The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1916-10-12

aboard a destroyer. The steamer was
bound from New York for Rotterdam
The Christian Knudsen, Norwegian
freighter. torpedoed and sunk near
where the Bloomersdijk went down.
Crew picked up by destroyers. The
vessel sailed from New York Saturday
for London. The sensation created
when the U-53 quietly slipped into
Newport harbor and as quietly slipped
away three hours later. was less than
the shock in shipping circle when
wireless reports of submarine attacks
began to come into the naval radio
stations just before noon. Within
few minutes the air was LITERAL
charged with electricity as wireless
messages of warning were sent broad
cast along the coast The submarine
o. submarines had taken a position
directly in the steamer lanes where
they could hardly miss anything
bound in for New York or bound east
from that port.
Vessels of the entente allied nations
and neutral bottoms carrying contra.
band of war scurried to get within
the three miles limit of the American
shore. Several that were following
the outside course shifted and made
for the inside lane. The Stephano. of
the Red Cross Line, however, was
caught outside the neutral zone.
Later reports gave further details
Of the attacks. The Stephano met a
submarine six miles southeast of Nan.
tucket Lightship and was attacked by
gunfire and torpedo. The West Point
went down 10 miles south of the Nan
tucket Lightship. The Strathdene was
attacked "off lightship," the report
stated, and the Bloomersdijk was sunk
three miles south Of the lightship. The
up tire miles east of Nantucket Light
ship. The first wireless warning OF
the presence of a hostile submarine Ia
the steamship lane was given in the
distress signals OF the West Point,
which reported that she had been tor
pedoed 30 miles southeast of Nan
tucket light. This message apparently
was picked up by every vessel having
wireless equipment within range, for
within a very short time press dis.
patches from st. Johns, N. b.. and
Halifax. N. s.. indicated that the pa
trolling battleships had received the
alarm. The British censorship, how
ever, prevented the disclosure of the
movements of the patrolling fleets.
Meantime. ship owners in Boston were
In communication with their vessels
at sea. 1t is supposed that any infor-
nation regarding the submarine &C.
t.yities that reached the battleships
came from other vessels rather than
from shore. though ii might have come
from Halifax, where the news was
received over land lines.
One thing that is puszling naval
men is why the U-53 came into port
and another thing that is the subject
OF the speculation of many outside the
navy, why a destroyer tiotilla of II
vessels was sent out To rescue the
crew of single freight steamer The
destroyers were ordered out at the
first report that the West Point had
been torDedoed. The theory advanced
was that Commander Rose, OF the
U-53. came to Newport to advise Rear
Admiral knight that he was about to
attack hostile shipping and contra
band-carrying vessels under the rules
OF international law. Rear Admiral
knight reiterated that Commander
Roses call was one of courtesy. but
IL was suggested that THE German
commander wished to guard against
loss OF life through the aid of Amer
lean vessels in picking up passengers
and crews of ships destroyed.