
 like trembling fires of rose, pale gold 
 and purple. We saw no fish at this 
 low depth. The following day we had 
 a little experience which provided 
 great fun for us, even though the end 
 
 [102] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 was different from what we had ex- 
 pected. 
 
 My ambition had been aroused by 
 the various successes which my com- 
 rades of the fleet and the merchant- 
 marine had achieved by hiding the 
 identity of their ships by means of 
 paint or other disguises, so as to de- 
 ceive the enemy. 
 
 During the fine weather we had pre- 
 pared a most marvelous framework — 
 representing the outline of a steamer. 
 This would serve to hide our U-boat 
 character to steamers passing at a con- 
 siderable distance. A smoke-stack had 
 been rigged up out of canvas and this 
 could be fastened to the periscope by 
 means of wire tackle and rings. It 
 was able to rear proudly into the air. 
 
 A mask of canvas had been made for 
 the disguising of the turret — this 
 
 [103] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 would give it the appearance of a 
 small freight-boat. 
 
 Thus prepared for all emergencies, 
 we boomed along in the most beautiful 
 sunshine, when one evening, at half -past 
 seven, a steamer suddenly loomed up to 
 starboard. We soon realized that she 
 would have to pass quite close to us 
 should we keep on our course. We 
 therefore edged off a little and pro- 
 ceeded to put our disguise to a test. 
 
 The "smoke-stack" was hoisted upon 
 the periscope and the wind blew it out 
 to an imposing size. In order to give 
 it still more reality, we burned a hand- 
 ful of oil-soaked cotton waste at its 
 lower end. The turret disappeared 
 behind a somewhat fluttery "upper 
 works." 
 
 But the undutiful cotton-waste con- 
 sented merely to glow and refused to 
 
 [104] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 give out any smoke. Everybody stood 
 round with puffed-up cheeks and blew 
 and blew. Then the wireless operator, 
 an inventive Berliner, fetched an air- 
 pump and started a fearful fire in our 
 imaginary furnaces. He was rewarded 
 with a cheer, and above the edge of 
 our " smoke-stack" appeared a thin 
 little cloudlet which immediately dis- 
 solved into nothingness. 
 
 We laughed, and were about to pro- 
 ceed smokeless upon our way when 
 Humke, the boatswain, appeared with 
 a can full of tar. The air-pump once 
 more performed its duty and at 
 length the smoke-stack might literally 
 have been described as vomiting smoke. 
 
 The effect was startling. For the 
 steamer suddenly changed her course 
 and — steered directly toward us! 
 
 This was not precisely what we had 
 
 [105] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 worked for. I at once ordered our 
 mast to be dismounted and to clear 
 ship for diving. The canvas super- 
 structure disappeared and the magnifi- 
 cent smoke-stack made a bow and col- 
 lapsed. 
 
 But the steamer had no sooner seen 
 this and recognized us as a U-boat 
 than she was seized with a blind con- 
 sternation. She once more veered 
 about and began to take to her heels, 
 pouring out thick clouds of smoke — 
 which we could not help regarding 
 with a certain amount of envy. 
 
 But undismayed we once more 
 hoisted our stack. The masts went up 
 again and while the steamer went 
 plunging off in desperate haste, we 
 stood and laughed until the tears rolled 
 down our cheeks. The humor of the 
 thing was simply overwhelming. 
 
 [106] 
 
Voyage of the DeutscMand 
 
 Our beautiful framework, which was 
 intended to hide the character of our 
 craft and render us inconspicuous, was 
 precisely what had first attracted the 
 attention of the gallant steamer. She 
 apparently took us for a wreck or a 
 ship in distress and came on with the 
 best of intentions, only to be suddenly 
 confronted with the diabolical subter- 
 fuge of a hypocritical submarine ! 
 
 I wonder what the people aboard 
 her thought after they had recovered 
 from their first fright ? I presume that 
 they finally concluded to be mon- 
 strously proud of having escaped this 
 latest trick of the " pirates" in such 
 a skillful fashion. 
 
 We ourselves would have been far 
 prouder had our framework performed 
 its functions in better style. 
 
 We did not permit ourselves to be 
 
 [107] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 discouraged, however, but improved 
 our devices. We met with great suc- 
 cess two days later, when we went 
 bowling past a steamer — coming in the 
 opposite direction — under a tremen- 
 dous development of smoke and with- 
 out being recognized. 
 
 [108] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 VIII 
 
 HELL WITH THE LID ON 
 
 June was drawing to a close and 
 with it, unfortunately, the good 
 weather. 
 
 A rising swell from the southwest, 
 and the absence of the hoped-for favor- 
 able current, were signs that there was 
 a storm-center progressing along the 
 southern reaches of the Gulf Stream. 
 
 We proceeded thus for another day. 
 
 Toward evening it began to grow 
 sultry and oppressive; the sun sank 
 doubtfully behind blood-red veils of 
 mist. 
 
 A wicked-looking sky and lively 
 sheet lightning, as well as the rapidly 
 
 [109] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 increasing hot humidity of the atmos- 
 phere, proclaimed that we were in the 
 neighborhood of the Gulf Stream. 
 Toward night, tremendous thunder- 
 storms came on, with a wind that came 
 raging from all directions at once, and 
 a wild, cross-running sea, which made 
 steering very difficult. 
 
 We tested the temperature of the 
 water. It mounted gradually to 28° 
 Celsius. 
 
 We were in the Gulf Stream, which 
 defines its periphery in the airs above 
 it with a fiery wreath of heavy tropical 
 storms. 
 
 There was a strong phosphorescence 
 of the sea and violent atmospheric dis- 
 turbances — all of which are accom- 
 panying phenomena of the Gulf 
 Stream. We were aware of this by the 
 behavior of our wireless apparatus, 
 
 [110] 
 
Voyage of the DeutscMand 
 
 which was irritated by the heavily 
 charged electric atmosphere and began 
 to go on strike. Until now the faithful 
 thing had transmitted to ns the Ger- 
 man military bulletins of the station 
 Nauen without interruption, day after 
 day. 
 
 The phosphorescence of the sea seri- 
 ously hindered the lookout. One was 
 almost blinded, the eyes grew painful, 
 and the vision became unsteady 
 through this persistent coruscation of 
 the waves in the coal-black night. This 
 was rather uncomfortable, for we had 
 now reached a region which was inter- 
 sected by many steamer routes, and it 
 was necessary to take double precau- 
 tions. 
 
 In addition to this, the weather grew 
 extremely vicious. A rough sea began 
 to rise. Heavy showers of hail came 
 
 cm] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschlancl 
 
 rattling down upon the decks, and the 
 waves were lashed into foam. The 
 wind increased to velocity 11 to 12. 
 
 In the mighty vault above this seeth- 
 ing ocean hung heavy, dun-colored 
 masses of clouds which flung forth fal- 
 low lightnings without pause — whole 
 broadsides of lightnings. Then the 
 skies suddenly sank back into stygian 
 night while the ship and the surround- 
 ing water went flaming up in greenish 
 fire until every detail stood out in all 
 its starkness. 
 
 The whole heavens were now con- 
 verted into a bellowing chaos. One 
 single and unbroken salvo of crashing 
 thunder went rolling over us. We 
 reached the very center. A maniacal 
 witch's dance of primeval tempests 
 raged around the boat. It seemed to 
 be the end of all things. Then sud- 
 
 [112] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 denly behind us the top-lights of a 
 great liner came into view. We were 
 able to avoid her course owing to the 
 darkness. She passed by some dis- 
 tance away like a luminous apparition. 
 Judging by her course, this passenger 
 ship must have hailed from the Medi- 
 terranean. I must confess that we fol- 
 lowed her rows of lights with some 
 little feeling of envy until the rain 
 and the darkness once more swallowed 
 her up. The storm reached its height 
 on the following day. Hurricane blasts 
 came sweeping along and the air was 
 filled with unceasing showers of spray. 
 The water no longer came down in 
 threads. These were cascades; these 
 were walls of water which came plung- 
 ing down upon us, whipping our faces 
 and hands until they smarted with 
 pain. The rain was so thick that one 
 
 8 [ 113 ] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 was no longer able to see. In order 
 merely to see a yard or two, it was 
 necessary to hold a small pane of glass 
 in front of one's eyes — with the result 
 that a small waterfall ran from the 
 glass into one's sleeve,. 
 
 The boat labored fearfully in this 
 mad sea. The waves threw it back and 
 forth, so that it creaked in every joint 
 and rivet. Sometimes it heeled over 
 to such an extent that one was scarce 
 able to cling to the parapet of the 
 "bath-tub." 
 
 It was an inferno, pure and simple. 
 
 But this was as nothing . compared 
 to the hell down below, especially in 
 the engine-room. 
 
 This ferocious sea had naturally 
 forced us to keep all openings battened 
 down. Even the manhole in the tur- 
 ret could only be kept open at inter- 
 
 [114] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 vals. It is true that two large ventila- 
 tion fans were going continuously, but 
 the fresh air which they sucked down 
 from the carefully protected ventila- 
 tion shaft was at once devoured by the 
 greedy Diesel motors. These hungry 
 monsters out of sheer ingratitude, re- 
 turned us nothing but heat — a heavy, 
 oppressive heat, saturated with a 
 frightful smell of oil, which the ven- 
 tilating fans kept whipping and whirl- 
 ing through all the chambers of the 
 boat. A refreshing effect could hardly 
 be expected from ventilation such as 
 this! 
 
 In addition to this, the air in the 
 boat was saturated with moisture to 
 an almost unbelievable degree. It no 
 longer seemed possible to breathe and 
 with a resigned hangman's humor we 
 faced the moment which would con- 
 
 [115] 
 
Voyage of the DeutscJdand 
 
 vert us into fish. When the hatches 
 are closed down, water is precipitated 
 through all parts of the isolated body 
 of the ship — a heavy sweat which the 
 heat once more converts into vapor, 
 until everything is soaked and grows 
 mouldy. All the drawers and the 
 doors of the cupboards swell and jam. 
 Then there are the wet garments in 
 which the watch descends from the 
 turret, and these help to spread 
 a pestilence through the narrow 
 space. 
 
 You can have no conception of the 
 atmosphere that is evolved by degrees 
 under these circumstances, nor of the 
 hellish temperature which brews within 
 the shell of steel. 
 
 While in the Gulf Stream we had 
 an outer temperature of 28° Celsius. 
 This was about the warmth of the 
 
 [116] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 f surrounding water. Fresh air no 
 longer entered. In the engine-room 
 two 6-cylinder combustion motors 
 kept hammering away in a maddening 
 two-four time. They hurled the power 
 of their explosions into the whirling 
 crank-shafts. The red-hot breath of 
 the consumed gases went crashing out 
 through the exhausts, but the glow of 
 these incessant firings remained in the 
 cylinders and communicated itself to 
 the entire oil-dripping environment of 
 steel. A choking cloud of heat and 
 oily vapor streamed from the engines 
 and spread itself like a leaden pres- 
 sure through the entire ship. 
 
 During these days the temperature 
 mounted to 53° Celsius. 
 
 And yet men lived and worked in a 
 hell such as this ! The watch off duty, 
 naked to the skin, groaned and writhed 
 
 [117] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 in their bunks. It was no longer pos- 
 sible to think of sleep. And when one 
 of the men fell into a dull stupor, then 
 he would be aroused by the sweat 
 which ran incessantly over his forehead 
 and into his eyes, and would awake to 
 new torment. 
 
 It was almost like a blessed deliver- 
 ance when the eight hours of rest were 
 over, and a new watch was called to 
 the central or the engine-room. 
 
 But there the real martyrdom began. 
 Clad only in an undershirt and draw- 
 ers, the men stood at their posts, a 
 cloth wound about their foreheads to 
 keep the running sweat from stream- 
 ing into their eyes. Their blood ham- 
 mered and raced in their temples. 
 Every vein boiled as with fever. It 
 was only by the exertion of the most 
 tremendous will-power that it was pos- 
 
 [118] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 sible to force the dripping human body 
 to perform its mechanical duty and to 
 remain upright during the four hours 
 of the watch. . . . 
 
 But how long would we be able to 
 endure this? 
 
 I no longer kept a log during these 
 days and I find merely this one note: 
 " Temperature must not rise any 
 higher if the men are to remain any 
 longer in the engine-room." 
 
 But they did endure it. They re- 
 mained erect like so many heroes, they 
 did their duty, exhausted, glowing hot, 
 and bathed in sweat, until the storm 
 center lay behind us, until the weather 
 cleared, until the sun broke through 
 the clouds, and the diminishing seas 
 permitted us once more to open the 
 hatches. 
 
 And then these men came up out of 
 
 [119] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 their hell ; pale, streaming with oil and 
 covered with grime, they came up to 
 the light of day and rejoiced in the 
 sunlight as though it shone for them 
 for the first time. 
 
 [120] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 IX 
 
 AMERICA 
 
 While we had avoided all passing 
 steamers upon the Atlantic, by adopt- 
 ing another course when the weather 
 permitted, and even risked being seen 
 once or twice, we now dived without 
 exception as soon as we saw a cloud 
 of smoke upon the horizon. Under no 
 circumstances did we wish to reveal 
 our presence as we made for the region 
 of the coast, since we had to reckon 
 with the possibility of encountering 
 enemy warships. 
 
 On the 8th of July we began to no- 
 tice by the color of the water that we 
 could no longer be very distant from 
 the goal of our voyage. 
 
 [121] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 During the course of the afternoon, 
 I consulted with my officers regard- 
 ing the course toward Cape Henry, 
 the southerly point of the two ranges 
 of foothills which form the entrance 
 to Hampton Roads and Chesapeake 
 Bay. 
 
 I was of the opinion that we should 
 wait in deep water for the coming of 
 the dawn at a distance of about ten 
 miles from the American three-mile 
 limit, and then assure ourselves as to 
 whether any hostile measures had been 
 taken against us. In case indefinite 
 rumors of our voyage had leaked out, 
 there was small doubt but that we 
 would have to reckon with such meas- 
 ures on the part of the enemy. 
 
 Krapohl, on the other hand, pro- 
 posed that we approach the coast as 
 closely as possible under cover of the 
 
 [122] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 night, and he was supported in this by 
 Eyring. 
 
 Both plans had their pros and cons, 
 and so I decided to proceed further 
 toward the coast in the dusk and then 
 to wait and see what the weather con- 
 ditions would turn out to be. 
 
 The final decision was soon brought 
 about by the coming up of a stiff 
 southwest breeze. This gave us a good 
 range of vision, which had not been 
 the case with the summer weather that 
 had hitherto prevailed. The breeze, 
 however, also brought with it a violent 
 rocking of our boat, which, with the 
 short and choppy sea that now de- 
 veloped, became extremely disagree- 
 able. We therefore decided, without 
 further hesitation and upon the basis 
 pf exact astronomical calculations 
 made a short time before, to steer at 
 
 [123] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 night for the shore lights of Cape 
 Henry and Cape Charles. 
 
 We proceeded at once on our 
 way. After some time, a pale glow 
 became perceptible upon the horizon. 
 It came up spasmodically and then 
 vanished again. This was the glow 
 of the revolving light upon Cape 
 Henry. 
 
 It was the first greeting from 
 America. 
 
 Suddenly, upon our starboard bow, 
 a white light flashed up. It disap- 
 peared instantly and then flickered up 
 again several times. Immediately 
 afterward another white light ap- 
 peared off our port bow, and this re- 
 mained fixed. 
 
 We looked at one another. 
 
 What the devil did this mean? It 
 looked confoundedly as though war 
 
 [124] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 vessels with blinded lights were mak- 
 ing light signals to each other. 
 
 At all events, we must keep an in- 
 fernally sharp lookout. 
 
 With engines going at half-speed, 
 and submerged up to the turret, with 
 all men at their diving-posts, we crept 
 closer, keeping the sharpest lookout, 
 and drilling into the darkness with 
 our glasses. 
 
 It was not long before we saw that 
 the fixed light belonged to the top lan- 
 tern of a harmless outcoming steamer, 
 which passed us at a considerable dis- 
 tance off-stern. Soon after this, where 
 the flickering light had been, we saw 
 the outlined sails of a three-masted 
 schooner. As is the custom with many 
 of these coasting vessels, she was sail- 
 ing without side-lights and merely dis- 
 played a white stern light from time 
 
 [125] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 to time. It was these lights which we 
 had mistaken for the signalling of 
 warships. 
 
 Considerably relieved, I ordered the 
 engines full speed ahead. The reflex 
 of the fixed light upon Cape Henry 
 now came into view, while the inter- 
 mittent blinking of Cape Charles grew 
 brighter and brighter along the 
 horizon. 
 
 We now knew that we had set our 
 course correctly. The entrance be- 
 tween the two ranges of hills lay in 
 front of us. 
 
 Soon the beacon lights themselves 
 came up above the horizon. An inde- 
 scribable feeling possessed my heart. 
 I saluted Cape Charles' flashing fire, 
 its tireless blades of light were a silent, 
 but unmistakable symbol of security 
 amidst the dark infinity that sur- 
 
 [126] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 rounded us. There, after our long and 
 dangerous voyage, lay the land at last 
 — our goal — America. 
 
 We now began to pass the bobbing 
 lantern-buoys of the channel. I recog- 
 nized the well-known howling of a 
 whistling buoy with which I was 
 familiar from my former trips, and 
 so the sense of hearing also contributed 
 to the feeling that land was close at 
 hand. 
 
 After we had passed the whistling 
 buoy we emerged completely. We now 
 saw the lights of various passenger 
 steamers. The steamers, however, did 
 not observe us, as we still proceeded 
 with blinded lights until we ran close 
 off Cape Henry and had reached the 
 American three-mile limit. 
 
 This was on the 8th of July, at half- 
 past eleven at night. 
 
 [127] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 Once within the American neutrality 
 zone, we set our lights, and made our 
 way quietly into the entrance between 
 the two capes until we made out the 
 red and white top-lights of the pilot 
 steamer. 
 
 We stopped and burnt the customary 
 blue fire. Hereupon the pilot boat at 
 once directed its searchlight upon us, 
 and as it was unable to see the outlines 
 of a steamer, it approached us very 
 carefully. 
 
 Again and again the long luminous 
 arm of the searchlight kept feeling the 
 low deck and the turret of the Deutsch- 
 land. 
 
 The unexpected appearance of our 
 boat seemed to have startled the good 
 pilot to such an extent that it took him 
 a long time to fire his question at us 
 through the megaphone. 
 
 [128] 
 

 H d 5 § 
 
 I § ft* 
 
 «i "2 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 " Where are you bound for'?" 
 "Newport News," we replied. 
 He then inquired after the name of 
 our ship, which we gave. But we were 
 forced to repeat it twice before the 
 men on the pilot boat were able to com- 
 prehend what an unusual visitor lay 
 before them. There must have been 
 something of a sensation aboard that 
 pilot-boat. 
 
 A boat was quickly lowered, and as 
 the pilot climbed over the round belly 
 of the Deutschland up to our deck, he 
 greeted us with these words, which 
 must have come from the very depths 
 of his heart: 
 
 "I'll be damned, here she is!" 
 
 Then he shook our hands again and 
 
 again out of sheer honest heartiness, 
 
 and gave vent to his genuine delight 
 
 in being the first American to greet 
 
 [ 129 ] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 the TJ -Deutschland, in the land of 
 liberty. 
 
 I at once asked our friend if he had 
 heard anything of our being expected. 
 Great was my joy and surprise when 
 I learned that a tug-boat had been 
 lying between the capes for the past few 
 days, evidently looking for us. 
 
 We at once got under way with our 
 good pilot in order to look for this tug- 
 boat. 
 
 In the meantime, the incoming pas- 
 senger steamers had also discovered 
 the remarkable stranger. They lighted 
 us up from all sides with their search- 
 lights. And thus our arrival in Ameri- 
 can waters resolved itself into a fan- 
 tastic nocturne. 
 
 The search for our tug-boat was, 
 however, by no means easy in the dark- 
 ness. We were obliged to search for a 
 
 [130] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 long time and finally discovered the 
 craft after two hours. 
 
 She was the tow-boat Timmins, un- 
 der command of Captain Hinsch, of 
 the North German Lloyd. 
 
 And now great was our joy. 
 
 That valiant soul, Captain Hinsch, 
 whose liner, the Neckar, has been lying 
 in Baltimore since the outbreak of 
 war, had waited for us more than ten 
 days between the two capes. 
 
 Our long absence had already caused 
 him the greatest anxiety as to our fate. 
 
 He was now unutterably happy to see 
 his long-awaited protege safe and 
 sound before him. He then communi- 
 cated to us the order that we were to 
 proceed to Baltimore instead of New- 
 port News. Here everything had been 
 prepared for our arrival. 
 
 We now took farewell of our cheery 
 
 [131] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 Newport News pilot, and made our 
 way up Chesapeake Bay, accompanied 
 by the Timmins. We proudly hoisted 
 the German flag, which no doubt flut- 
 tered for the first time in these waters 
 since the Eitel Friedrich ran into 
 Hampton Eoads. 
 
 Thus in the gray of the morning, 
 we entered the Bay. Our course gradu- 
 ally became a triumphal procession. 
 All the neutral steamers that we 
 passed, American and others, saluted 
 us with three blasts of their sirens and 
 steam whistles. Only an English 
 steamer swept by us in a poisonous 
 silence, the while we let the black- white- 
 red banner stream proudly in the wind. 
 Captain Hinsch upon his tug-boat kejjt 
 an eagle eye upon the Englishman, lest 
 he should chance to slip his rudder a 
 bit and ram us by mere accident. 
 
 [ 132 ] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 The gallant Timmins was helpful to 
 us in other ways. We were able to 
 answer the greetings of the steamers 
 only by means of our siren, which was 
 operated with our precious compressed 
 air. This would in the end, have be- 
 come a rather expensive pleasure, and 
 so the Timmins undertook the duty of 
 making our responses with her big 
 steam whistle. 
 
 The farther we moved up the bay, 
 the madder grew the noise. We were 
 delighted beyond measure with this, 
 for we could plainly perceive in this 
 uproar the sympathies which the 
 Americans cherished for us and our 
 voyage. 
 
 About four o'clock in the afternoon, 
 the Timmins carefully came alongside. 
 A block of ice was handed over to us, 
 a couple of bottles of champagne were 
 
 [133] 
 
Voyage of the DeutscMand 
 
 rapidly cooled, and we proudly clinked 
 our glasses to the safe arrival of 
 the DeutscMand in America. We 
 merely regretted that it was only the 
 corks which popped over to Captain 
 Hinsch. 
 
 What this first iced drink meant to 
 us can only be appreciated by him who 
 is able to picture to himself what it 
 means to have lived day after day in 
 a temperature of 53° Celsius, 
 
 The rumors of our arrival must have 
 spread with miraculous rapidity, for 
 to our great astonishment boats full of 
 reporters and film operators began to 
 meet us while we were still many miles 
 from Baltimore. 
 
 Although it was already growing 
 dusk, we were nevertheless subjected 
 to a violent bombardment by the 
 cameras. We should also most likely 
 
 [134] 
 
Voyage of the Beutschland 
 
 have had to undergo an endless series 
 of questions and calls had not the 
 weather-god of Chesapeake Bay, cast- 
 ing a hospitable eye upon our need of 
 rest, come to our assistance. A heavy 
 thunderstorm now broke and in place 
 of a flood of questions, we scorched 
 and tanned navigators were refreshed 
 by a cooling flood of rain. The 
 Deatschland, accompanied by the 
 trusty Timmins, once more pursued 
 her way, lonely and silent, through the 
 falling night toward her final goal. 
 
 At eleven o'clock at night we 
 stopped at the Baltimore Quarantine 
 Station, and our anchor rattled for the 
 first time into American waters. 
 
 TJ -Beutschland had arrived. 
 
 [135] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 BALTIMORE 
 
 The first thing upon which our eyes 
 fell on the following morning was the 
 stout and stubby tug-boat Timmins, 
 which had made fast alongside us. 
 There lay the faithful vessel keeping 
 watch over us. 
 
 Soon after, about five o'clock, the 
 physician of the Quarantine Station 
 arrived. I at once handed to him the 
 certificate of health which had been 
 made out for us in due form on June 
 13th, by Mr. William Thomas Fee, the 
 American Consul at Bremen. Then 
 the doctor overhauled the boat and 
 passed us after he had mustered the 
 
 [136] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 crew. Then, as the first American official 
 to greet us, he called for three cheers 
 for the Deutschland and her crew. 
 
 Then we weighed anchor, and under 
 the guidance of the Timmins, we pro- 
 ceeded to our anchorage at Locust 
 Point, where we were to discharge our 
 cargo. 
 
 No boat could have made her way- 
 more safely than we under the protec- 
 tion of the Timmins and the swarm of 
 craft which had been hired by the film 
 companies and now surrounded us. 
 Five to six fellows stood, with cameras 
 cocked, upon every one of these boats 
 and did their best by means of cheery 
 calls to induce us to assume more effec- 
 tive poses — such as are suitable for the 
 heroes of the " movies." 
 
 "Show your face, Cap!" 
 
 "Turn your head!" 
 
 [137] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 "Wave your hand!" And other 
 such cries echoed from all sides, and 
 these enterprising chaps turned the 
 cranks of their machines like mad. 
 
 I stood on the turret and looked 
 toward the left, and then I looked 
 toward the right, and then I waved 
 one hand and then the other. A re- 
 quest to smile was scarcely necessary, 
 for the actions of the "movie" men 
 were uncommonly funny. 
 
 And so we reached our anchorage at 
 Locust Point in the best possible 
 spirits. 
 
 Here everything had been prepared 
 by Captain Hinsch through weeks of 
 careful work. The Deutschland found 
 the snuggest and safest kind of a berth 
 here. It was so thoroughly protected 
 from all outside approach by means of 
 nets and beams that the boat seemed 
 
 [138] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 safe from all harm through human 
 agency. 
 
 We lay alongside a wooden pier 
 which was built out into the stream, 
 and under cover of a large shed, in 
 which the goods we were to carry 
 back already lay stored. This region 
 was so little frequented that communi- 
 cation between the pier and the nearest 
 good street had first to be established. 
 
 The entire place toward the land 
 side was cut off by a large ditch and 
 barbed wire entanglements. 
 
 In the river the Deutschland was 
 protected on one side by the pier and 
 the North German Lloyd steamer 
 Neckar. The Neckar had lain in Balti- 
 more since the outbreak of war. It 
 was now to serve as our home. Prom 
 here we could always keep an eye on 
 the Deutschland. 
 
 [139] 
 
Voyage of the Deutscliland 
 
 On the other side, the Beutschland 
 was surrounded by an entire system 
 of heavy beams, with strong nets, 
 which reached to the bottom, so that 
 it would have been impossible for even 
 a diver to approach the vessel. In ad- 
 dition to this, there were several boats 
 which mounted guard day and night, 
 among them the Timmins, which would 
 keep her tireless little searchlight play- 
 ing over the entire vicinity all night long. 
 
 Nevertheless, there were several de- 
 lightful little interludes. In order that 
 the discharging and loading of the 
 cargo might go on unobserved, a high 
 fence had been built all around the 
 shed. This rendered it impossible to 
 see anything of the ship or the freight 
 pier. 
 
 The only opportunity for having a 
 look at the wonder-boat, and that at a 
 
 [140] 
 
Voyage of the Deutscldand 
 
 considerable distance, was offered by 
 a pile-driver which lay anchored in the 
 stream. This was soon utilized by the 
 newspaper reporters as a post of obser- 
 vation. Here they began to make their 
 perch, never taking their eyes from 
 us. They did regular sentry duty. 
 Two men were always crouched on top 
 of the swaying framework by day and 
 by night, in the self -sacrificial exer- 
 cise of their profession. 
 
 We, too, established our sentries. At 
 night, when the watch was changed 
 upon the pile-driver across the way, 
 the searchlight operator aboard the 
 Timmins would amuse himself by flash- 
 ing his light in that direction, courte- 
 ously escorting these gentlemen upon 
 their risky climb. As they clambered 
 down from the framework, the rays 
 would follow and outline them, one 
 
 [141] 
 
Voyage of the Deutscliland 
 
 after the other, like spiders under a 
 pocket flash-lamp. 
 
 Captain Hinsch had simply pro- 
 vided for everything, from our recep- 
 tion and safe conduct to our housing 
 and provisioning upon the Neckar. 
 
 The only means of access to the 
 Deutscliland was by way of this 
 steamer — at JLeast for those few priv- 
 ileged people who were permitted to 
 view the vessel — if only from without. 
 Otherwise, all visits to the boat were 
 strictly forbidden. Of course, we 
 should have been quite happy to show 
 off this child of our pride to all comers, 
 but, in view of the danger of sabotage 
 which might accrue to the first Ger- 
 man submarine freight boat from an 
 indiscriminate public inspection, we 
 were forced on principle to adhere to 
 our refusals, and so hundreds of Amer- 
 
 [142] 
 
Up the AM 
 The Deutschland receiving ovatiJ 
 

 ) Bremen 
 
 a triumphant return to Germany 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 icans, who had come in automobiles, 
 sometimes from great distances, even 
 from Western states, in order to 
 have a look at the Deutschland, were 
 forced, to our own deep regret, to go 
 their ways without achieving their 
 purpose. 
 
 The film companies, however, were 
 able to score a triumph. I fulfilled 
 their desire to immortalize the entire 
 crew upon their first treading Ameri- 
 can soil. And so I permitted myself 
 and my men to be taken outside in a 
 proud group. 
 
 My first trip to the city resembled 
 a triumphal procession. The auto was 
 obliged to halt every moment, and I 
 was congratulated upon all sides, and 
 everybody wished to shake my hand. 
 I grew to be a sort of obstruction to traf- 
 fic during those first days in Baltimore. 
 
 [143] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 Thus I slowly made my way to the 
 agency of the North German Lloyd. 
 This was surrounded by dense masses 
 of people. 
 
 It was first necessary to make the 
 usual declaration. I went to the Cus- 
 tom House authorities and made the 
 necessary visits. I was greeted every- 
 where in the heartiest manner. 
 
 Then I went back to the Agency, and 
 summoned up my entire stock of sea- 
 man's resolutions in order to devote my- 
 self to the press. I took up my posi- 
 tion behind a barrier, that is to say, 
 behind the counter of the Passenger 
 Office before which an enormous crowd 
 was pushing. I was quite alone, and 
 held my defences against hundreds — 
 men and women, each of whom wanted 
 to know something different, each of 
 whom asked me questions, from the 
 
 [ 144 ] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 most insignificant personalities to ques- 
 tions of higher politics. 
 
 One lady cried: "Do, Captain, tell 
 me, what is it like in a submarine? 
 . . . " Another asked, full of sym- 
 pathy: "Say, is it true that in Ger- 
 many the babies are starving for want 
 of milk?" A prosperous looking man 
 proclaimed his interest in the problems 
 of diet by demanding: "Say, Captain, 
 what did you live on?" 
 
 I was also frequently asked: "What 
 about the Kaiser's message you brought 
 over for Mr. Wilson?" I was as little 
 able to reply to this question as to that 
 other, so frequently put: "When do 
 you expect to leave Baltimore again?" 
 
 And I was supposed to answer hun- 
 dreds of similar questions with my one 
 poor little voice. I stood there like a 
 breakwater and the floods went surg- 
 
 10 [ 145 ] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 ing about me, mounting higher and 
 higher, until my whole spiritual ego 
 was swallowed up, only to re-appear 
 the next day in fragments scattered 
 throughout the press of two hemi- 
 spheres. 
 
 My body, however, somewhat wearily 
 obeyed an invitation of the German 
 club where our arrival was celebrated 
 in exclusive German circles, and where 
 we spoke with love and pride of the 
 battling Fatherland. 
 
 The following days were to become 
 one continual festival for us. Only 
 those who know American hospitality 
 and American enthusiasm can form an 
 idea of the hearty reception we were 
 given everywhere. People's heads were 
 quite turned. It did one good to see 
 
 [146] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 with how much open and honest sym- 
 pathy our voyage and safe arrival 
 were regarded by the Americans, and 
 how this sympathy was expressed with 
 the most unrestrained rapture. 
 
 Wherever we went, we were greeted 
 in the most fervent fashion. Our 
 hands w T ere shaken. The "Wacht am 
 Rhein" was sung and wildly enthusi- 
 astic ovations were given us every- 
 where. It simply snowed invitations 
 upon the officers and crew. Festivals 
 and parties were arranged for us, and 
 on one occasion, when two of my of- 
 ficers of the watch, accompanied by a 
 friend, were recognized in a large pub- 
 lic resort, the concert music suddenly 
 stopped, the limelight was thrown upon 
 these gentlemen, and amidst tremendous 
 jubilation the band played " America" 
 and the "Wacht am Rhein." 
 
 [147] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 While the people of the United 
 States, of all classes and conditions, 
 were thus recording their unrestrained 
 admiration for the Deutschland, the 
 American Government had also taken 
 up an official position in regard to 
 the question whether our boat was 
 to be considered a merchant vessel 
 or whether, as expressed in the em- 
 phatic protest of the British and 
 French Ambassadors, it was to be 
 considered in the nature of a war 
 vessel. 
 
 A Government Commission of three 
 American naval officers came down 
 from Washington on July 12th. They 
 were to make a most detailed inspec- 
 tion of the Deutschland. Since we had 
 absolutely no armament of any nature, 
 and no provisions for mounting any on 
 board, we were able to show these gen- 
 
 [148] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 tlemen everything with absolute confi- 
 dence. 
 
 After an examination of three hours, 
 which covered every nook and corner 
 of the boat, and which cost the par- 
 ticipants much perspiration in crawl- 
 ing about the hot and glowing steel 
 hull, the Commission confirmed the 
 purely mercantile character of the U- 
 Deutschland. These gentlemen were 
 full of intense admiration for the 
 genius shown in the construction of 
 the entire boat, and were particularly 
 impressed by the staggering fact of 
 the complicated nature of the entire 
 mechanism. 
 
 The numerous German- Americans in 
 Baltimore organized Br German Festi- 
 val in honor of the entire crew and for 
 the benefit of the Red Cross. This 
 event took place in Cannstadter Park, 
 
 [149] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 a large popular resort near Baltimore. 
 There were rifle-ranges, booths for 
 raffles, an open-air stage, a dancing 
 pavilion and similar amusements in the 
 open. I must say that our men showed 
 off well at these affairs. They stood 
 the homage which was given them in 
 good style and displayed little shyness. 
 When it came to dancing, they swung 
 a leg with the best of them. I saw a 
 couple of my fine fellows dancing with 
 the ladies of our host's family as 
 though they had done nothing else all 
 their lives. 
 
 The whole constituted for us legen- 
 dary seafarers one single, solid ova- 
 tion of overpowering kindliness. Hun- 
 dreds surrounded us and toasted 
 us again and again, and clamored 
 for a word with each and every one 
 of us. 
 
 [150] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 Of course, I was especially singled 
 out for these attentions. I was sup- 
 posed to shake the hand of all the par- 
 ticipants at this festival — this finally 
 developed into a universally expressed 
 desire. 
 
 The problem was not an easy one to 
 solve. With, considerable embarrass- 
 ment, I looked around me and saw the 
 countless hands which were stretched 
 toward me, and gazed upon the faces 
 of that vast crowd of gay and excited 
 people who seethed about me. 
 
 At last the following plan was de- 
 vised. I was put into a Committee 
 automobile and the crowd was made 
 to defile before me between Masters of 
 Ceremony in the shape of policemen. 
 I was thus able to shake the hand of 
 everyone who went by. This proces- 
 sion lasted over an hour and a half, 
 
 [151] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 during which time I shook hands with- 
 out pausing. 
 
 I marvel that my two hands are 
 still attached to my arms. 
 
 On July 20th, the Deutschland re- 
 ceived a visit from Count Bernstorff, 
 the German Ambassador, who had 
 come to Baltimore with several gentle- 
 men from the summer seat of the Em- 
 bassy. We showed them our faithful 
 boat, whose inspection amidst the pro- 
 cess of loading the cargo and in a ter- 
 rific heat was scarcely an unalloyed 
 pleasure. 
 
 On the evening of the same day, an 
 official dinner was given by the M^or 
 of Baltimore in honor of the presence 
 of the German Ambassador. This had 
 been preceded by a small lunch in the 
 select precincts of the Germania club- 
 house. The dinner given by the Mayor, 
 
 [152] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 a most charming gentleman, was of an 
 exclusively political nature, and was 
 attended only by politicians and official 
 personages. There was a long series 
 of excellent courses and of drinks, and, 
 according to American custom, the 
 close of the dinner and the appearance 
 of innumerable new drinks were the 
 occasion for a number of speeches. In 
 these the arrival of the Deutschland in 
 America, the significance of this event 
 to the city of Baltimore and for 
 friendly German- American relations 
 were duly celebrated. 
 
 Then the city band came into the 
 garden and played the "Wacht am 
 Rhein" and the American National 
 Hymn, while the crossed American and 
 German flags were unfolded. 
 
 This was a very pretty symbol of 
 friendship and understanding between 
 
 [153] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 the two peoples, both of whose inter- 
 ests are bound up in the freedom of 
 the seas. 
 
 While all these festivities were un- 
 der way, and all our evenings thus 
 employed, our cargo had been dis- 
 charged and the stowing away of the 
 new cargo had begun. 
 
 This is quite a chapter by itself. 
 
 Messrs. Paul G. L. and H. G. Hilken, 
 two gentlemen who represent the 
 North German Lloyd in Baltimore, 
 had done their very utmost to lighten 
 this most delicate part of our task and 
 insure its success. 
 
 They had not only provided in all 
 secrecy the necessary goods w T hich were 
 to constitute our return cargo, but they 
 had already had these stored in the 
 sheds ready for loading. It was a most 
 
 [154] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 impressive-looking pile and, on view- 
 ing it, one might well have doubted 
 whether it would be possible to stow 
 it all within the limits of one U-boat. 
 Our friends had also seen to it that 
 the special stevedores were at hand. 
 
 The entire work upon the boat and 
 on the freight pier was carried out by 
 negroes, whose slight degree of educa- 
 tion and weak powers of observation 
 were in this case a special recommen- 
 dation. In addition to this, the ne- 
 groes were thoroughly searched every 
 time before beginning work, being 
 forced to strip — all this in order to 
 protect the boat from any premedi- 
 tated outrage. 
 
 The discharging of the cargo was 
 completed without any difficulty. 
 
 For those who are accustomed to 
 the unloading of cargoes, a singular 
 
 [155] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 picture presented itself. Usually there 
 are great derricks, steel windlasses and 
 hydraulic cranes, and the heavy goods 
 and cases are hoisted up out of the 
 dark ship's hold amidst hubbub, 
 thumpings and hissings. Stevedores 
 and foremen stand beside yawning 
 openings and shout in an inarticulate 
 speech. Here, on the other hand, there 
 were two small wooden hoists erected 
 above the ordinary hatches of the U- 
 boat, and these, with their neat little 
 electric windlasses, did swift work. 
 The goods came rushing up into the 
 daylight in little sacks and chests, 
 rapidly and noiselessly, almost as in 
 a doll's theater. There was something 
 miniature in the unloading of the U- 
 boat in this manner. 
 
 It was really astonishing to observe 
 the quantity of goods that piled them- 
 
 [156] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 selves up on the pier, all of which had 
 been fetched up out of the insignifi- 
 cant-looking whale-back through the 
 narrow hatches. 
 
 The loading of the vessel was much 
 more difficult. Special calculations had 
 to be made for this by our submarine 
 expert and " Master of U-boat car- 
 goes," ship-architect Pruss of the Grer- 
 mania Yards. Every kilogram or 
 pound of the cargo, differing so greatly 
 in weight and bulk, had to be stowed 
 away in some carefully calculated po- 
 sition, so as not to influence unfavor- 
 ably the trimming of the vessel. 
 
 Careful storage was, moreover, of the 
 utmost importance as the space avail- 
 able is, after all, more or less limited, 
 and every case and every sack must 
 be firmly fixed in position. Otherwise 
 it might happen that the most dis- 
 
 [157] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 agreeable surprises would befall us 
 during a storm, a sudden dive with a 
 strong list, or other incidents. These 
 might, by hindering our ability to 
 manoeuvre, lead to disaster. 
 
 A loading of this kind is therefore 
 a very tedious one. The entire freight, 
 sacks and boxes, must be passed into 
 the narrow hatches by the negroes, af- 
 ter being weighed. Piece by piece 
 the goods are placed upon the scales, 
 the weights noted by the tally-meter 
 and then called out and checked up in 
 special lists. 
 
 These lists or tables were all studied 
 out according to a theoretical plan. The 
 efficiency of this plan was then tested 
 by a trial dive and trimming test. There 
 was just enough depth at our anchor- 
 age for us to carry this out. 
 
 For this trial dive all the men were 
 
 [ 158 ]! 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 ordered to their stations. The sub- 
 mersion tanks were slowly opened and 
 the boat was filled with just enough 
 water to cause it to float with the 
 hatch of the turret appearing above 
 the surface. 
 
 In this position, the body of the 
 boat was made to oscillate by ballast- 
 ing the two trimming-tanks in different 
 ways. This permitted us to judge 
 whether the burdens in the boat had 
 been properly distributed. In case 
 there had been any shifting of the 
 weights, the cargo must have been 
 stowed anew. A final dive and trim- 
 ming test was then necessary in order 
 to see that the lading of the boat was 
 correct in every detail. 
 
 Those two thousand tons in their 
 swaying and fluid element were brought 
 to a most delicate and absolute balance. 
 
 [159] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 XI 
 
 FAREWELL TO BALTIMORE 
 
 I should like to set a motto above 
 this description of our return trip. 
 The words are taken from the London 
 Morning Post of July 18th, and refer 
 to the attitude assumed by the British 
 Government with regard to the 
 Deutschland. 
 
 "The Deutschland, in consequence 
 of its character as a submarine, is to 
 be regarded as a war vessel and is to 
 be treated as such. The warships of 
 the Allies will, therefore, seek every 
 opportunity to waylay the vessel be- 
 yond the American three-mile limit and 
 will sink it without warning." 
 
 [160] 
 
I 
 
 pa 
 
 w 
 W 
 
 Eh 
 
 w 
 
 Q 
 
 So 
 
 Q 
 «! 
 
 o 
 pa. 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 Thus ran a cable dispatch which 
 reached America from London on July 
 19th. And such were the words which 
 we read for ourselves in a copy of the 
 Morning Post which was sent to us 
 toward the end of July. 
 
 This at least had the advantage of 
 letting us know precisely what we had 
 to expect. 
 
 Never had the English point of view, 
 in all its brutality, been more clearly 
 displayed. 
 
 We had no torpedo-tubes and no can- 
 nons on board. We had not the slight- 
 est possible means of making an at- 
 tack. We did not even carry arms 
 with which to defend ourselves, some- 
 thing which is permitted to every Eng- 
 lish merchant vessel; moreover, the 
 biggest of the neutral powers had ex- 
 pressly recognized us as a merchant 
 
 [ 161 ] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 vessel, and yet we were to be sunk 
 without warning! 
 
 We knew, therefore, what lay before 
 us. 
 
 It had also become known that eight 
 enemy war vessels with lookout boats 
 and nets had assembled in front of 
 Chesapeake Bay in order to capture 
 us as soon as we left the American 
 three-mile limit and to shatter us to 
 pieces with mines like some blind fish. 
 
 Caution was, therefore, imperative — 
 we should have to worm our way 
 through with true U-boat craftiness. 
 
 But we also knew how to get the 
 best of these English and French ef- 
 forts as we had done once before. The 
 penetration of the English blockade 
 outward-bound from Europe had not 
 been precisely a walk-over. 
 
 [162] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 Nothing had tickled us more than to 
 read the brilliant explanation which 
 had been launched by Captain Gaunt 
 of the British General Consulate in 
 New York, when the first rumors of 
 the voyage of a German U-boat to 
 America had cropped up. Captain 
 Gaunt is the naval expert at the Con- 
 sulate, and the good man ought to 
 know. He pacified the English pub- 
 lic as follows: "It is impossible to send 
 a submarine to America. Should the 
 Germans, nevertheless, venture to try 
 it we should seize it. A large sub- 
 marine leaves a trail of oil and ma- 
 chine-grease on the water behind it. 
 This trail can be followed by our swift 
 cruisers and it is a dead certainty that 
 they will capture the submarine." 
 
 "We had, therefore, merely to see to 
 it that our "capture" this second time 
 
 [163] 
 
Voyage of the DeutscMand 
 
 would prove to be this "dead cer- 
 tainty. " 
 
 The first of August had arrived. We 
 had taken hearty farewells of every- 
 one. All the formalities with the au- 
 thorities had been settled and we were 
 free to put out to sea to keep our dates 
 with the gentlemen that prowled about 
 the entrance of the Bay. 
 
 Our departure was delayed, as we 
 had to wait for high water in order to 
 make our way out of the Patapsco 
 River, upon which Baltimore is situ- 
 ated, over the intervening mud-bank 
 into Chesapeake Bay. The tide rose 
 very slowly on this day, as there was 
 a north wind blowing, which was in- 
 clined to keep the stream from reach- 
 ing Baltimore up the long, narrow 
 Bay. 
 
 We anxiously awaited the rising of 
 
 [164] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 the water, and at last, at 3:20 in the 
 afternoon, the moment had arrived. 
 The lines were cast off — slowly the en- 
 closing sentinel vessels opened out and 
 majestically the Deutschland pushed 
 her way from the pier into the channel. 
 The tug Timmins steamed along beside 
 us like a faithful shepherd-dog and 
 seemed to growl whenever the numer- 
 ous small and large boats loaded with 
 reporters and film operators ap- 
 proached too closely. 
 
 There was nothing to fear. The 
 boat of the Baltimore harbor-police had 
 been kindly assigned to accompany us, 
 and a Maryland revenue cutter had 
 received orders to escort us to the 
 limits of its territory. 
 
 Hundreds of people stood upon the 
 banks of the Patapsco River. They 
 waved to us and saluted our departure 
 
 [165] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 with constant cheers. All the tugs in 
 the harbor set up a howling with their 
 sirens and their whistles; the steamers 
 dipped their flags and hooted; it was 
 an appalling hubbub. But we knew, 
 as we went on and outward, that in- 
 numerable hearts throughout this vast 
 America accompanied us with their 
 blessings and were waiting anxiously 
 for the moment which would bring to 
 them the certainty of our successful 
 escape. 
 
 As soon as we reached the open 
 waterway and set the engines going at 
 full speed, our escorts gradually 
 dropped behind ; even the Timmins had 
 all it could do to keep up. We re- 
 marked the slow speed of the Ameri- 
 can boats ; the cheers grew weaker and 
 weaker, the boats fewer and fewer, and 
 finally only the revenue cutter re- 
 
 [166] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 mained. After this craft had van- 
 ished, about seven o'clock, we should 
 have been alone with the Timmins had 
 there not been another mysterious es- 
 cort which could not so easily be shaken 
 off. 
 
 This was a swift gray boat with a 
 pointed snout and a flat, short stern, 
 a sort of overgrown racing boat, of 
 which it was rumored that it held some 
 eighty horse-power in its belly, and 
 could set up a pace of 22 miles. It 
 was supposed to have been hired some 
 ten days before by a certain gentleman, 
 who paid the round sum of $200 per 
 day, from which it was to be seen 
 how highly this gentleman estimated 
 the possibility of announcing his purely 
 sporting interest by a match between 
 his racer and the Deutschland. 
 
 In consciousness of its superior 
 
 [167] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 speed, the pretty boat went pirouetting 
 all around us. It described most ad- 
 mirable circles and curves ; it cut capri- 
 oles, it buzzed about us like a blue- 
 bottle and its high spirits were really 
 alarming. The good old Timmins 
 might growl as threateningly as you 
 please with its steam siren and fling 
 out angry clouds of smoke, but the 
 eighty horse-power hummer hung on 
 and would not be driven off. 
 
 We proceeded thus until nightfall. 
 
 Then, about eight o'clock, a slight 
 breeze began to blow and it was not 
 long before a low swell came up — a 
 merry swell, which splashed gaily 
 against the bows of the Deutschland. 
 
 Our blue-bottle friend had, in the 
 meantime, hung out his lights, quite 
 according to regulations, and we heard 
 the water splashing about his bows as 
 
 [168] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 well. But he no longer raced about 
 us, but went spattering along in our 
 wake. It was a pretty sight to see his 
 colored lights dancing behind us, or 
 disappearing and reappearing amid 
 the illuminated foam and the spray — 
 growing ever more distant. 
 
 At ten o'clock there was a pretty 
 neat little sea under way. The lights 
 had dwindled to little points far astern, 
 and as the gray dawn came up, the sea 
 was clear; our little friend had evi- 
 dently flown back home. 
 
 However, a great number of fishing- 
 trawlers soon came looming up out of 
 the gray murk so that we were some- 
 what fearful of running into a regular 
 trap — even here amidst these neutral 
 waters. 
 
 But loud hurrahs and waving of 
 hands from these vessels soon enlight- 
 
 [169] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 ened us. It was a company of Ameri- 
 can press representatives who had not 
 hesitated to make this nightly trip, 
 together with a number of admirers 
 and friends of the Deutschland, 
 in order to offer final greetings to our 
 boat some fifty miles out from Balti- 
 more. 
 
 One steamer after another glided 
 past us, and by six o'clock in the morn- 
 ing we were travelling in such free 
 water that we were able to make our 
 first diving-trial. After our long spell 
 ashore, I wished to get the crew and 
 the boat once more well in hand — 
 merely on account of that "dead cer- 
 tain" capture. 
 
 So we underwent our first diving 
 trial and everything went without a 
 hitch. The Timmins remained in the 
 neighborhood. Captain Hinsch told 
 
 [170] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 me later that it was a startling sight 
 to see the Deutschland sink away so 
 silently, only to come pushing out of 
 the water a few moments later with a 
 foaming wave across her bows. 
 
 So the dive was a success. In order 
 to see that everything else was tight 
 and in good order, I gave the com- 
 mand to set the boat upon the sea 
 bottom at a spot which, according to 
 the reading upon the chart, had a 
 depth of some 30 meters. 
 
 Once again everything grew silent. 
 The daylight vanished, the well-known 
 singing and boiling noise of the sub- 
 merging vents vibrated about us. In 
 my turret I fixed my eyes upon the 
 manometer. Twenty meters were re- 
 corded, then 25. The water ballast 
 was diminished — 30 meters appeared 
 and I waited the slight bump which 
 
 [171] 
 
Voyage of the Beutschland 
 
 was to announce the arrival of the boat 
 at the bottom. . . . 
 
 Nothing of the sort happened. 
 
 Instead of this the indicator upon 
 the dial pointed to 32— to 33— to 35 
 meters. . . . 
 
 I knocked against the glass with my 
 finger — correct — the arrow was just 
 pointing toward 36. 
 
 " Great thunder! what's up?" I 
 cried, and reached for the chart. 
 Everything tallied. Thirty meters 
 were indicated at this spot and our 
 reckoning had been most exact. . . . 
 
 And we continued to sink deeper 
 and deeper. 
 
 The dial w r as now announcing 40 
 meters. 
 
 This was a bit too much for me. I 
 called down to the central and got 
 back the comforting answer that the 
 
 [172] 
 
Voyage of the Deutscliland 
 
 large manometer was also indicating 
 a depth of over 40 meters! 
 
 The two manometers agreed. 
 
 This, however, did not prevent the 
 boat from continuing to sink. 
 
 The men in the central began to 
 look at one another. . . . 
 
 Ugh! it gives one a creepy feeling 
 to go slipping away into the unknown 
 amidst this infernal singing silence 
 and to see nothing but the climbing 
 down of the confounded indicator upon 
 the white-faced dial. . . . 
 
 There was nothing else to be seen in 
 my turret. I glanced at the chart and 
 then at the manometer in a pretty help- 
 less fashion. 
 
 In the meantime the boat sank 
 deeper; 45 meters were passed — the 
 pointer indicated 48 meters. I began 
 to think the depth of the Chesapeake 
 
 [173] 
 
Voyage of the DeutscMand 
 
 Bay must have some limit; we surely 
 could not be heading for the bottom- 
 less pit? Then — the boat halted at a 
 depth of 50 meters without the slight- 
 est shock. 
 
 I climbed down into the central and 
 took counsel with Klees and the two 
 officers of the watch. 
 
 There could be only one explana- 
 tion; we must have sunk into a hole 
 which had not been marked upon the 
 chart. 
 
 Well, that did not matter much after 
 all. It was a matter of indifference to 
 us whether we ascended from a depth 
 of 30 meters or one of 50. 
 
 I was just about to give the com- 
 mand to rise, when my eye fell upon 
 the box compass which, with its deli- 
 cate tremblings of the black and white 
 dial, had always been accustomed to 
 
 [174] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 hang so cheerily in its little illumin- 
 ated house. . ., . 
 
 I started back. . . . Donnerwetter! 
 What did this mean? 
 
 The dial of the compass had become 
 insane and was turning itself like mad 
 upon its own axis without pause ! . . . 
 
 Things were beginning to look un- 
 comfortable. 
 
 As our box-compass was about the 
 most reliable thing you could have 
 found in all the world, and as the bot- 
 tom of the Chesapeake Bay at a depth 
 of 50 meters could not possibly have 
 begun to rotate about us, there was 
 only one conclusion to be arrived at — 
 a most disquieting conclusion. . . . 
 
 We were cheerfully turning about 
 in a circle in this hole of ours — and 
 only the devil knew why. 
 
 I at once ordered the exhaust pumps 
 
 [175] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 to begin their work. They took up 
 their purring song, it is true — but in 
 a lighter key and with an empty note. 
 The pumps had no effect. We contin- 
 ued to stick in the mud — we did not 
 move an inch. 
 
 This seemed to be the last straw, 
 and I must say none of us was any 
 too cheerful about the matter. 
 
 In the meantime we had sunk still 
 deeper — according to the manometer. 
 But now the revolving motion ceased 
 and we lay perfectly quiet. 
 
 I once more gave the command — 
 most energetically — to rise at once. 
 
 The pumps began to purr again, but 
 once more they ran empty. 
 
 So that was no good. 
 
 We should have to proceed with quiet 
 deliberation, otherwise we should still 
 be in the same spot to-morrow. 
 
 [176] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 After a good deal of working about, 
 Engineer Klees finally succeeded in 
 making the pumps act. 
 
 They began to force the water out 
 of the tanks with a deep, hoarse note. 
 They were working! Our eyes were 
 fixed as if fascinated upon the index 
 of the manometer. Hurrah! We were 
 getting free, we were mounting. The 
 indicator pointed to 49 meters. . . . 
 Then once more I thought I could 
 hardly believe my eyes. What the 
 devil was up now? . . . The mano- 
 meter suddenly announced 20 meters, 
 then it went back to 49 — then once 
 more sprang up to 20 — and so on and 
 so on. 
 
 Things now began to be really criti- 
 cal. We stared at one another and 
 were at our wits' end. We no longer 
 knew what was the matter with the 
 
 12 
 
 [177] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 boat and everything else — we no longer 
 knew at what depth we were lying. 
 Even the manometer had now gone 
 crazy ! 
 
 In order fully to comprehend what 
 this meant, you must remember that 
 the men in a submerged submarine 
 know nothing and see nothing except 
 what the pointer of the manometer 
 tells them. This is the only thing they 
 can depend upon. When this ceases 
 to function properly, you can only 
 grope about in uncertainty. 
 
 Although our situation had become 
 highly precarious, a stony calm pre- 
 vailed in the boat. We were aware 
 that in case the worst happened, we 
 could still have recourse to the com- 
 pressed air, which would have flung 
 us toward the surface, even though 
 the pumps did not work. 
 
 [178] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 But this measure was not necessary. 
 Klees had been thinking deeply. Then 
 he darted for a lever. There was a 
 rush and a roar of compressed air. 
 The manometer made a wild kick 
 toward 120 meters, and then whirled 
 back to 49 — and the plug of mud which 
 had stopped up the opening of the man- 
 ometer from without was instantly 
 blown away with a whiff of compressed 
 air. 
 
 We also cleared all the exhaust pipes 
 outside through the application of com- 
 pressed air. They had become clogged 
 with slime, which had been stirred up 
 by our dizzy dance. Then the exhaust 
 pumps began to drone in their good 
 old fashion and obediently the Deutsch- 
 land went soaring toward the surface. 
 
 We had lain along the bottom over 
 an hour and a half. 
 
 [179] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 Captain Hinsch came alongside in the 
 Timmins. He was vastly relieved. He 
 had been unable to account for our long 
 submersion, and bad been greatly 
 troubled about us. We must have blun- 
 dered into a kind of pit, in which the 
 sand "ground," as in a mill, and into 
 which we had gradually burrowed 
 through the circular movements which 
 had stirred up the slime and the mud. 
 I now stationed the Timmins at two 
 miles distance, so that she might ob- 
 serve one final and important trial dive. 
 
 I desired to rise to the surface with- 
 out moving forward, so that only the 
 periscope would appear above the sur- 
 face. This is not so easy as it sounds. 
 When the submarine ascends under 
 power with the aid of the diving rud- 
 ders, it is, of course, much easier to 
 assume a certain position, but in this 
 
 [180] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 case the periscopes draw a small wake 
 of foam along the surface and this, 
 under certain circumstances, might 
 prove most treacherous. 
 
 We therefore made the attempt to 
 rise from a greater depth by means of 
 balancing and by exhausting and refill- 
 ing the tanks, in order to float in such 
 a position as merely to show our peri- 
 scopes above water and absolutely ver- 
 tical. 
 
 The attempt was successful. We 
 managed to protude our periscope 
 feelers without attracting the notice 
 of the Timmins which knew, of course, 
 about where we were lying. It was 
 only after the turret had emerged that 
 she saw us. 
 
 I now had the certainty that we 
 were prepared for all eventualities and 
 might attempt to break through with- 
 
 [181] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 out being observed. So we proceeded 
 quietly upon our course, accompanied 
 by the Timmins. Just before the com- 
 ing of dusk, we reached the opening 
 between the two capes. 
 
 [182] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 XII 
 
 BREAKING THROUGH 
 
 The night had already come as we 
 approached the dangerous region. In 
 front of us sparkled the fixed beacon 
 on Cape Henry, while upon our port 
 Cape Charles sent its lightnings 
 through the darkness at brief inter- 
 vals. At the apex of this triangle, we 
 proceeded quietly toward the momen- 
 tous division. 
 
 Suddenly two searchlights upon our 
 starboard flashed across the water. The 
 infernal beams of light ran madly, 
 searching across the dark floods. Me- 
 chanically I counted a few seconds. 
 Then the core of the light pierced full 
 into my eyes. . . . 
 
 [183] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 There was no longer time to dive, 
 and the betraying glare remained fixed 
 upon the Deutschland. 
 
 We two men upon the turret looked 
 at each other for a moment. In this 
 beautiful free illumination our ex- 
 pressions were quite visible. 
 
 Then we saw the two beams of the 
 searchlight, after they had ascertained 
 our presence, sweep twice toward the 
 zenith and suddenly go out. After we 
 had once more accustomed our eyes to 
 the darkness, we discovered two dark 
 craft upon our starboard. They looked 
 like fishing trawlers. 
 
 "The damned villains!" I heard 
 Krapohl murmur at my side. "They 
 have betrayed us!" 
 
 I am sorry to say that he was right. 
 
 For the shaft of a mighty search- 
 light now rose vertically into the air, 
 
 [184] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 obviously as a signal for the English 
 cruisers waiting outside. 
 
 I knew that it was now or never. 
 
 I gave the command: " Clear ship 
 for diving! Submerge to 18 meters." 
 
 "We at once took our course toward 
 the south. 
 
 After half an hour we emerged 
 again, as I wished once more to get 
 my exact bearings. Wr scarcely had 
 time, however, to cast a look around, 
 before we were forced to evade a 
 threatening danger by a rapid dive. 
 For hardly two hundred yards across 
 our bows, we saw the patroling Ameri- 
 can armored cruiser come rushing on. 
 
 The cruiser had also seen these con- 
 spicuous light signals and had come to 
 keep an eye on proceedings along the 
 American three-mile limit. According 
 to the newspaper reports, this armored 
 
 [185] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 cruiser had aeroplanes aboard and had 
 been ordered to carry out certain naval 
 exercises in Chesapeake Bay. I am 
 nevertheless inclined to the opinion 
 that the American Government had or- 
 dered the vessel to patrol the three- 
 mile limit in order to observe what 
 happened when we made for the sea. 
 I am also personally firmly convinced 
 that the splendid spirit which pre- 
 vails among the officers and crew of 
 the American Navy would have re- 
 sulted in this cruiser taking energetic 
 action against any violation of the in- 
 ternational limits, and not contented 
 itself with mere observation. 
 
 That such a violation was not by any 
 means impossible, and that it was pre- 
 vented upon this memorable night 
 merely by the resolute attitude of this 
 American warship, appears the more 
 
 [186] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 probable from the following circum- 
 stance: Some days before our depart- 
 ure, an English cruiser had passed 
 Cape Henry at night during a fog, had 
 gone searching about the whole of 
 Chesapeake Bay in the most shameless 
 manner, and then, without disclosing 
 its identity, had steamed away. 
 
 In the meantime, we had forced our 
 boat into the depths with a great list 
 forward. We rose to the surface only 
 after the rumble of the screws of the 
 American vessel had died away in the 
 distance. 
 
 We knew that the most dangerous 
 moment of our entire voyage was now 
 approaching. We once more marked 
 our exact position, and then proceeded 
 to make all the preparations necessary 
 for our breaking through. 
 
 Then we dived and drove forward. 
 
 [187] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 All our senses were keyed to the ut- 
 most, our nerves taut to the breaking- 
 point with that cold excitement which 
 sends quivers through one's soul, the 
 while outwardly one remains quite se- 
 rene, governed by that clear and icy 
 deliberation which is apt to possess a 
 man who is fully conscious of the un- 
 known perils toward which he goes. . . . 
 
 We knew our path. We had already 
 been informed that fishermen had been 
 hired to spread their nets along cer- 
 tain stretches of the three-mile limit; 
 nets in which we were supposed to en- 
 tangle ourselves ; nets into which devil- 
 ish mines had very likely been 
 woven. . . . 
 
 Possibly these nets were merely at- 
 tached to buoys which we were then 
 supposed to drag along after us, thus 
 betraying our position. . . . 
 
 [188] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 We were prepared for all emergen- 
 cies, so that in case of extreme 
 necessity we should be able to free 
 ourselves of the nets. But all went 
 well. 
 
 It was a dark night. Quietly and 
 peacefully the lighthouses upon the 
 two capes sent forth their light, the 
 while a few miles further out death lay 
 lowering for us in every imaginable 
 form. 
 
 But while the English ships were 
 racing up and down, jerking their 
 searchlights across the waters and 
 searching again and again in every im- 
 aginable spot, they little surmised that, 
 at times within the radius of their own 
 shadows, a periscope pursued its silent 
 way, and under this periscope — the 
 U-Deutschland. 
 
 That night at twelve o'clock, after 
 
 [189] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 hours of indescribable tension, I gave 
 the command to rise. 
 
 We Had Broken Through! 
 
 Slowly the Deutschland rose to the 
 surface, the tanks were blown out and 
 the Diesel engines flung into their 
 gearing. At our highest speed we 
 now went rushing toward the free 
 Atlantic. Behind us to the northwest 
 the Britishers were still searching the 
 waters with whole sheaves of search- 
 lights. I dare say they must have got 
 very nervous toward the end. 
 
 [190] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 XIII 
 
 HOMEWARD BOUND 
 
 Never before had the Deutschland 
 traveled at such speed as during those 
 early morning hours of the 3rd of 
 August. She swept onward in a won- 
 derful way, flinging up a broad strip 
 of foam to either side. The engines 
 chanted in most beautiful harmony; 
 the combustion was perfect and there 
 was not the slightest vapor visible at 
 the exhausts, so that even Mr. Kissling 
 himself w r as highly satisfied, and al- 
 most went so far in an access of uncon- 
 scious tenderness as to stroke the rods 
 of his beloved motors. 
 
 "When the sun rose, the coast had 
 long since vanished in the gray mist, 
 
 [191] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 and there was not a single craft visible. 
 We remained on the surface and went 
 rushing on like the very devil! Ah! 
 for how much we have to thank our 
 engines. When we reached Baltimore, 
 after our long arduous trip they were 
 still in the best of condition. Not a 
 single repair was necessary and we 
 might have started on the return trip 
 at once without overhauling. Nor must 
 it be forgotten that our engines were 
 forced to work under the most extraor- 
 dinary conditions, conditions such as 
 those resulting from the dreadful tem- 
 perature in the Gulf Stream which 
 made the most unexpected demands 
 upon the entire materiel. It may be 
 calmly asserted that never before have 
 oil motors had to undergo a working 
 test under an outer temperature of 
 53° Celsius. These things, of course, 
 
 [192] 
 
© Int. Press Exchange 
 
 Captain KoNig and Dr. Alfred Lohmann, Presi- 
 dent of the German Ocean Navigation Co., 
 Leaving Reception Given Captain 
 K(")\k; i.\ Bremen 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 could not be foreseen when our spe- 
 cial type of engine was built, and that 
 they never once went on strike, nor 
 developed the slightest engine trou- 
 ble, constitutes the most perfect proof 
 of their magnificent construction and 
 material. 
 
 So we went plunging along, and all 
 too soon we once more found ourselves 
 in the hot, humid atmosphere and turbid 
 air of the Gulf Stream. We were once 
 more in the thick of its beautiful char- 
 acteristics and the accompanying phe- 
 nomena. We were once more treated to 
 sultry dampness and electrically laden 
 air, to an excited sea, to battened-down 
 hatches and infernal heat. And the old 
 Stream did not even consent to shove 
 us, as we certainly had the right to 
 expect. 
 
 But all these hardships we bore with 
 
 13 [ 193 ] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 a cheerful spirit, for the danger-zone 
 lay behind us and we were homeward 
 bound. The high seas also dwindled 
 away the closer we approached the lim- 
 its of the Gulf Stream. 
 
 On the evening of the second day 
 it already became possible to open all 
 the hatches on the deck, but we had 
 hardly begun to enjoy the fresh, pure 
 air which was to make our stay beneath 
 decks endurable, than there came the 
 sudden command: " Cover hatches and 
 dive!" 
 
 A steamer had come up and had ap- 
 proached us so closely and along the 
 lines of our own course that we were 
 no longer able to evade it above water. 
 
 When we climbed to the surface an 
 hour later, the night had come, and we 
 experienced a most marvellous natural 
 phenomena, a sea-illumination of 
 
 [194] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 daemonian unreality. We had gone 
 down into the depths during a quiet 
 sea and in dark water, but on rising 
 we emerged in a sea of flame. A phos- 
 phorescent glow now possessed the sea, 
 of an intensity and radiance such as 
 I had never before experienced in all 
 my life; and such as is possible only 
 upon the outer confines of the Gulf 
 Stream. 
 
 When we were still some four yards 
 under the surface, during our ascent, 
 it seemed as if we were working up 
 through an incandescent medium of 
 luminous transparency. Shortly be- 
 fore the turret emerged from the water, 
 I had cast a glance aft, and seen the 
 entire body of the ship, from the stern 
 on, slipping like a great dark shuttle 
 through this flaming element. The 
 screws cast up whirlpools of flame, 
 
 [195] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 and the entire movement of the vessel 
 roused the surrounding waters to a 
 still fiercer phosphorescence, an intens- 
 ive flaming-up and a darting of sparks 
 and strips of fire. 
 
 A fresh breeze had set in. It flung 
 the ecstatic waters in luminous sphe- 
 roids, and a coruscating rain across the 
 entire deck. Wherever the eye rested 
 upon the surface of the sea it saw 
 nothing but a tossing world of lambent 
 waves, through which our vessel 
 ploughed a fiery furrow. 
 
 We stood as if under the ban of 
 wizardry. The magic splendor of the 
 vision increased as the wind and the 
 sea grew stronger. 
 
 All the men not on duty came up 
 and stared at the fairy spectacle, 
 taking no notice of the seas which 
 already had begun to sweep over the 
 
 1. 196 1 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 deck. Many of them were soaked to 
 the skin. 
 
 "Fire it may be, but it puts out a 
 man's pipe," remarked our gigantic 
 boatswain, Humke. A spurt of brine 
 had extinguished his pipe for the third 
 time, so that he now determined to pro- 
 tect his beloved cutty by stowing it in 
 his pocket. 
 
 The "fire" grew wetter and wetter, 
 and in another half hour only the 
 officer of the watch and the lookout 
 remained on the turret. 
 
 After we had left the Gulf Stream, 
 we encountered a stiff northwester 
 and a heavy sea until we once more 
 ran into fair weather. On one of 
 these evenings, First Officer Krapohl 
 was standing watch with Humke upon 
 the turret, and ceaselessly sweeping 
 the horizon with the glass. The paling 
 
 [197] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 heavens had already merged into the 
 dusky reaches of the sea. 
 
 " Light ahead!" Humke suddenly 
 announced. 
 
 "I've already seen that star myself," 
 remarked the officer quietly, letting the 
 glass sink. 
 
 "Well, I dunno, Herr Krapohl, but 
 that ain't no star," replied our good 
 sailorman. 
 
 The two thereupon reported to me, 
 and I ascended the turret, full of ex- 
 pectation. I took the glass, looked, 
 and then laughed. 
 
 " Humke, you are mistaken." 
 
 For, fairly high above the horizon, 
 I saw a faint, white light which, 
 had it belonged to a ship, would 
 already have stood too high above the 
 sea-level, judging by its degree of 
 luminosity. 
 
 [198] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 Our boatswain, however, insisted 
 upon his own opinion. 
 
 "Beggin' your pardon, Cap'n, it 
 ain't a star." 
 
 I handed the glass to Humke, but 
 he at once put it down again, and re- 
 marked : 
 
 "A man can't see well with them 
 there things." 
 
 He then contracted his brows, sent 
 another piercing glance toward the 
 light, and said, with deep conviction: 
 
 "All the same, it ain't a star, it's a 
 light." 
 
 We kept the thing under very sharp 
 observation. At length I began to see 
 through the glass a red glow growing 
 visible beside the white light. We now 
 knew that a steamer was coming 
 toward us. 
 
 I at first took it to be a small ves- 
 
 [199] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 sel, the more so as at first the height 
 of the two lights was not greatly dif- 
 ferentiated — that is to say, the red 
 portlight of the steamer was hung not 
 very far below the white light. Soon 
 after, however, I was surprised to see 
 how quickly the red light ranged out- 
 ward, or rather how quickly the inter- 
 val of space between the two lights 
 appeared to increase. 
 
 There was only one conclusion pos- 
 sible — the vessel was approaching us 
 at a most extraordinary speed. 
 
 While I was still deliberating over 
 this point, and already thinking of a 
 swift destroyer, I discovered, at a com- 
 paratively great distance, behind the 
 two lights, something that looked like 
 a white, moving glow, or a feebly illu- 
 minated wave. 
 
 We were unable to make out what 
 
 [ 200 ] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 this might mean. It was obvious that 
 this wave must belong to the lights, 
 for it came on at the same speed. And 
 we were right, for it did not take long 
 before we saw trembling in the glass 
 like some dim foreboding the gigantic 
 outlines of a huge steamer, which, with 
 mighty upper works, came rushing 
 on through the darkness. The white 
 glow was merely its wake which, true 
 to the colossal proportions of the 
 ship, became visible only at a con- 
 siderable distance from the ship's lan- 
 terns. 
 
 We kept staring for a few moments 
 longer and discovered four towering 
 smoke-stacks. We were now certain 
 that this was a large Cunarder, which 
 was roaring along with masked lights, 
 merely carrying a top-light and the 
 side-lights. 
 
 [201] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 It was really a most spectral appa- 
 rition. The dark and powerful vessel 
 went chasing on through the night, and 
 it was not necessary to be particu- 
 larly romantic in order to think of 
 the Flying Dutchman. Our good 
 Humke expressed his feelings in the 
 words : 
 
 "My, what a buster I" 
 
 "Full speed ahead and rudder hard 
 to starboard." 
 
 We thus left the course of the proud 
 Cunarder. All the men of the off-watch 
 came up on deck in order to have a 
 peep at the spectacle. 
 
 In spite of the most vigilant look- 
 out, we saw absolutely nothing during 
 the next few days. The weather like- 
 wise remained fair, and so our return 
 home, even more than our outward 
 voyage, began to assume the character 
 
 [202] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 of a peaceful, uneventful mercantile 
 voyage. 
 
 We now seemed for the first time to 
 be able to enjoy the convenient and 
 practical inner arrangement of the 
 boat, the cabins, and our cheerful little 
 mess-room. How often, as we sat about 
 the table in the mess-room and set the 
 gramophone going, did we feel a sud- 
 den gratitude toward the men who had 
 not only given the ship her seaworthy 
 form, but also devised all the many 
 little conveniences which permitted us 
 to lead a quite tolerable life even be- 
 low the levels of the sea. 
 
 When our worthy and flaxen-haired 
 steward, Stucke, always with the same 
 solemn expression upon his honest 
 face, always looking a little astonished, 
 would place a bottle of Californian 
 claret before us, while we were lying 
 
 [203] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 " somewhere" along the bottom of the 
 sea, with a vigorous Channel wind 
 blowing many meters over our heads- 
 strange thoughts were ours. It re- 
 quired no particular fantasy to imag- 
 ine ourselves the successors of Captain 
 Nemo, who, in an extremely modern 
 Nautilus were able to descend to all 
 depths and to deliver a stinging blow 
 against the injustice and rank arro- 
 gance of a certain people — provided, 
 of course, that one had read Jules 
 Verne. 
 
 For I must at last make a confes- 
 sion, something which, up to now, I 
 had kept locked as a fearful secret in 
 my breast. It was only as the com- 
 mander of a submarine merchant ves- 
 sel, upon my return from America, 
 that I was able to make good a serious 
 deficiency in my education. That which 
 
 [204] 
 
Voyage of the Deutscliland 
 
 I had neglected in my youth I was 
 able to take up only now at the age of 
 49 years. For the first time, in the 
 hull of the TJ -Deutscliland it was de- 
 creed that I make myself acquainted 
 with Jules Verne. 
 
 It was due to the courtesy and at- 
 tentiveness of an American friend that 
 I had at Baltimore become the recip- 
 ient of a book; a book — how shall I 
 express myself? — intended as a spur 
 to incentive, to emulation. The book 
 bore the title: 
 
 " Twenty Thousand Leagues Under 
 the Sea. For Young People." 
 
 I read it with interest. 
 
 The other events that transpired 
 upon our homeward voyage are soon 
 told. We proceeded calmly and peace- 
 fully upon our way. We evaded sev- 
 
 [205] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 eral steamers at a greater distance, by 
 making a detour upon the surface, 
 which gradually made us experts in 
 this matter. The weather was, for the 
 most part, good. Once there was fog 
 and a smooth sea. 
 
 One afternoon, as I sat at the desk 
 in my cabin in order to work, I heard 
 from the neighboring central a com- 
 mand given by the helmsman. It was 
 "Starboard, 20," and was repeated. 
 Immediately afterwards came the com- 
 mand: "Port, 10," which induced me 
 to hurry on deck before I received the 
 report of the officer on watch. 
 
 Here a singular spectacle presented 
 itself. Everywhere, as far as the eye 
 could reach, the sea was covered with 
 a field of black oil-barrels, through 
 which we were forced to worm our 
 way. 
 
 [206] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 The first glimpse of these black and 
 eerie things, bobbing up and down upon 
 the waves, made one think of a mine- 
 field, but the characteristic form of the 
 barrels and their contents, which had 
 partly distributed itself over the water, 
 gave ample testimony of their harmless- 
 ness. We were, nevertheless, obliged 
 to exercise considerable caution in 
 steering through this remarkable plan- 
 tation, but the field was too vast 
 for us to avoid without a consider- 
 able loss of time. The number of 
 barrels which came within the circle 
 of our vision we estimated as at least 
 1,000. 
 
 "This is fine practice," exclaimed 
 Krapohl, "for the elegant movements 
 we shall be obliged to make later, when 
 we go snaking our way through the 
 English mine-fields. I think we might 
 
 [207] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 risk the return passage through the 
 English Channel." 
 
 So we went zigzagging on at half 
 speed to port, then to starboard, then 
 to port, for over an hour. We also saw 
 wrack from a ship, so that we assumed 
 that some steamer had met with a dis- 
 aster or been blown up. 
 
 We now approached once more the 
 sphere of the English patrol-boats. 
 The lookouts were doubled and all 
 hands stood at the diving-stations. 
 Now and again we saw vessels whose 
 vigilance we escaped by diving or a 
 change of course. One war vessel, ap- 
 parently a small English cruiser, we 
 cheated out of the possibility of even 
 seeing us by a swift dive. After pro- 
 ceeding under water for an hour, we 
 once more rose toward the surface, 
 only to have the periscope reveal to us 
 
 [208] 
 
Celebration at City Hall, Bremen, 
 August 25, 1916 
 
 in fronl numbered many thousands. The officer 
 on the balcony, acknowledging cheers 
 
 and crew 
 
© L. I. Z 
 
 Portrait of Officers and Crew of the 
 " Deutschland " 
 
 Taken on their arrival, at the mouth of the Weser, 
 August 2::. 1916 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 while- still at a depth of 11 meters 
 another English ship. We at once 
 sank to 20 meters, and this game of 
 hide and seek was repeated three times 
 in succession. 
 
 Toward noon we climbed to the top 
 for good, blew out the tanks and forged 
 ahead at full speed. 
 
 Favored by good weather, we rap- 
 idly approached our goal. On an 
 evening in August, about 8 o'clock, 
 we saw a whole circle of white lights 
 surrounding the entire horizon. 
 
 I naturally began to fear that we 
 were surrounded. When we turned to 
 starboard, we saw these infernal lights. 
 When we turned to port, they also 
 popped up there. 
 
 However, our good Zeiss glasses 
 soon relieved us of the anxiety of fall- 
 ing into a trap at the last moment, 
 
 14 [ 209 ] 
 
Voyage of the Deatsehland 
 
 almost in view of home. The twilight 
 was still sufficiently clear to enable us 
 to see by the outlines of these sinister 
 vessels that they were in reality noth- 
 ing more deadly than Dutch herring 
 loggers. 
 
 [210] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 XIV 
 
 HOME AGAIN 
 
 A favorable following wind drove 
 along with us toward home. About 
 six o'clock one August morning, there 
 was once more an alarm. In the far- 
 off distance, something had popped up, 
 something which looked like a boat's 
 sail of a most remarkable form. On 
 approaching closer, this sail revealed 
 itself as the turret of a U-boat, which, 
 with flooded decks, was churning along 
 its way. 
 
 Although we were at first inclined 
 to make various edifying and instruc- 
 tive remarks with regard to this pe- 
 culiar image which presented itself to 
 us from the distance, and to expatiate 
 
 [211] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 upon our own appearance at three 
 nautical miles, there was nevertheless 
 something else of far greater moment 
 for us to consider. The question for 
 us was — was this an English or a Ger- 
 man submarine? 
 
 We preferred, however, in order to 
 make sure of all eventualities, to show 
 as little of ourselves as possible, and 
 to scuttle away beneath at the last 
 moment. 
 
 We had already flooded all tanks 
 except No. 3, and the seas were 
 flinging across the decks and splashing 
 against the turret, and the turret itself 
 was already cutting into the green 
 waters, when a well-known signal was 
 hoisted by the submarine and we were 
 reassured of its being German. We at 
 once sent our answer. 
 
 And then the command rang out : 
 
 [212] 
 
Voyage of the Deutscliland 
 
 " Exhaust with air blast!" 
 
 I had never given an order upon the 
 Deutscliland with a more joyous heart. 
 And never was an order more joyously 
 carried out after I had shouted down 
 into the central: " Hurrah, the first 
 German submarine's in sight!" 
 
 What did it matter that we stood 
 upon the turret, still awash with oil 
 and sea-water, or that the spray shot 
 over us — what did it matter? There, 
 across the North Sea, the first greet- 
 ing of Germany, of our great Father- 
 land, came rushing on. We forged 
 ahead at full speed. All hands were 
 on deck, and in a short time both ves- 
 sels lay within calling distance of each 
 other. 
 
 The first deafening hurrahs came 
 roaring over to us, and we answered 
 them with equal power. 
 
 [213] 
 
Voyage of the Beutschland 
 
 Then we exchanged greetings and 
 news, after which our paths once more 
 separated — we toward home — TJ-X to 
 its work. 
 
 The day drew to its close and the 
 night came down once more. 
 
 So we swept onward, without a light 
 on deck, without a light in the turret, 
 like some dark phantom. 
 
 Then, on the following morning, as 
 the sun arose, we saw before us in the 
 distance an unmistakable silhouette 
 which glimmered redly through the 
 veils of mist. It was an island, a bul- 
 wark in the North Sea. Heligoland 
 lay before us. 
 
 Things soon began to grow lively 
 upon the waters. Torpedo-boats came 
 rushing up, vanguard patrols puffed 
 along, flag signals flew into the air, the 
 wireless crackled. Everywhere mes- 
 
 [214] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 sages and greetings came flying toward 
 us, and then the iron ring of the Ger- 
 man fleet which holds its trusty watch 
 out there upon the seas, closed about 
 our little Deutschland. Under its pro- 
 tection we now steered past Heligoland 
 toward our own home port. While we 
 were already approaching the well- 
 known waters, and before the low 
 sandy stretches of the home coast came 
 into view, we were treated to a spec- 
 tacle of overwhelming magnificence — 
 a greeting such as had never been on 
 land or sea — and carried out with the 
 most amazing dash. 
 
 We saw two immense birds lift 
 themselves from the land. They were 
 two hydroplanes, which came on at ter- 
 rific speed and then alighted like two 
 gigantic water-fowl upon the lightly 
 heaving swell. They then shot, slightly 
 
 [215] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 skimming the surface of the sea with 
 their floats, to within a stone's throw 
 of the Deutschland. Here they made a 
 lightning turn and came rattling past 
 us, turned again and then literally 
 hopped over us, roaring close above 
 our turret with a shouting of hurrahs 
 and a swinging of caps. . . . 
 
 Such was our reception by the 
 3 r oungest arm of the German Navy. 
 
 Comparisons are odious. 
 
 But as we once more neared the Ger- 
 man coast, and felt ourselves sur- 
 rounded by the protecting arm of the 
 German navy, it was impossible for 
 me to help comparing this with our 
 arrival in America. 
 
 Surely no ona could have been re- 
 ceived more heartily nor with greater 
 enthusiasm than we had been by the 
 Americans. An easygoing and care- 
 
 [ 216 ] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 free people had taken pleasure in a 
 daring, adventurous act, and had ex- 
 pressed its sympathy for an enterprise 
 that was novel and unheard-of, and 
 which called for men. 
 
 But here we were more than daring 
 and successful adventurers. Here our 
 own people once more took us to their 
 hearts as peaceful combatants in their 
 glorious struggle. Here was revealed 
 to us the inspiring vision of their 
 power beneath the sea, upon the sea, 
 and in the air. This was to me the 
 significance of that splendid greeting 
 given us by the airmen. This is what 
 I felt when we were convoyed by the 
 patrol boats to the estuary of the 
 Weser, where we cast anchor before 
 the Hohen Weg lighthouse — once more 
 in German ground. 
 
 [217] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 XV 
 
 HOW GERMANY WELCOMED 
 US BACK 
 
 From the roads of Heligoland to the 
 estuary of the Weser we had been wel- 
 comed by the navy, but on the voyage 
 up the Weser, and in Bremen, we were 
 welcomed by an entire people. 
 
 On the afternoon of August 23d the 
 Deutschland had cast anchor at the 
 Weser 's mouth. The wires had at 
 once spread the tidings through the 
 entire German Empire, the longed-for 
 tidings which awakened such un- 
 bounded joy. 
 
 We were surprised and proud to 
 learn that the arrival of the Deutsch- 
 land had been made the occasion of a 
 
 [ 218 ] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 festal day for the entire German peo- 
 ple, and that a reception was preparing 
 for our little boat along the banks of 
 the Weser such as had seldom fallen 
 to the lot of a fortunate ship. Our 
 journey up the Weser shaped itself 
 to a triumphal progress beyond all 
 comparison. Behind the hundreds of 
 thousands who had come to cheer us 
 from the banks of the river stood in- 
 visible millions of the German people, 
 all imbued with the same emotion. 
 
 This expressed itself everywhere in 
 exuberant manifestations of joy and 
 pride, by old and young, by high and 
 low — from the German Kaiser to the 
 humblest dock-laborer and the tiniest 
 cabin-boy who waved his little flag in 
 Bremen and shouted out of sheer de- 
 light. 
 
 Among all the expressions of ecstatic 
 
 [219] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 joy with which we were deluged, I was 
 particularly moved by one — a stirring 
 poem which was sent to me by Hans 
 Dowidat, Chief Stoker aboard the 
 Posen, the day after our arrival : 
 
 "U-DEUTSCHLAND" 
 
 Das war em Jubel von Ohr zu Ohr, 
 Ein deutsches U-Boot in Baltimore, 
 Ein deutsches U-Boot gefahrumstellt, 
 Tragt deutsche Waren von Welt zn "Welt ! 
 Und wie auch der Brite die Tat verdreht 
 Und wie sie alle geflucht und geschniaht ; 
 Stolz flatterte dennoch die Flagge empor 
 Am deutschen U-Boot in Baltimore ! 
 
 >> 
 
 1 1 Good day, Kaptan, woher die Fahrt ? ' ' 
 "Wir kommen von Bremen, sind deutsche Art 
 "Von Deutschland! Well, das nenn' ich kiihn, 
 Ja, liess euch der Brite denn ruhig ziehn ! ' ' 
 "Was kehrt uns Franzen- und Britenlug? 
 Wir fahren, wo Wasser um unseren Bug, 
 Wir fahren, wo Wasser um unser Deck 
 Und wissen von keinem Britenschreck ! 
 
 [220] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 Doch ist es dir recht, so machen wir, 
 Freund Yankee, jetzt ein Geschaft mit dir. 
 Wir bringen so manches, was Uncle Sam 
 Sehon lange nicht mehr in sein Land beldam." 
 "Well, das ist gut, ich sage yes; 
 Denn business bleibt business ! ' ' 
 
 Da hub sich geschaftiges Leben am Kai, 
 Gewichtige Krane rollten herbei, 
 Die schrien und kreischten und summten dumpf , 
 Die tauchten hinein in des Schiffes Rumpf 
 Und hoben die Werte, die deutscbe Hand, 
 tiber — und unter das Meer gesandt. 
 Das war ein Larmen, das war ein Klang 
 In Bunker und Zelle, in Last und Tank, 
 Und draussen das Volk von Amerika, 
 Staunend das deutsche Wunder sah ! — 
 
 Leer die Bunker und leer die Last, 
 
 Wieder hebt sich larmende Hast, 
 
 Doch der Kran, der nun in das Boot sich taucht, 
 
 Tragt fremde Waren, die Deutschland braucht ! — 
 
 So sehafften die Deutschen in Baltimore — 
 Franzosen, Russen und Briten im Chor 
 Schwuren mit einem grasslichen Schwur 
 Niemals lenkt heimwarts das Boot die Spur, 
 
 [221] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 "Wo wir es treffen im Meeresrund, 
 Muss es mit Mann und Maus anf den Grand!" 
 Sie haben den Hafen mit Schiffen umsaumt, 
 Sie haben von kostlichem Fange getraumt, 
 Sie haben geharrt und haben gewacht, 
 Sie haben gelauert bei Tag und Nacht 
 Und hatten nur eins, nur eins im Sinn, 
 Die "Deutschland" darf nicht nach Deutsch- 
 land hin ! 
 
 Es ging die Zeit, und es kam der Tag, 
 Da klar zur Reise * * U-Deutschland " lag. 
 Und wie die Hebel auf "Fahrt" gestellt, 
 Da lauschte mit stockendem Atem die Welt! 
 All unsre Feinde in West and Ost, 
 Sie harrten nur einer, nur einer Post : 
 "Das Boot, das uns so sehr gekrankt, 
 Liegt auf dem Meeresgrund versenkt!" 
 
 Doch die "Deutschland" fuhr und all ihr 
 
 Geschrei, 
 All ihre Schwiire verflogen wie Spreu. 
 Die "Deutschland" fuhr, und keine Gewalt 
 Bot ihrem ruhmreiehen Wege halt ! 
 Wohl ging noch oftmals die Sonne auf, 
 Es riehten sieh Tage zum Wochenlauf. 
 Frug mancher sorgend im deutschen Land : 
 Wann endlich kehrt sie zum Heimatstrand % 
 
 [222] 
 
Voyage of the Deutscliland 
 
 Und nun kam der Tag, und nun fliegt das Wort 
 Durch hundert Millionen Kehlen fort, 
 Das Wort, das nimmer verklingt und verjahrt: 
 " 'U-Deutschland,' 'U-Deutschland' ist heimge- 
 kehrt! ,, 
 
 Hans Dowidat, 
 Oberheizer auf S. M. S. "Posen." 
 Wohnschiff "Agir." 
 
 Early on the morning of August 25th 
 the Deutscliland began her pageant- 
 like progress up the Weser. The rain 
 came down in streams, but nothing 
 was able to disturb the general air of 
 jubilation as we went on our way, ac- 
 companied by a convoy of steamers, 
 and our masts and turret decorated 
 with flowers. Toward 8 o'clock in the 
 morning we arrived in the roadstead 
 of Bremerhaven. 
 
 Dun-colored clouds hung low in the 
 skies and let fall their heavy showers 
 upon the thousands who stood along 
 
 [223] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 the dykes or came to meet us on steam- 
 ers, lighters, launches and in row- 
 boats. 
 
 Thunderous hurrahs came echoing 
 to us from the city, and the chime of 
 bells mingled with these shouts and 
 cheers. But high over everything else 
 we heard the strains of the song 
 ' ' Deutschland, Deutschland iiber Alles. ' ' 
 That song was precisely 75 years old 
 upon this day. 
 
 We took a Weser pilot aboard and 
 continued on our way. In Norden- 
 ham, Brake and Blumenthal we were 
 greeted with flags, with crashing sal- 
 voes of guns — factories and steam 
 sirens sent up their roaring salutes. 
 The Lloyd steamers bid us welcome 
 and flag-wagged us their felicitations 
 for which we thanked them in like 
 fashion. We passed Vegesack. The 
 
 [224] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 work at the Vulcan Docks was stand- 
 ing still, and hundreds of workmen 
 crowded the quays. Their thunderous 
 hurrahs greeted us, and from now on 
 our advance became more and more 
 triumphal. The population of Vege- 
 sack stood assembled along the piers 
 and the river banks. Here too, there 
 was music and song, a thunder of guns 
 and a storm of cheers. The ranks grew 
 steadily denser the nearer the ship ap- 
 proached its home haven. Shortly be- 
 fore noon we reached Lankenau, whose 
 lagoon seemed crowded with all the 
 inhabitants of Bremen, who seemed to 
 have chosen it as a coign of vantage. 
 We saw the people, a veritable sea of 
 heads, waving their hats, umbrellas 
 and handkerchiefs. The spectacle was 
 simply indescribable, this apparently 
 endless multitude, these thousands 
 
 15 [ 225 ] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 upon thousands, like a black and liv- 
 ing sea across which there passed a 
 tidal motion of waving umbrellas, glim- 
 mering white muslin and hands, hands, 
 hands. . . . 
 
 Precisely at noon the Deutschland 
 entered the free harbor and made fast 
 to the pier, which was decorated in 
 festal manner. 
 
 Here the Grand Duke of Oldenburg, 
 Representatives of the Senate, and the 
 citizens, and of the military and civic 
 authorities — among them Count Zeppe- 
 lin — were assembled to receive us. 
 
 As soon as the ship was made fast, 
 I ordered the crew on deck. Herr 
 Alfred Lohmann, the founder and 
 president of the Deutsche Reederei 
 Gesellschaft, greeted us as follows: 
 
 "Your Highness! Your Magnifi- 
 cence! Your Excellencies! Gentle- 
 
 [226] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 men ! At this historical moment, which 
 marks the return of the world's first 
 submarine, after covering 8,500 nauti- 
 cal miles, I welcome to their home 
 haven our Deutschland and her gallant 
 crew. I welcome them, not only in the 
 name of our Company, but in the name 
 of the entire German nation. 
 
 "She stole out of the Weser, her 
 existence known only to a trusted few, 
 she crept through and underneath the 
 English fleet, and on the 10th of July 
 she brought her valuable cargo of dye- 
 stuffs safe into Baltimore. Her arrival 
 was a surprise to the w T hole world. 
 Only a short time before her appear- 
 ance even shipping experts had pro- 
 nounced such an undertaking to be im- 
 possible. 
 
 "It was particularly agreeable to me 
 to be assured of the warm interest and 
 
 [227] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 satisfaction with which the Deutsch- 
 land's arrival in America was greeted 
 by all true Americans — that is to say, 
 by all Americans possessed of the free 
 spirit of Washington and Franklin, all 
 whose judgment had not been warped 
 by subservience to the English mam- 
 mon. 
 
 "Our Company takes pride in the 
 thought that it has succeeded, in the 
 very midst of war, in sending dye- 
 stuffs to America under the German 
 flag. America herself, on the contrary, 
 is not even able to secure the immunity 
 of her post from Europe. I fohall not 
 mention the many other breaches of 
 international and naval law committed 
 against the neutrals, and especially the 
 smaller nations, by our enemies. 
 
 "Yes, the crew of the Deutschland 
 have done a great work. If the ship 
 
 [228] 
 
Voyage of the BeutscMand 
 
 gave no warning of her setting-out, 
 none the less her departure from Balti- 
 more was openly announced. 'It was 
 like a triumphal procession,' wrote 
 Havas. 'It was a symbol of freedom/ 
 we Germans think, dreaming of the 
 'Right of the Nations to the Freedom 
 of the Seas.' 
 
 "Our enemies could not hinder the 
 Deutschland's departure from Chesa- 
 peake Bay, and a blockade of the 
 North Sea did not exist for her. The 
 goods which lie before us at this mo- 
 ment, goods worth many millions of 
 marks, all brought from America by 
 the Deutschland, are sufficient proof of 
 that. 
 
 "The officers and crew have per- 
 formed a feat of seamanship which is 
 worthy of our Hanseatic forefathers! 
 The news of the return of the Deutsch- 
 
 [229] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 land has been received with the live- 
 liest joy in all the states of the German 
 Empire, and in the countries of our 
 faithful allies. But especially deep is 
 the feeling of our brothers out in the 
 trenches and in the Navy. 
 
 "The Company has awaited this re- 
 turn with an absolute confidence in the 
 ability, the foresight and the sense of 
 duty of the Deutschland' s crew. After 
 these trying weeks of close confinement 
 to this little ship, always face to face 
 with ruthless enemies, I bid them all 
 a hearty welcome home. 
 
 "And I give expression to the grati- 
 tude we feel by calling for three cheers 
 for the Deutschland, her Commander, 
 Captain Konig, the officers and the 
 crew! Hurrah! hurrah! hurrah!" 
 
 I answered with a short: "Long live 
 the Senate and the citizenry of the 
 
 [230] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 Free Hansa City of Bremen" — lustily 
 supported by my men. 
 
 Patriotic airs came to us from a 
 neighboring Lloyd steamer, the Frank- 
 furt — after which we went on land and 
 were presented one after the other to 
 the guests of honor. The reception was 
 simple and dignified, and therefore the 
 more edifying. 
 
 After overcoming a distance of some 
 8,450 nautical miles, of which not more 
 than 190 were covered under water, the 
 first of all merchant submarines had 
 come back to its native port. The 
 TJ-Deutschland's voyage to America 
 was over. 
 
 On the evening of this memorable 
 day, a big state banquet took place in 
 the old Eathaus at Bremen. It was 
 
 [231] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 given by the Senate of the City in 
 celebration of the return of the 
 Deutschland. The speeches made upon 
 this occasion give a brief outline of 
 the circumstances which led to the 
 building of the Deutschland. It will 
 therefore prove interesting to quote 
 them here. 
 
 Burgomaster Dr. Barkhausen had 
 bidden the guests welcome with hospi- 
 table words, had communicated a reso- 
 lution of the Senate to the effect that 
 a special medal was to be struck in 
 commemoration of this day, and had 
 toasted the Deutsche Ocean Reederei 
 and the crew of the Deutschland. 
 
 In the name of the Reederei, or 
 Shipowners, their President, Dr. A. 
 Lohmann, now replied as follows: 
 
 "Your Magnificence, your Excellen- 
 cies, gentlemen! In the name of the 
 
 [232] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 Commander of the Deutschland y Cap- 
 tain Konig, and his officers and crew, 
 I express profound thanks to the high 
 Senate, adding to them those of our 
 Company, for the high honor which 
 the Senate has bestowed upon the crew 
 of the Deutschland, by means of the 
 medal which is to serve as a memento 
 of this peaceful achievement of com- 
 merce in the midst of war. For the 
 appreciative words regarding the ac- 
 tivities of my co-workers and myself, 
 I express my deepest thanks to your 
 Magnificence. Since the beginning of 
 the war, I have gladly and willingly 
 devoted my activities to the welfare of 
 the State. The conviction that our 
 splendid people, despite the over- 
 whelming forces of their enemies, were 
 not to be conquered in this war which 
 they are waging for the sake of their 
 
 [233] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 national independence and freedom, 
 the conviction that the spiritual forces 
 and the trust which animates our en- 
 tire people, that the thorough training 
 undergone since the Wars of Libera- 
 tion, and the natural devotion of duty 
 which has been inherited by every Ger- 
 man, could never be overborne, has 
 been the guiding motive in all my 
 work. And everywhere did I find 
 trusting fellow workers who thought as 
 I did. 
 
 "I therefore wish to express my 
 thanks to all these collaborators of 
 mine. My special gratitude is due to 
 Director Stapelfeldt and to my col- 
 league, Director-General Heineken and 
 Commercial Councillor Herrmann. 
 
 "The Deutsche Ocean Eeederei, as 
 already alluded to by Tour Magnifi- 
 cence, was founded in all secrecy. Its 
 
 [234] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 task was to lie entirely in the trans- 
 portation of goods of the highest value. 
 It was necessary to purchase the raw 
 materials in America with the utmost 
 caution, to store them safely, to secure 
 a safe anchorage for the Deutschland, 
 and protect her from all attacks. This 
 was done in the most admirable way by 
 Mr. Paul G. L. Hilken and his father, as 
 well as Captain Hinsch and his assist- 
 ants. The part played by Captain 
 Konig, his officers and crew, in this 
 project, has already been conveyed to 
 your Magnificence. I, for my part, 
 speaking in the name of the Company, 
 once more wish to express my thanks 
 to my co-workers upon the Deutsch- 
 land. It will interest you, gentlemen, 
 to learn something concerning the his- 
 tory of the Deutsche Ocean Eeederei, 
 and of the evolution of the Deutsch- 
 
 [235] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 land, the Bremen, and their still un- 
 named sister ship. 
 
 "When, in September, 1915, it 
 became clear that, in spite of all the 
 successes of the Central Powers, the 
 war would very likely last for months 
 longer, it became apparent that the 
 question of supplying Germany with 
 rubber and metals might become a 
 burning one. I therefore consulted 
 with the 'Weser' stock company, after 
 having had an interview with a promi- 
 nent expert in shipbuilding. The 
 'Weser' Company expressed itself as 
 ready to draw up plans for a subma- 
 rine of about 500 tons capacity. These 
 plans were delivered to me on the 3rd 
 of October; a period of building was 
 estimated at eleven months — deliver- 
 able on the 1st of September, 1916, 
 since the motors would first have to be 
 
 [236] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 built. It was apparent that we should 
 have to make an effort to attain our 
 goal somewhat earlier. Almost simul- 
 taneously, and without our knowledge, 
 the Germania Docks of Kiel sub- 
 mitted to their parent house, the Fred- 
 erick Krupp Co., plans for the con- 
 struction of a submarine of some 700 
 tons freight capacity — this about the 
 beginning of October. 
 
 "The Germania yard wished to de- 
 liver the first boat in the short time of 
 six months — that is to say, in April. 
 Both these plans expressed absolute 
 assurance in the feasibility of the idea. 
 I would like to compare this conjunc- 
 tion with a happy marriage, in which 
 the same thought animates the man 
 and the woman. The docks were the 
 mother which gave birth to the child; 
 the father was the company, which was 
 
 [237] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 to lead the child forth into the world. 
 The soul and spirit of this infant en- 
 terprise were evidenced through our 
 Captain, his officers and crew, who 
 have fulfilled this splendid achieve- 
 ment of taking the Deutschland to 
 America and back. 
 
 "On the 15th of October, we came to 
 terms, and the two boats were given by 
 the Syndicate to the Germania docks 
 to build. The Deutschland was deliv- 
 ered at the beginning of April. It is 
 a brilliant masterpiece of the Ger- 
 mania docks and, as we are accustomed 
 to expect in all work that bears the 
 name of Frederick Krupp, perfect in 
 its execution. Captain Konig was able 
 to report from America that all was in 
 perfect order after his 4,000-mile trip. 
 The same applies to his report made 
 upon his arrival at Bremen. 
 
 [238] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 "This co-operation between spirit 
 and force, this utilization of all the 
 new and scientific inventions, as well 
 as an elevated sense of duty are the 
 factors that have made the Germania 
 Docks great. To-day when the Deutsch- 
 land has returned to us, we stand face 
 to face with a new achievement in the 
 art of shipbuilding, and for this, too, 
 the German people give thanks to this 
 enterprise. I trust that you will give 
 expression to this feeling by three 
 cheers in honor of the Germania 
 Docks." 
 
 After the next course, Director Zetz- 
 mann, of the Germania Docks, made 
 the following speech: 
 
 "Your Magnificence, your Excellen- 
 cies, gentlemen! I have the honor to 
 express my heartiest thanks to the 
 
 [239] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 Senate — in the name of the Gerraania 
 Docks — for the privilege of participat- 
 ing in this festival. I also wish to ex- 
 press my thanks to my predecessor, 
 Dr. Alfred Lohmann, for the kind 
 things he has said of my firm, in whose 
 name I thank him. Herr Lohmann has 
 told you many interesting things re- 
 garding the evolution of his company. 
 Permit me to give you a few facts 
 from the workshops in which the 
 Deutschland and the Bremen origi- 
 nated. It was not easy to come to the 
 conclusion to undertake the building 
 of such a boat, not because we feared 
 the mechanical difficulties, but because 
 we scarcely ventured to risk tasking 
 our construction bureaus still further, 
 burdened as they already were with 
 war contracts. 
 
 "We at first proceeded to work along 
 
 [240] 
 
Voyage of the DeutscJiland 
 
 the models of the war submarines, 
 thinking this would lessen the labor of 
 construction. We discovered, however, 
 that this did not lead to the desired 
 results as far as cargo capacity and 
 storage room were concerned. We had 
 to proceed on more radical lines — not 
 to develop a freighter from a cruiser — 
 but to create a new type of freighter. 
 "Our constructors now went to work 
 with a fiery enthusiasm, and the plans 
 were soon ready. . . . Herr Krupp 
 von Bohlen declared that a boat of 
 this type could be built and should be 
 built in the shortest possible time, so 
 the Germania Docks were ordered to 
 begin work at once. There were, of 
 course, various inevitable dela}^s. 
 About the middle of October, 1915, we 
 first came in touch with Dr. Alfred 
 Lohmann. From that meeting resulted 
 
 16 [ 241 ] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 the marriage which he has described — 
 war-nuptials as swift as any that the 
 present time has produced. I have but 
 one more thing to say — if we were able 
 to complete this boat in so short a time, 
 it is owing, not only to the head firm, 
 but to all sub-contractors as well. 
 Builders, owners and crews of the 
 ships, all worked harmoniously to- 
 gether. The trial trips went off 
 smoothly. We saw the ship set out 
 upon her trial voyage with the greatest 
 confidence. Our faith has been glori- 
 ously justified. May many such suc- 
 cessful voyages be carried out by the 
 Deutschland and her sister ships for 
 the welfare of our beloved Fatherland 
 and the fame of the venerable Hansa 
 city of Bremen! 
 
 " To-day's festival will remain a life- 
 long memory to all who have taken 
 
 [242] 
 
Voyage of the DeutscMand 
 
 part in it. . . . When the new portion 
 of the Rathaus has become as vener- 
 able as the old, men will relate to each 
 other that the lucky voyage of the first 
 merchant submarine in the world was 
 celebrated within these walls. ..." 
 
 There had been no announcement of 
 a public celebration in the market- 
 place, but in the evening, the crowd, 
 following its own instinct, streamed 
 toward this center. People of all 
 classes were represented, and when the 
 Bremen military band took up a posi- 
 tion on the steps of the Exchange and 
 began to play the place was quite full. 
 
 A more charming celebration could 
 not be imagined than that which now 
 began. The patriotic feelings of the 
 multitude continually reached a pitch 
 where they could only find relief in 
 
 [243] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 song. Here and there a voice would 
 strike up and at once the whole assem- 
 bly would fall in. 
 
 Again and again the cries rang 
 forth: "Lohmann! Zeppelin! Konig!" 
 So that we were obliged to obey the 
 voice of the people, and stepped out on 
 the balcony with the crew. 
 
 "We were met with a hurricane of 
 cheers. The multitude joined in the 
 toast to the Kaiser which I proposed. 
 To the joy of all, Count Zeppelin took 
 up the word and spoke in short, power- 
 ful sentences, audible for a long dis- 
 tance. In a voice as clear as that of 
 a young man, he said : 
 
 " Deutschland, Deutschland iiber 
 alles! Three cheers for Bremen and 
 her sons! What shall I say to you? 
 When one sees the feeling which ani- 
 mates the German people, one cannot 
 
 [244] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 doubt that the victory will be ours! 
 Hurrah!" 
 
 These words called forth unbounded 
 rejoicing, as well as those which I 
 spoke in full confidence: 
 
 "We got through! — we always get 
 through! It is our duty to conquer 
 the English with our U-boats and to 
 hold out." 
 
 In answer to the universal demand, 
 Dr. Lohmann himself finally stepped 
 to the railing of the balcony and de- 
 voted a few pithy words to the ser- 
 vices rendered by Count Zeppelin — 
 and your humble servant. 
 
 After Dr. Lohmann 's speech, the 
 band played the hymn of thanksgiving, 
 "Wir treten mit Beten vor Gott den 
 Gerechten" (To the God of Justice 
 we offer our prayers), which was sung 
 by everybody. 
 
 [245] 
 
Voyage of the Deatschland 
 
 Meanwhile, darkness had fallen, and 
 in the glow of the electric lights, the 
 market place, as seen from the old 
 Rathaus, itself streaming with light, 
 presented a wonderful spectacle. No 
 one wanted to bring this delightful 
 celebration to an end. The singing 
 continued indef atigably. Then Burgo- 
 master Dr. Barkhausen, the President 
 of the Senate, rose to speak. He said : 
 
 "We have assembled here to ratify 
 once more our determination that the 
 spirit which has been with the Deutsch- 
 land on her voyage, the spirit of the 
 German people, the spirit which will 
 lead us to victory, shall never die. As 
 a fitting close to this wonderful even- 
 ing, I once more cry: 'Deutschland, 
 Deutschland liber alles! Long live 
 Kaiser and Empire!' " 
 
 The words were again received with 
 
 [246] 
 
Voyage of the Deutschland 
 
 enthusiasm. But the gentle hint that 
 it was time to bring the festivities to 
 an end went as yet unheeded. 
 
 Once more I was forced to address 
 the crowd. I made it short and sweet ; 
 direct from the heart — 
 
 * 'Good night! I am dreadfully 
 tired!" 
 
 And so ended this unforgettable day 
 in the history of Germany and of 
 Bremen. 
 
 [247] 
 
1996 
 

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