The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1916-11-21
/! COLLISION STOPS
U-BOATS VOYAGE
Cross Current Swings TOWboat Across
Path OF Submarine and Disas-
ter Results.

New London, Conn, Nov. 1.-THE
collision which caused the merchant
submarine Deutschland to abandon
her return voyage to Germanv almost
at its outset early today, whe.4 con-
voying tug, the T. A Scott, Jr., was
sunk with a crew of five men, was
the subject of federal investigation
this afternoon.
The United States inspectors OF
steam vessels, headed by Capt. W. +.
,Iithy, heard, through witnesses, Oh
the conditions under which the sub
marine, slipping out of the harbor IN
the darkness so that she might sub
merge in neutral waters before day
break, ran down the tug which was
acting as her protector off Race Rock
iust outside this port. The testimony
came from Capt. Paul Koenig OF tn1
Deutschland; from F. w. Krapohl, MS
chief officer, and from Hans kleese.
his chief engineer. 1t was given In
! secret but it became known through
statements outside the chamber that
the collision was an accident
Survivors who would discuss the
matter were agreed that it was due to
a combination of swing currents
which carried the tug off its course
and across the bow of the submarine
and to the darkness, which was to be
the Deutschland S medium Of safety,
but which instead prevented ready
observation of the danger ahead. capt
Koenig would say only to question:
ers:
ITS terrible thing to lose those
,, good men. l feel it deeply. You
must excuse me-"
But One Survivor.
Before the inspectors fix the blame
for the loss of the Scott and its crew
thew will hear the testimony OF Capt.
Frederick Hinch, an official OF the
Eastern Forwarding company, who
was the only survivor of the tug
Cant. Hinch was thrown from the
deck house on the tug into the ruch-
ing water of the race, where he was
rescued, almost exhausted, by the
crew of the tug Cassie, following pc
hind Capt. Hinch was unconscious
after the accident and tonight was
still so exhausted that it may be sew
eral days before he is able to testify.
The Deutschland's return will De
delayed only few days by the dam
ages she sustained and not at all Dy
the fact that inquiry is being MADE
Examination of her bow today shoWeo
that three plates had been stove in TO
a degree described by some as "a
hole" and others as "a dent" Her
stem was twisted to starboard, Du;
the general structure of the submarine
was said to be firmly in place, not
withstanding the force of the impact
which sent the tug to the bottom
within a few minutes.
The men of the T. A. Scott, Jr.'
had no chance for their lives. Tney
went down imprisoned in the pilot
house, engine room and galley.
Moved Ont Early.
The Deuthchland had moved quietly
out of her protected pier early this
morning and slipped down the Thames
river to the sound, under double con-
vow of tugs. She carried a cargo
estimated at about 100000, COM
posed principally of rubber and
metals which Germany needs in the
making of munitions of war.
To starboard was the T. A. Scott
Jr.. slightly advanced and acting as
| pilot. The submarine, moving ON tbs
surface at a speed Of about ten knots,
was about 600 yards behind and half a
mile astern the tug Cassie followed as
additional protection. Reaching the
race the vessels slowed down to cross
! the eddying currents of the passage
at slower speed.
The tide runs swiftly to the race
and one of the rips apparently caught
the tug unaWares. In the darkness
the T. A. Scott, Jr., was forced into
the submarines course. The collision
resulted and the tug sank almost al
once.