▁some ▁sub mar ines ▁at ▁the ▁har bour ▁mouth ▁to ▁pick ▁off ▁fle eing ▁vessels , ▁he ▁did ▁not ▁repeat ▁this ▁t actic . ▁ ▁USS ▁Ch ic ag os ▁surv ival ▁Several ▁factors ▁beyond ▁the ▁control ▁of ▁any ▁of ▁the ▁combat ants ▁contributed ▁to ▁the ▁surv ival ▁of ▁USS ▁Chicago . ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁M - 2 4 s ▁attack ▁on ▁Chicago , ▁the ▁latter ▁had ▁spent ▁some ▁time ▁prepar ing ▁to ▁depart ▁from ▁Sydney ▁Har bour , ▁and ▁although ▁still ▁mo ored ▁and ▁station ary , ▁was ▁producing ▁large ▁volumes ▁of ▁white ▁smoke ▁as ▁the ▁bo ilers ▁war med ▁up . ▁This ▁smoke , ▁streaming ▁a ft ▁under ▁the ▁influence ▁of ▁the ▁wind , ▁and ▁contrast ing ▁against ▁the ▁dark , ▁low - lying ▁cloud , ▁may ▁have ▁given ▁the ▁impression ▁that ▁Chicago ▁was ▁moving , ▁causing ▁M - 2 4 ▁to ▁lead ▁the ▁target ▁when ▁firing ▁its ▁tor ped o es , ▁and ▁consequ ently ▁sending ▁its ▁tor ped o es ▁across ▁the ▁bow . ▁Another ▁factor ▁that ▁may ▁have ▁influenced ▁Ch ic ag os ▁surv ival ▁was ▁the ▁ex ting u ishing ▁of ▁Garden ▁Island ' s ▁flo od light s ▁minutes ▁before ▁M - 2 4 ▁fired ▁its ▁first ▁tor ped o , ▁imp eding ▁target ing . ▁ ▁Bomb ard ment ▁impact ▁ ▁The ▁bomb ard ments ▁failed ▁to ▁cause ▁significant ▁physical ▁damage , ▁but ▁had ▁a ▁major ▁psych ological ▁impact ▁on ▁the ▁residents ▁of ▁Sydney ▁and ▁New castle . ▁Due ▁to ▁the ▁in ac cur