The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-05-13
Of THE
CAP TAIN Of
THE GULF[|GHT
SAYS STARS AND STRIPES DID
NOT SAVE VESSEL WHICH WAS
BEING ToWED BY TWO BRITISH
TUGS.

w way ic' hS bt"SN w
partment Wednesday made public {
sworn statement by Ralph E. Smith
OF the American Steamer Gulflight
describing the torpedoing of that yes
sci May l off the Scilly Islands. When
torpedoed, the officers says, the Gulf
light was flying a large American en-
sign, probably ten feet in size. He sait
he saw the submarine, but could not
distinguish or see any flag flying or
her"
Captain Smith further says that
shortly before the submarine was
sighted, two British patrol boats, the
Iago and Filey, took positions on eth
er side of the Gulfight and ordered
her to follow them to the Bishop light
house.
Il personally observed our flag was
standing out well to the breeze" the
officer stated.
The text of Captain Smiths state
ment follows:
ION the first 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
% miles west of the Bishop light
house. The patrol vessel asked where
we were bound. After informing them
we were bound for Rouen, they order
ed us to follow them to Bishop. The
Filey took up position half mile
distant ON our port bow, the lago off
our starboard quarter, close to us.
We steered as directed and at about
12:22, 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 submerged
about straight ahead of us. | saw her,
but could not distinguish or see any
flag flying on her.
"The Gulflight was then steering
about due east, steaming about eight
miles an hour, flying large American
ensign. size six feet by ten feet. The
wind was about south, about eight
miles an hour in force. | personally
observed our flag was standing out
well to the breeze. Immediately after
notified the crew and came back and
went on the bridge and heard the cap
a British submarine as the patrol
boats took no notice of it. About
1880 an explosion took place in the
Gulflight in the bluff of the starboard
bow, sending vast quantities of water
high in the air, coming down on the
bridge and shutting everything off
from our view. After the water clear
ed away, our ship had sunk by the
head so that the sea was washing over
the foredeck and the ship appeared to
be sinking.
Immediately after | went aft to see
about the boats. On my way | saw
one man overheard on the starboard
side. The water at that time was black
with oil The boats were lowered and
the crew got into them without delay
or damage. After ascertaining there
was no one left on board the ship
got in my boat and we were picked up
by the patrol vessel Iago and were ad-
vised by her crew to leave the scene.
We proceeded towards st. Marys but
the dense fog which then came on,
prevented us getting into the harbor
that night
About half past = IN the morning
following, saw Captain Alfred Gun
ter, master of the Gulflight, who had
DttU Slttplus Ill lle TOOln vi lle SKIP
per of the Iago, standing in the room.
but he fell before | reached him. He
had apparently two fainting attacks
and then expired in a third one
we arrived at st. Mary's Scilly,
about 10 o'clock in the morning of
May the second. The Gulflight was
towed to Crow Sound. Scilly on the
second of May by British patrol YES
sells. To the best of my knowledge
there was no examination OF the ship
made by divers until Wednesday about
p. IN, when members of the embassy
were present The divers at this time
made an external examination only of
the ships bottom and left the ship
with me at $40 p. nj"