Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-07-17
Submarine Made Attack July
9, But Missed, Say Cap
tain and Passengers.
TWENTY-ONE AMERICANS
ABOARD BRITISH LINER
No Warning Given and Pursuit Fol-
lows in Which Shots Are Fired
at Fleeing Ship.

NEW YORK, July 1.-THE
British passenger liner Orduna,
| with 227 passengers aboard,
twenty-one of whom were Amer
leans, was attacked without
warning by a German submarine
at 6 o'clock the morning of July
9, sixteen hours out of Liverpool,
on her way to New York. An
nouncement of the attack was
made by the ships captain.
Thomas McComb Taylor, and
passengers when the Orduna
reached here today.
A torpedo was fired at the
steamer and missed by ten yards.
Twenty minutes later a subma-
rine rose to the surface, possibly
different submarine from the
one that launched the torpedo,
and for half an hour thereafter
pursued the steamer, firing shells
which whistled over the decks
above the heads of passengers
standing there with their life belts
on.
ing ship with two American flags
painted on her side was seen ahead:
Captain Taylor became suspicious Of
this craft and began maneuvering his
ship. Then came the attack. the first
warning of. which was the streak of a
torpedo which whirled through the
water and missed the Ordunas stern
by ten yards or thereabouts.
No Inkling Of Attack.
Save for a single cryptic wireless
message received yesterday. the Cunard
line had heard no word from the Or
duna since she sailed from Liverpool.
This message, which, because 1t was
unexpected and unusaak--sosnswAas
puzzled Cunard line officials. gave
no inkling. 1t was said. of the attack
by submarine. The message was sent
by Capt. Taylor and contained the in
formation that, the Orduna would dock
at IL o'clock today.
In addition Capt. Taylor said that
the Tuscania was then 1912 miles from
shore.
For a long time the vessels of the
Cunard line have sailed the breadth of
the Atlantic with their wireless ap-
paratus little used. Importance, there
fore. was attached to Capt. Taylor's
loss to understand what the captain
sought to convey to them or to read
between the lines.
No Suspicion Aroused.
The fact that the Tuscania was men,
toned, it was said today. had aroused
no suspicion, in the light of the Or
dumas experience, that she, too, had
been attacked.
When the Orduna left Liverpool July
she passed out Of communication with
doubtful, officials here said, whether
the British admiralty had even been
informed of the attempt to torpedo the
vessel.
Thirty of the passengers were in the
first cabin, 112 in the second cabin and
IS in the steerage. In advance of the
vessels docking officials had no list,
they said. of those aboard.
Lifeboats Ready to Launch.
Stewards ran below and aroused the
passengers. With clothes hurriedly
fastened haphazard they made for the
upper deck. There they were assem-
bled near the bridge. Lifebelts were
adjusted and lifeboats swung out. The
From a submarine off the starboard
quarter there came a shell which
kicked up miniature geyser in the
Orduna's wake. The submarine had the
range.
Capt. Taylor turned the stern Of the
vessel toward the assailant and or
dered all speed ahead. Within from
two to five minutes another shell, this
| time passing over the heads of the as
| sembled passengers, was fired. AS it
overshot the mark it's landing place
was marked by rising column of wa
| ter.
| A third shell passed overhead. and so
close that it seemed to clip lifeboat.
Capt. Taylor ordered the passengers to
go to lower deck. They obeyed, and
the lifeboats were adjusted lower still
! SO that the passengers might step into
them without delay. The shelling con-
tinued. shots falling about the steamer
at intervals Of from two to five min
utes.
Pursued by Submarine.
For about half an hour the sub
marine pursued the liner with the span
of water between them lengthening
| each minute. Seven shots we're fired in
| all. Four of them passed over the
decks. The other three fell close to the
| ship. Then the submarine, distanced,
| gave up the chase.
Early risers who had left their berths
to enjoy the fine morning were with
the captain on the bridge when the at
tack was began and witnesses the en-
| tire episode. Among them was Baron
Marcus Rosenkrantz of Denmark, who
married Miss Rebie Lowe of Atlanta,
| Ga. The baroness was with him on the
/ trip, but did not witness the attack.
ASK the passengers what happened"
Capt. Taylor said. when the Orduna
| docked here today. II am attached to
/ the royal naval reserve, and therefore
| cannot discuss the matter. Ask Baron
Rosenkrantz; he saw the whole thing"
| But there Is one question, Capt. Tay-
| lor. that you can answer. and you
alone. Were you attacked without
| warning?"
| I did not have even the slightest
| warning Of the attack" he replied.
| s~ReyODd that I will aay nothing"