The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1915-07-20
ATTACKED BY SUBMARINE
FAST STEAMER ESCAPES
EVADES GERMAN BOATS TOR
PEDO AND SHE'LL FIRE.
Cunarder Orduna, With Many Passen-
gers Aboard, Escaped Destruc-
ton Through Great Speed.

New York, July 1.-THE Cunard
liner Orduna, from Liverpool to New
York with 227 passengers, including
% americans, was attacked without
warning, it was learned on her arrival
here today, by German submarine
on the morning Of July 9.
Twenty miles from tie graveyard
of the Lusitania Off Old Head of Kin
sale, the Orduna escaped the Lusi-
tania's fate by one-half a second Of
time, or ten feet Of space, the German
torpedo c1urning the water that dis
tance behind tie liners rudder. The
Orduna sped away. She was followed
by the submarine, which rose to the
surface, manned gun and shelled the
feeting steamer.
The attack was timed at $50
O'Clock in tie morning when all but
a few of the passengers were asleep.
Aroused by stewards the passengers
dressed hurriedly and went to the up
per deck, where they donned lifebelts
and took their places at the lifeboats.
They teard the scream of the shells
and saw the ocean spit up columns
OF water where the missiles struck.
When the fire grew hot they were
ordered, for their own protection, to
tie next deck below.
Steamer Too Fast.
The steamer,showed her heels to the
assailant. Through marine glasses the
passengers watched tie low lying Ger
man warship coming on, but the Or
duna was faster than the pursuer and
after. several shots had been fred
without effect, the submarine gave up
the chase.
A wireless call for help was sent
out by the Orduna when tee torpedo
was seen. She was then 81 miles
south of Queenstown. The reply, Capt.
Taylor says in his official report, was
that help would be given within an
hour. 1t was four hours before the
first British vessel, small ormed
yacht, tie Jeanette, appeared.
Protest will be made to the Ameri-
can government by at least one citi-
zen of the United States and possibly
others who were aboard. William O.
Thompson of Chicago, counsel to the
federal industrial relations commits
sion, VITO went abroad in his official
capacity last March and was return
ing to make his report, is the pas
enger who said today that he would
make vigorous protest to his govern
ment.
Should Call Attention to 1t.
Gas an American citizen, employed
in an official capacity by the govern
ment to go abroad, I feel that should
bring the governments atte4tion to
the attack" said Mr.. Thompson.
''I feel that I had right to return
tome on the Orduna, although she
flies the British flag, because she is a
passenger ship. The fact that she had
no munitions Of war aboard fortified
tlis opinion. The Orduna, an unarmed
passenged ship, carrying no munitions,
was deliberately attacked without
warning, pursued and subjected to
shell fire. 1t is little short of marvel
Gus that sne was not sent TO the bot
tom with all aboard.
"In making my protest to Washing
ton I shall proceed along these lines,
combining the protest with report
of the attack as l saw it,
: Whether tie submarine hid behind
an American ship-the bark Nor
mandy, from Gulfport, Miss.-was a
point upon which passengers held va
rying opinions. A small sailing ship
with two American flags painted on
her side was sighted ahead, shortly
before the attack. Capt. Taylor, sus-
picious of the craft, changed his
course. Soon thereafter the torpedo
was sighted.
The Normandy Story.
There was no certainty as to the
identity of this ship that displayed
two painted American flags, but one
of the passengers thought that he
made out her name to be "Normanie"
through his glasses, There is no such
vessel listed. The american bark Nor
mandy was known to be in the vicinity
at the time. When she reached Liver
pool July II some of her crew said
that submarine mad used her as a
shield from which to manoeuvre