The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-07-12
GUNBOAT RAMMED
BY A SUBMARINE
The Castine Quickly 3eached
Near Pr0VincetOWn.
NONE OF CREW IS INJURED
Damaged Vessel Acting as Enemy in
the MRneuyers when the Bonita
FIJI with Water-scout Cruisers
Ready 10 Go TO Assistance.

Provincetown. Mass. July 11--With her
compartments rapidly filing with water.
the gunboat Castine. tender to the third
submarine division of the United states
navy, was beaehed at North Truro late
to-day after being rammed by the sub
marine Bonita in the harbor outside this
port
As the nose of the Castine slid into the
soft sand at Truro every one Of her
crew of eighty officers and men were
ready to put of in lifeboats. Nobody on
either the Bonita or Castine was injured
and up TO a late hour tonight but one
member Of the crew of the gunboat had
come ashore, and Tor that reason 1t was
difficult 10 secure any information re-
garding the accident
sends Message to Washington.
Late tonight Capt Fletcher. OF the
scout cruiser Birmingham, sent a wire
4 less to the navy yard at Boston inform
/ ing the eonmandant of the accident, and
asking that wrecking assistance be sent
/ the stranded gunboat at once. The mes
4 sage also asked that the naval authori-
ties at Washington be notified of the ae-
cident
AS far as can be learned here. the third
! submarine division. under Lieut. Donald
c Brigham. was engaged in underwater
F, practice, with the Csstine a. a ship OF
the enemy. The castine lay just outside
the lower end OF the harhor under com
mand Of Lieut. Ralph A Koch, and
clustered about her were the submarines
Bonita, Grayling. Narwhal. Snapper.
stingray. and Tarpon. Not far OF the
scout cruisers Birmingham and Chester
/ lay at anchor.
For some tine the little ships at war
/ engaged in maneuvers. when suddenly
there was a warning blast from the
whistle Of the Castine, and with full
steam ahead she made for the Truro
shore. Instantly the scout cruisers made
ready TO go % her aid, but as it was
seen that she was rapidly making the
shore. they stayed away and she sue
cessfully beached.
Ready 90 Leave Ship.
Just before the shore was reached every
man aboard gathered together his ef-
fects. and had the nose of the sgunboat
failed TO reach the sand before she settled
into the water. Lieut. Koch would have
been forced 10 leave the bridge of his
ship as she sank
Immediately all boats of the craft put
I out for the Castine. but none were able
to get very close TO her. Others made for
the submarine. and from them ii was
found the Bonita, with the others of the
/ fleet, had made ready to attack the
Castine and had submerged.
The Bonita apparently misjudged the
distance between her and the Castine, for
she suddenly brought up with a bump
! against the steel side of the gunboat.
There was considerable shock, which was
/ felt by the officers and crew of both
ships, and though many men were hurled
from their feet none was injured.
Submarine Not Damaged.
Two plates on the side of the Castine
were loosened. but save for some denting
o nthe armor plate of the Bonita. the
submarine escaped without damage.
Capt. Fletcher Of the Birmingham sent
this message to Boston tonight:
'Castine struck by Bonita during attack
at frame 26 and is beached near North
Truro. Boiler and dynamo compartments
between frames 1s and 81 are flooded
BuIkheads at frames 10 and 81 holding
safe. No one injured"
The Castine was built at Bath. Me. Hel
I beel was Rid in 1890 and she was launch.
ed In 1923. She is twin screw schooner
rugged Steel vessel of LII tons.