It is only right that the tale of these sinkings should be widely known, because only by knowing what has actually taken place can a true opinion be formed about the German submariner and his work. For this reason, the following accounts have been set down as simply as possible, without exaggeration or unfair comment. The German submarine commanders were sent to sea in order to sink ships, because Germany believed unrestricted U-boat warfare a necessity; but they received orders, according to the Berlin Government, that human life and the rights of neutrals were to be respected. The way in which these orders were carried out is shown in the following pages. THE PIRATE AS THIEF. _A Selection of Cases._ Dutch s.s. GAMMA 1st Feb., 1917. Russian s.v. GARNET HILL 2nd Feb., 1917. British trawler ROMEO 3rd Feb., 1917. British s.s. DAUNTLESS 4th Feb., 1917. British trawler BENBOW 9th Feb., 1917. British trawler ATHENIAN 9th Feb., 1917. British trawler IRELAND 10th Feb., 1917. British s.s. MARGARITA 14th Feb., 1917. British s.v. INVERCAULD 22nd Feb., 1917. Portuguese and Irish Fishing Vessels March and May, 1917. British s.v. ALFRED 12th June, 1917. Swedish s.s. SNETOPPEN 4th July, 1917. CHAPTER I. THE PIRATE AS THIEF. "_If Fate has selected us to assume the leadership in the Kultur-life of the peoples, we will not shrink from this great and lofty mission._"[B]--GUSTAV E. PAZANREK. The Dutch steamer _Gamma_ was proceeding from New York to Amsterdam on the 1st February, 1917, with a cargo of oilcake for the Netherlands Government. At 2.30 p.m. a German submarine appeared on the port bow, steering towards the ship. Without making any signal, the submarine at once opened fire. She fired six shells, one of which struck the windlass. The ship was stopped, boats were lowered, and the master proceeded to the submarine, where he was questioned by the commander. A German officer and two men boarded the _Gamma_, placed bombs in her holds, and returned with a bag of flour, two hams, some butter, and a few engine-room tools. The master asked for a tow, but this was refused, and the submarine disappeared. Ten minutes later the bombs exploded and the _Gamma_ went down. It was bitterly cold, but fortunately the boats were picked up by the Dutch liner _Vondel_ at about 6 o'clock that night.