eir importance became of world-wide renown,
for we claim the honor of having fired the first successful torpedo
shot from a submarine. It opened a new era in maritime warfare and was
the answer to many questions, which had puzzled the men of our
profession the whole world over. Above all, we had proved that a
German U-boat, after a long and difficult voyage, could reach the
enemy's coast; and after penetrating their line of defense was able to
send one of their ships to the bottom of the sea with one well-aimed
torpedo shot. The age of the submarine had truly begun.

Other victories followed in prompt succession. Weddingen's wonderful
prowess off the Hoek of Holland, on September 22, 1914, will never be
forgotten. In the space of an hour he sunk the three English armored
cruisers, "Cressy," "Hague," and "Aboukir," and shortly afterwards
dispatched their comrade "Hawke" to keep them company at the bottom of
the North Sea.

Let me add to this list the English cruiser "Hermes" near Dover, the
"Niger" off the Downs of the English coast; the Russian cruiser
"Pallada" in the Baltic; and a great number of other English torpedo
boats, torpedo boat destroyers, as well as auxiliary cruisers and
transports. All this was achieved before the end of 1914.
Unfortunately I am not at liberty, for obvious reasons, to describe my
own part in the beginning of the War, but hope to be able to do so
after we achieve a victorious peace.

Our dear cousins on the other side of the Channel must have been
rather disquieted by the loss of so much shipping at the hands of our
boats or of our mines; and they must have realized that a new method
of warfare had begun, for their fleet no longer paraded in the North
Sea or in any of the waters in the war zone. Their great, valuable
ships were withdrawn, and the patrol of their coast was confided only
to smaller craft and to the mine-layers, in order that their people
might supposedly sleep in peace.

Our adversary was concealed by day, and only ventured forth at night,
confident that darkness would insure his safety. This was then the
hour for us to lie in watch for our prey, and no more glorious clarion
call could have heralded in the New Year than the torpedo shot, which,
on the New Year's Eve of 1915, sent the mighty ship of the line
"Formidable" to the bottom of the Channel. This was our first
triumphant victory, which showed that not even darkness could
circumvent our plans, and which dispelled