The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1915-05-19
TELLS OF LOST SHIP
DOUBT AS TO WHOSE SUBMA=
RINE SANK GULFLIGHT
Patrol BOATS ON GUARD

PAIRW BUAIS UN GUARD
Dead Master Quoted as Saying THAT
Must be British Submarine"-
Destroyers Directing Course of
American Vessel Took no Notice of
Attacking Diver.
The state department has made
public sworn statement by Ralph E.
Smith, former chief officer, now mas
ter Of the American steamer Gulf
light, describing the torpedoing of
that vessel May l, off the Scilly Is
lands. When torpedoed, the officer
says, the Gulflight was flying large
American ensign six feet by ten feet
in size. He said he saw the subma-
rlne, but "could not distinguish or
see any flag flying on her,
Capt. Smith further says that
shortly before the submarine was
sighted two British patrol boats, the
Iago and Filey, took positions on
either side of the Gulflight and or
dered her to follow them to the
Bishop Lighthouse.
Il personally observed our flag
| was standing out well to the breezes,''
the officer stated. The text of Capt.
| Smiths statement follows:
II am Ralph Smith, now master of
the steamship Gulflight. At the COM
mencement of the voyage was chief
| officer. The ship left Port Arthur on
the 10th day of April, 1915, laden
with a tank cargo of gasoline and
wooden barrels of lubricating oil.
The voyage was uneyentful. When
about half way across the Atlantic
| the wireless operator told me there
was British cruiser in our vicinity
and that he had heard messages from
| this ship the whole time since Ieav-
| ing Port Arthur, but she made no di-
| rect communication with or to our
| ship. From the sound of the wire-
less messages given out by the Brit
ish ship she seemed to maintain the.
same distance from US until about
three days before we reached the.
mouth of the English Channel.
"On the 1st day of May about II
O'Clock in the forenoon we spoke to,
| two British patrol vessels named
Iago and Filey. We were then about
| twenty-five miles west of the Bishop,
Lighthouse. The patrol vessels ask
| ed where we were bound. After in
forming them we were bound for,
Rouen, they ordered us to follow
; them to the Bishop. The Filey took
up position of half-mile distant
on our port bow, the Iago off our
starboard quarter close to us.
1--WE steered as directed and at
about 1922 the second officer being
on watch, sighted submarine on
our port bow, slightly on the port
bow, steaming at right angles to our
course. The submarine was in sight
for about five minutes when she sub
merged about right ahead of US. I
saw her, but could not distinguish or
see any flag flying on her.
1.-THE Gulflight was then steering
about true east, steaming about eight
miles an hour, flying a large Ameri-
can ensign, size 6 feet by 10 feet.
The wind was about south, about
eight miles an hour in force. / per-
sonally observed our flag was stand
ing out we'll to the breeze Imme-
diately after seeing the submarine I
went aft and notified the crew and
came back and went on the bridge
and heard the captain make the re-
mark that that must be a British
submarine, as the patrol boats took
no notice of it,. About 1880 an eX-
plosion took place in the Gulflight on
the bluff of the starboard bow, send
ing vast quantities of water high in
the air, coming down on the bridges
and shutting everything off from ouE
view After the water cleared awaW
our ship had sunk by the head -
that the sea was washing over tMsS
fore deck and the ship appeared to -
sinking. -
Immediately after I went aft -
see the boats. On my way I saw 49,
man overheard on the starboard So
The water at that time was BY
with oil. The boats were lowsS
and the crew got into them witty
delay or damage. After ascertai
there was no one left on board
ship 1 got in. my boat and we @
picked up by the patrol vessel as
and were advised by her creT
leave the scene. We proceedes
wards st. Mary's, but the dense{ -
which then came on, preventeS
getting into the harbor that nisf
about $50 in the mornin g
lowing, 1 saw Capt. Alfred Gu;s
master. Of the Gulflight, who sssss
been s'eeping in the room ot
skipper of the Iago, standing lrM
room with a queer look on his Sssss
I asked him what his trouble Wast.ss
he made no reply. Then he reasS- g;
for the side of the berth with .ssssss.
hands. but did not take hold. w.
in the room, but he fell be1orgszsss
reached him. He was taken on dEASs
as the cabin was small and hot. Az.
reaching he deck he seemed to &ssss
vive and said: I am cold A2s
that he had apparently two faintSs
attacks cnd then expired in tfSs-saar