The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-10-09
German U.Boats Ravage the American Coast and
 Sink British and Neutral
 Vessels Off Nantucket
tContinued from Page onel

! 0A~ tContinued from Page one)
 German submarine was operating il
 the steamer Inne. Every vessel equippe,
 with wireless was told to make nt toI
 speed for the three-miIe zone and tn,
 commanders of merchant vessels of tn,
 entente allies lost no time in shifting their course.
 Those that were following what |,
 known the outside course turned tC
 the inside course that would bring
 them closer to American land. The
 passenger steamer Stephano, which
 plies regularly between New York and St. Johns, Newfoundland, was bound
 west and was due off Nantucket to-
 morrow morning. When her British
 commander received his warning he
 was said to have shifted his course to
 bring his vessel within the inside lane.
 ISSUE WARNINGS
 British consular officers along the ANSW EuSldHQ COdSl WilO Hdu DGtH dQ- vised by the British embassy to warn
 British shipping against the U-53 re- newed the warning that the submarine had gone into action.
 Something like a panic possessed the minds of shippers in this city and at these reports of the torpedoing was re- ceived from radio stations. The stories regarding the U-53 which appeared in the Sunday papers had aroused much speculation as to her mission and the news that she had attacked British vessels travelled fast. Anxious inquiries were made at the newspaper offices from seemingly almost everyone who had friend on the water or owned tom.
 AMBASSADOR IS COMING
 The Frederick VIII of the Scandi- navian- American line, which Is bring ing home the American ambassador to Germany, James w. Gerard and Mrs Gerard, was 500 miles east of New York at noon today. Assurance that the ambassador and wife were on a neutral vessel was given to inquiring friends by the press.
 The radio stations which at first had given to the newspapers the news Of the torpedoing and were slowly gath ering additional facts were suddenly closed to the press by an order from the navy department at Washington. It was explained that everything re- ceived by government stations must first be transmitted to the navy de- partment before being made public
 Particulars of the attack, however, continued to come from merchant ves- sels to commercial wireless plants and through marine observations on shore
 Captain Smith of the Kansan re- ported in a wireless to the captain of the Nantucket shoals lightship that he had been stopped. He said the subma- rine showed no colors, but from his me ager description of the craft naval men were satisfied that it was the U-53. Half an hour later the submarine encountered the Strathdene, com by Captain Wilson, and under charter by the French line A subse- quent message from the Nantucket stated that the Strathdene had been sunk at o'clock this morn ing and that the "crew of 20" were on the lightship. The steamer carried a crew of 34, so that 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 yesterday aft ernoon. She was of 4432 tons She was built in Greenwich in 1908 and was owned in Glasgow.
 Pursuing her hostile voyage the sub marine next came upon the West Point, bound from London for New port News. The fate of the British freighter was told in the following dispatch from her commander. Captain Harden, to the naval radio sta- tion:
 THE TORPEDO MESSAGE
 British steamer West Point, stopped by submarine and fired upon. Position, 4O,25 north, 69 west. Get cutter"
 Later messages gave further details | One stated that the steamer was being l shelled by the submarine when the mes- sage was sent at 11:15 a. m. A third | message said that the vessel was at- tackled at 10:45 10 miles south of Nan tucket This message caused confusion regarding the exact position of the freighter. The steamer Kansas picked up the distress signals of the West Point and proceeded to her assistance. The Boston navy yard, at 1:30 o'clock, received a message from the Kansan, stating that Kansan was going to her aid. The dis Kansas was going to her aid The dis abled vessel was then 55 miles distant and the Kansan was making 12 knots.
 Later, private dispatch added the in- formation that the submarine, after stop ping the West Point, ordered the crew into their small boats. The crew aban- doned the ship, which was then torpe- doed. It was in a sinking condition when last reported.
 PHILADELPHIA IS STOPPED
 Meantime the American line steamship which left New York yes. terday for Liverpool, had gotten within the war zone, and an S o wireless mes ge was received by her commander. He held his course for the east. During the day no word came from the British and French patrol vessels, which have been " atch tlaptin coa ct fro,,, b;ob