I am under special obligation to several officers of British submarines for assistance willingly rendered, despite the arduous nature of their duties. Their generous enthusiasm exhibits that “real love for the Grand Old Service it is an honour and pleasure to serve in,” as Admiral Beatty wrote to me the other day. HAROLD F. B. WHEELER _Contents_ CHAPTER PAGE I. CLEARING THE DECKS 13 II. LIFE AS A LATTER-DAY PIRATE 52 III. GERMANY’S SUBMERSIBLE FLEET 69 IV. PYGMIES AMONG GIANTS 84 V. TRAGEDY IN THE MIDDLE SEAS 105 VI. HORTON, E 9, AND OTHERS 120 VII. SUBMARINE _v._ SUBMARINE 137 VIII. A CHAPTER OF ACCIDENTS 148 IX. SEA-HAWK AND SWORD-FISH 165 X. U-BOATS THAT NEVER RETURNED 192 XI. DEPTH CHARGES IN ACTION 209 XII. SINGEING THE SULTAN’S BEARD 222 XIII. ON CERTAIN HAPPENINGS IN THE BALTIC 241 XIV. BLOCKADING THE BLOCKADE 272 XV. BOTTLING UP ZEEBRUGGE AND OSTEND 297 XVI. THE GREAT COLLAPSE 310 _Illustrations_ PAGE THE LAST OF A PIRATE _Frontispiece_ UNRESTRICTED SUBMARINE WARFARE 48 THE INTERIOR OF A GERMAN SUBMARINE 72 THE SECOND EXPLOIT OF E 9 126 “KAMERAD! KAMERAD!” 154 A SEAPLANE OF THE R.N.A.S. 188 THE DESTROYER’S SHORT WAY WITH THE U-BOAT 218 C 3 AT ZEEBRUGGE MOLE 298 ENTRY OF THE SURRENDERED U-BOATS INTO HARWICH 310 CHAPTER I _Clearing the Decks_ “_Society must not remain passive in face of the deliberate provocation of a blind and outrageous tyrant. The common interests of mankind must direct the impulses of political bodies: European society has no other essential purpose._”—SCHILLER.