ubject, but they were silently biding their
time while our enemies of to-day were bragging about their successful
experiments with their newly constructed submarines. To the dismay and
astonishment of our opponents it was only when the right hour had
struck that our navy revealed that it had similar weapons at its
command; it therefore prepared for them some disagreeable surprises,
and set its special seal from the very beginning on the maritime
warfare.

I remember a talk I had with an old army officer a few years ago, when
I had just received my appointment to a submarine. We were speaking of
U-boats and aeroplanes, and he exclaimed: "Ach! my dear Forstner, give
it up! The bottom of the ocean is for fishes, and the sky is for
birds."

What would have happened to us in this war had we not so proudly
excelled above the earth and beneath the sea?

At first a mystery still veiled our knowledge concerning our
submarines; we were told that the dear, good, old U-boat No. 1 had
splendidly stood every test, and shortly after, in October, 190-, I
went on board, and had the honor later to command her for two years.
But during this period, for several years, the greatest secrecy
surrounded this new weapon of our navy; strictest orders were given
to admit no one on board, not even high officers; only admirals were
allowed to penetrate within, and on every matter concerning our
U-boats we had to maintain absolute silence. Now, however, that our
usefulness has been so fully justified, the veil of discretion can be
somewhat lifted, and I can describe within certain limits the life and
activities on board a submarine.

II

BREATHING AND LIVING CONDITIONS UNDER WATER

A submarine conceals within its small compass the most concentrated
technical disposition known in the art of mechanical construction,
especially so in the spaces reserved for the steering gear of the boat
and for the manipulation of its weapons.

The life on board becomes such a matter of habit that we can
peacefully sleep at great depths under the sea, while the noise is
distinctly heard of the propellers of the enemy's ships, hunting for
us overhead; for water is an excellent sound conductor, and conveys
from a long distance the approach of a steamer. We are often asked,
"How can you breathe under water?" The health of our crew is the best
proof that this is fully possible. We possessed as fellow passengers a
dozen guinea pigs, the gift of a kindly an