Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-10-18

| set nay stauon, slipped out OF the har.
Dor and submerged just inside the
threemile limit at 7:05 o'clock Satur-
day night
At daylight Sunday she turned up
southeast OF Nantucket and got in the
way OF the American steamer Kansan
q the American-Hawaii company,
bound from New York for Genoa by
way Of Boston with freight
The Kansan was flying the Ameri-
can flag. She was stopped by the sub
marine at 5 80 o'clock. Assured that
the Ksnsan was an American owned
vessel, the submarine later allowed her
to proceed.
Satisfied Craft ls U-53.
Captain Smith of the Kansan report
ed that he had been stopped in a wire
less message to the captain of the
Nantucket shoals hghtship. He said
the submarine showed no colors, but
from his meager description Of the
craft naval men were satisfied that II
was the U-53.
A half hour later the submarine en-
countered the Strathdene, command
ed by Captain Wilson and under char
ter by the French line. A subsequent
message from the Nantucket lightship
stated that the Strathdene had been
sunk at six o'clock and that the crew
Of 40 men" were on the lightship.
The steamer carried crew of "a,
so there was some doubt as to whether
the lightship had picked them all up
or had correctly reported. The
Strathdene sailed from New York for
Bordeaux Saturday afternoon. She
was of 4.321 tons and 375 feet in
length. She was built in Greenwich In
1909 and was owned in Glasgow.
Pursuing her hostile course. the sub
marine next came up with the West
Point bound from London for Newport
News.
The fate of the British freighter was
told in the following wireless dispatvm
from her commander. Captain Harden.
to the naval radio station:
British steamer West Point, stopped
by submarine and fred upon; getting
boat ready. Position. 40 % north, 60
west. Get cutter"
Later messages gave further details.
One stated that the steamer was be-
inssshelled by the submarine when the
message was sent at IL rs a. m. A
third message said that the vessel was
attacked at 10:45, ten miles south of
Nantucket. This message caused a
confusion regarding the exact position
of the freighter.
The steamer Kansan picked up the
distress signals of the West Point and
proceeded to her assistance. The Bos-
ton navy yard at 80 o'clock received
message from the Kansan stating
that the West Point was sinking and
that the Kansan was going to her aid.
The disabled vessel was then So miles
distant and the Kansan was making II
knots.
Later a private dispatch added the
| information that the submarine, after
stopping the West Point, ordered the
crew into their small boats. The
crew abandoned the ship, which was
then torpedoed. 1t was in sinking
CuuulllOu Allen last EtpuIleu.
Meantime the American line steam
ship Philadelphia. which left New York
for Liverpool, had gotten within the
war zone and on s. o. S. wireless mes
sage was received by her commander.
He held his course for the east.
Other Liners In Danger.
Within the immediate zone of pos
sible further operations by the U-53
are several transatlantic steamships
under registry of nations with which
Germany is at war. Also the Ameri-
can line steamer Philadelphia, with
passengers and Freight from New York
for Liverpool, Is in the waters from
which reports Of German submarine
have come, and the Scandinavian
American liner Frederik VIII is APP
preaching that part of the coast bound
to New York from Copenhagen.
Better known among the vessels
subject. because of their registry and
their present positions, to the subma-
rine menace. are the French liner Es-
payne. from Bordeaux for New York;
the Anchor liner Cameronia, bound to
New York from Glasgow and Liver
pool, and the Cunarder Alaunia. only a
few hours out from New York for Fall
mouth and London, Other vessels Of
lesser size were reported approximate
ly in the same waters.
Most of these steamships have re-
ceived by wireless word sent broadcast
by radio stations to all vessels of the
presence of the German submarine on
the New England coast.
This message, as sent to steamships
of Great Britain's merchant marine,
was regarded as constituting orders to
change courses. The result was indi-
Gated in messages that this vessel or
that was swinging inshore to be re-
moved from possible contact with the
submarine and to be within easy speed
ing distaace or the three-mile zone OF
protection.
CuEIIE0 nv A CiIpMAPlNE