In the unequal duel that now ensued, the _Lycia’s_ funnel, starboard boats, forward cabin, chart room, officers’ and engineers’ quarters and bridge were all wrecked, and being unable to steer the ship under the growing force and accuracy of the enemy’s shells, Captain Chesters at last had no alternative but to abandon his vessel. He, therefore, gave orders to cease firing and stop the engines. As soon as the ship had sufficiently lost way, the crew was safely embarked in the port boat, with the exception of the Captain, Chief Officer, Third Engineer, the Gunner, and one of the boys, who succeeded in scrambling into the starboard boat which was dragging alongside. When the lifeboats cleared the ship, the submarine herself ceased firing, submerged, and re-appeared alongside Captain Chesters’ boat. The submarine commander then ordered Captain Chesters to go on board, which he did, and where, by what, alas, proved to be a rare exception, he was very courteously treated. The commander of the submarine then put three of his crew into the boat together with eight bombs, sent her back to the _Lycia_, and there the Germans hung the bombs on each side of the rigging, and in the engine-room. The ship’s papers, the breech plug of her gun, her telescopes and three cartridges, were lowered into the boat, after which the bomb safety pins were removed, and the bombs placed below the water-line. The boat was then ordered back to the submarine. Meanwhile, Captain Chesters had been asked by the ‘U’ boat’s commander why he had fired his gun without flying his Ensign. Captain Chesters pointed out to him that before he could fire the gun, he had to remove the flagstaff; and he was then allowed to return to his boat, the bombs, a few minutes afterwards beginning to explode. The submarine then went in chase of another vessel that had appeared on the horizon, and shortly afterwards the _Lycia_ sank, stern first. Her boats were picked up the same evening by two mine-sweepers, and the _S.S. Ireland Moor_, the crew being treated with the utmost hospitality and safely landed at Holyhead. Their conduct had been worthy in Captain Chesters’ words “of all the traditions of British seamen.”