Off the starboard side of the _Fanning_, glistening in the smooth water, a periscope of the "finger" variety, one so small that it could usually elude all but the sharpest eyes, had darted for a few seconds above the surface and had then just as suddenly disappeared. Almost directly ahead lay the _Welshman_, a splendid British merchant ship; the periscope was so close that a torpedo would almost inevitably have hit this vessel in the engine-room. The haste with which the German had withdrawn his periscope, after taking a hurried glance around, was easily explained; for his lens had revealed not only this tempting bait, but the destroyer _Fanning_ close aboard and bearing down on him. Under these circumstances it was not surprising that no torpedo was fired; it was clearly military wisdom to beat a quick retreat rather than attempt to attack the merchantman. Lieut. Walter S. Henry, who was the officer of the deck, acted with the most commendable despatch. It is not the simplest thing, even when the submarine is so obviously located as this one apparently was, to reach the spot accurately. The destroyer has to make a wide and rapid turn, and there is every danger, in making this manoeuvre, that the location will be missed. Subsequent events disclosed that the _Fanning_ was turned with the utmost accuracy. As the ship darted by the spot at which the periscope had been sighted, a depth charge went over the stern, and exploded so violently that the main generator of the _Fanning_ herself was temporarily disabled. Meanwhile the _Nicholson_ had dashed through the convoy, made a rapid detour to the left, and dropped another depth charge a short distance ahead of the _Fanning_.