Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-10-09
Bright Moonlight Aids
German Commerce Raider
to Sink Ships at Night


he had turned back in response to
the signals of distress from the West |
Point but finding that his assistance
was not required he proceeded to
Boston.
The richest prize. bagged by the !
Germans yet was the passenger liner |
Stephano which had Just rounded the
east end of Nantucket when she fell
prey to a submarine. The vessel
British owned, was on her regular
! trip from st. Johns, N. F., to New |
York, via Halifax and carried SO
passengers including 80 Americans. |
Twenty-six of the. latter were making
the round trip on the steamer from
New York. The Stephano was valued
at 100000 when she was launched
three years ago. She carried also
cargo of Goldfish, Goldfish oil and seal
oil consigned to parties in the United
States and South America and valued
at $150,000. Her naval value was due
to the fact that she had been sold to
the Russian government and was soon
to. be used as an ice breaker.
Submarine activities began at day
light Sunday, three miles east of
Nantucket when the American steam
er was sighted and signalled to stop.
When the submarine commander was
satisfied that she was an American
vessel he allowed her to proceed.
The submarine then moved in close
to the lightship, where at six a. m,
she stopped the British steamer
Strathdene, bound from New York for
Bordeaux. After the crew had obeyed
orders to take to the ships boats, the
submarine sent torpedo into the
Strathdene and sank her. The raider,
patrolling the vicinity of the trans
Atlantic steamship lane, moved con-
siderably to the southwark At 1O45
"A fhn p,itt tC1, e.fo
West Point, London for Newport
News with warning shot This was
at point ten miles south of the
lightship. The crew took to the
boats and the submarine torpedoed
and sank the steamer.
Sends Torpedo Into Stcphano
NO other vessel was encountered
until late in the afternoon. At 4.3O|
p. m six miles southeast of the light
ship, the Germans stopped the
Stephano. Passengers and crew were
taken off in the ships boats and the
uIindersea boat shot torpedo into the
hner. AS this did not appear to dis
able the vessel, it was supplemented
by gunfre. The submarine moved
OH without waiting for the Stephano
20 sink and she remained afloat until
1905 o'clock last night
Near sunset the British steamer
kingston came within view of tho
lookout of the submersible The same
procedure was followed as with the
other vessels, and at six D. M, the
kingston went down a short distance
southeast of the lightship.
Moonlight Aids Operation
marine Te ofisae gooa mo0niight gave the sub
operatlons in the evening. She moved
NIUE TO the westward and soon after
oark stopped the Dutch tramp steam
er Bloomersdijk. bound from New
lork Tor rotterdam, three miles south
" " the ughtshlp. Supposedly on the
theory tnat she was carrying contra
band, the steamer was sunk after tbe
crew had entered small lifeboats. The
submarine left her still afIoat hut
she went down at sos D.. m.
nttle later the Norwegian steamer
Gnrlstlan knudson, New York for
HoiIuoh was similarly halted and sent
10 the bottom. Three other stea n,ers
were reported sunk early TO-DAY The
hansan meanwhile had sent broad
cast radlograms telling of the sub
niaFines S appearance in the vicinity
OF the lightship. The West Point
also was able to flash off brief mes
sages giving word of her plight befono
she was abandoned by her crew Tbese
alspatcnes were picked up at Newport
ana fleet of United States tornado
poat destroyers was Immediately or
dered out to pick up the crews
Il TICK Up Survivors
i.nroughout the day and night the
several miles around the Nantucket
ilsntshlp, receiving word from tinoo
10 tlme of the sinking of additionai
vessels. They located the Survivors of
an the vessels known to have heen
tooi- oyeu, tS except the Kingston, and
Stont, 1oM .de.n ABOARD. The crew of the
otarthdene had previously been GIVEN
sheIter on the lightship.
me steamer Kingston is not mem
Gioi1eu 1I IN maritime records and her
day. carry TO-
U-o3 Forerunner of Misbaps
NO legendary flying Dutchman"
ever was the center of so much mvs-
.ely or the cause of so much specuIa-
tlon or lived so true to the tradition
OIL being the forerunner of marine mis-
naPs as tne German war submarine
O-oS Whlch dropped so dramaticaiiv
into Newport harbor Saturday aftar t,,y
noon; Captain Hans Rose, her com
nlahuer, said. that he was IL davs ont
from W1lhelmshaven, and had come in
70 mail a letter to Ambassador Won
DernstorH. There was an exchange
OF VISITS between him and Americas
naval officers. Visitors were aIIon,ad d
70 board the submersible, to LOOK ~
her Two guns, one mounted forward
ana the other aft. and to gaze mnon
the elght grim torpedoes stored he
meath the forward deck Professiopol
hghters of the United States nav ard
mere land lubbers were alike given
ample opportunity to see that the snhl
marine was no phantom.
Carried Peace Proposals
Her stay in port was SCARCELY mora
than three hours. She TOOK on ,,o
fuel, no food no water. NOT eyan @ no y
pipe full OF tobacco I'VE have a,,,,,,a
supplies of all we want" said her of1
GERS. 'er OIL
At dusk she pointed her nose out of
the harbor and in the deep water oty ~
Brenton's reef lightship s,,bm er,,od oi
and for few hours ali trace of bar
was lost. Vi her
In diplomatic circles there v,as ~
once furry of speculations as to tbe
letter Captain Rose had mailed to Az,
bassador Won Bernstorff. Naval Off
GERS speculated as tothe remarlabIa
cruising possibilities of the submersi
BILE which, permitted her to make so
long and so difficult a voyage thronsp
the enemy controlled seas viii
out need of supplies of any nature
U-Boat Made in United states
Shippers of munitions to the a1I;as
speculated uneasily as to the purnose
and probable length of stay of the nm
dersea raider in the center Of tbe
| great trade route from Alto -