The Elk Mountain pilot., 1916-10-12
GERMAN S U 3 M A RINE FLEET
SINKS NINE VESSELS TEN
MILES OFF U. S. COAST.
RAIDER BELIEVED U-53
ENGLISH PATROL CRUISERS RUSH
INTO NANTUCKET IN SEARCH
OF HOSTILE FLoTiLLA.

|
| Newport, r. l., Oct. 9.-Three Brit
ish cruisers which arrived here are al
ready on the trail of the German sub
marine which raided the steamship
lanes Sunday and sank nine ships.
| The executive officer of the United
States destroyer Ericsson, returning
early today from the scene of the Ger
man submarine activities off Nan
tucket reported that nine ships had
been sunk and that three submarines
were operating off the coast. This in
formation. he said. he had on the au-
thority of the captain of the Nantuck-
ct shoals lightship.
Boston.-The submarine arm OF the
imperial German navy ravage1 ship
ping off the eastern coast of the Unit
ed States Sunday. Four British steam
ers, one Dutch and one Norwegian
and one vessel so far unidentified,
were sent to the bottom or left Grip
pied derelicts off Nantucket shoals.
Sunday night the destroyer flotilla
of the United States Atlantic fleet
was picking up passengers and crews
of the destroyed vessels and bringing
them into Newport, r. |. So far as
known there was no loss of life
though the crew of the British steam
er Kingston had not been accounted
for
A submarine held up the American
steamer Kansan bound from New Yorl.
for Genoa with steel for the Italian
government, but later, on establish
ing her identity, allowed the Ameri-
can to proceed. The Kansan came
into Boston harbor late Sunday night
for her usual call here.
1t was reported without confirma-
ton Sunday that three submarines
were operating off the coast and that
total of nine vessels had been sunk
by them.
Three British cruisers arrived off
Nantucket during the night. Radio
messages in code were constantly eX-
changed by the vessels. Other cruis-
ers of the allied naval forces were
expected in the same waters soon.
One of the submarines is believed
to be the U-53 which paid call to
Newport Sunday and disappeared at
sunset. Some naval men, however,
declared that perhaps two submarines
are operating close to the American
shore though outside the three-mile
limit.
The German captain is believed to
have warned Rear Admiral Knight OF
his projected raid, to have American
cue of victims.
The sensation created Saturday
when the U-53 quietly slipped into
Newport harbor, and as quietly
slipped away three hours later was
nothing to the shock in shipping cir
cles when wireless reports of subma-
rine attacks began to come in to the
naval radio stations. Within a few
minutes the air was literally charged
with electricity as wireless messages
of warning were broadcasted along
the coast.
Up to late Sunday night, none of
the British and French patrolling
fleet had been sighted. The COM
mander of the British naval station
at Halifax refused to divulge what
steps were being taken to meet the
submarine attack.
Washington.-Offi at the Ger
man embassy, including Count Won
Bernstorff the ambassador, were
elated over the trip of the U-53 across
the Atlantic and her success in sink
ing British merchantmen in the north
ern steamer lanes. While the ambas-
sador would not discuss the sinking
of the British vessels, he did assert
that the coming of the U-53 instead of
indicating the intention of Germany
to ask peace, actually proves that
Germany is counting upon extending
the zone of her naval operations, and
is in the war for finish fight
Officials of the allied embassies,
particularly Sir Cecil Spring Rice, the
British ambassador, wei = amazed at