Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-10-10
GERMAN WAR U-BOAT
BRINGS MAIL To j. s.,
THEN SPEEDS To SEA
U-53, Armed Man of War;
Puts in at Newport. R. l.,
Long Enough to Deposit Mail
for Count Won BernStorff
(By Associated Press.l

anchor in Newport narbor today. AL
most before the officers of the Amerl-
can fleet of warships, through which
the stranger had nosed her way, had
recovered from their establishment, the
undersea fighter had delivered mes
sage for the German ambassador, and,
weighing anchor, turned Brenton'S reef
lightship and disappeared beneath the
waves just inside the three-mile limit.
As she came and went, she flew the
German naval ensign, two guns were
mounted on the decks, while eight tor
pedoes plainly visible under the for
ward deck gave mute assurances that
the warship was ready for a fight.
Lieutenant Captain Hans Rose, who
hung up a new worlds record in bring
ing an armed submarine in battle array
across the Atlantic, said he had called
at Newport simply to mail letter to
Count Bernstorff. He requested neither
provisions nor fuel and would be on
his way, he said, long before the TWEEN
ty-four hours during which belliger-
ent ship may remain within a neutral
harbor had expired.
HERE ONLY THREE HOURS.
The submarine was in American wa
tiers a little more than three hours, as
Stunning that she continued to sea after
submerging. Within that time the Ger
man commander paid official visits to
Rear Admiral Austin NJ. Knight, COM
mander of the destroyer force of the
Atlantic fleet who was on board the
flagship, the scout cruiser Birmingham.
Both American officers returned the
brief call promptly.
While these formalities were being
exchanged, wireless messages were car
rying to the ships of the British and
French patrol fleet off the coast a
warning that a hostile submarine had
slipped through their Gordon and might
be expected in the open sea soon. AT
the forts and the naval station, the
feat of Captain Hans Rose, which had
taken everyone by surprise, was the one
subject of conversation tonight and
there was much speculation as to her
mission and whether it was confined to
the postage of letter to the German
embassy.
There were rumors, without apparent
basis, that the German merchant sub
marine Bremen, long overdue, might be
expected in the wake of the warship.
Some naval officers expressed the opiu-
ion that the fighter had escorted the
Bremen across the ocean. and others
that she was searching for the mer-
chant ship. The first question asked by
Captain Rose when motorboat came
BremenT'
When he was told that there was
no news of the missing craft his face
became grave, but he made no COM
ment. To the naval men generally, the
most interesting fact disclosed by Cap
tain Rose was that he had been at sea
seventeen days and still had provisions
for three months, abundant fuel, and
needed no repairs. Not so much as a
bottle of water was taken aboard, and
the ship was spick and span.
The U-53 was first sighted from land
at 1:45 o'clock this afternoon as she
was entering the inner harDor escorted
by the United States submarine DE-.
The American had been outside for
maneuvers since morning and was re-
turning when she came up with the
German. The DE- drawing near the
stranger and making out her type sent
a wireless message to the shore head
quarters of Admiral Knight who relay
ed word of the appearance of the U-5S
to the navy department at washington.
The American submarine preceded the
visitor into the harbor.
The first, report had it that 1T was
the Bremen which was coming in. A
newspaper man who had watched for
weeks for the merchant submarine
climbed to the tower of the United
States engineers office and with the aid
of powerful glasses, made out two guns
on the submarine.
A few minutes later he was in
motorboat making for the craft and was
rewarded by being taken aboard. The
U-5S had made her way through the
fleet of thirty-seven United States war
ships, including destroyers and sub
marines, to an anchorage two hundred
ard Of ha
station. Captain Rose stood on. the
quarter deck as the correspondent came
aboard and after inquiriing about the
Bremen, said that he had come in TO
mail a letter to Count Won Bernstorfr,
and asked for the newspaper mans Gre
dentials.
The latter exhibited an Associated
Press badge and was intrusted with the
correspondence for the ambassador
please forward this letter to Count
Bernstorff," said the captain, and re-
port my arrival. They will be glad 10
hear It,"
The correspondence, contained in a
single envelope, was mailed at the To-
cal postoffice at o'clock and should
have started for, Washington about an
hour later It should be at the German
embassy early tomorrow morning.
The U-53 is a monster submarine
Her length is 90 meters or more than
200 feet, with corresponding beam. She
appears larger in every way than any
of the submarines of the l. type that
now are operating in Narragansett bay.
Her coming tower and her periscope
rose much higher than those of the
American vessels.
Through the periscope the Vistors
could plainly see many familiar points
in Newport The vessel was equipped
with wireless.
The armament consisted OF two guns
fore and aft. and four torpedo tubes.
Handy to the tubes, which were for
ward, were eight torpedoes.
Going down the companion-way by
means of a long iron ladder, the visitors
were admitted to the plainly, but COM
fortably furnished quarters OF the or
ficers. On the walls were paintings
of Emperor William and noted men OF
the Germany army and navy, past and
present.
:, The quarters for the crew were
equipped with hunks that closed up
against the vessels side. At the sleep
ing quarters was the officers mess
room and the galley in which all cook
ing was done with electricity.
AS she rode at anchor the submarine
flew the imperial navy flag at her stern
and the naval jack at the bow.
Speculation as to the mission of the
'U-5s took several directions tonight.
Some thought they saw connection