Others, however, are known to have been lost, and their
number has been greatly increased since the arming of merchantmen.
In 1917 it was estimated that the Germans lost one U-boat a week and
built three.

Just what sensations a man experiences in a submerged submarine that
finds it impossible to rise again, is, of course, more or less of a
mystery. For, though submarines, the entire crew of which perished,
have been raised later, only one record has ever been known to have
been made covering the period during which death by suffocation or
drowning stared their occupants in the face. This heroic and
pathetic record was written in form of a letter by the commander of
a Japanese submarine, Lieutenant Takuma Faotomu, whose boat, with
its entire crew, was lost on April 15, 1910, during manoeuvres in
Hiroshima Bay. The letter reads in part as follows:

[Illustration: (C) International Film Service, Inc.

_U. S. Submarine D 1 off Weehawken._]

Although there is, indeed, no excuse to make for the sinking of
his Imperial Majesty's boat and for the doing away of
subordinates through my heedlessness, all on the boat have
discharged their duties well and in everything acted calmly until
death. Although we are departing in pursuance of our duty to the
State, the only regret we have is due to anxiety lest the men of
the world may misunderstand the matter, and that thereby a blow
may be given to the future development of submarines. While going
through gasoline submarine exercise, we submerged too far, and
when we attempted to shut the sluice-valve, the chain in the
meantime gave way. Then we tried to close the sluice-valve, by
hand, but it was too late, the rear part being full of water, and
the boat sank at an angle of about twenty-five degrees.

The switchboard being under water, the electric lights gave out.
Offensive gas developed and respiration became difficult. The
above has been written under the light of the conning-tower when
it was 11.45 o'clock. We are now soaked by the water that has
made its way in. Our clothes are very wet and we feel cold. I
have always expected death whenever I left my home, and therefore
my will is already in the drawer at Karasaki. I beg,
respectfully, to say to his Majesty that I respectfully request
that none of the families left by my subordinates shall suffer.
The only matte