The sun., 1917-09-16
Captain Of British Freight
er Tells Of Picking Up
Distress Call.
DESTROYERS IN HUNT
Three U. s. Warships Speed
to Sea After Flash "We're
Being Shelled."
WHERE U-5a CAUGHT FIVE
Cape Race, n. F., Wireless
Had Warned of Submarine
in West Atlantic.
WHERE U-58 CAUGHT FIVE

is operating in tho western Atlantic near
shelled an unidentified British ship. ac-
cording to Capt. Goodwin of British
freishter which arrived at an American
port yesterday.
An hour after its wireless operator
had picked up 8 o calls from the ship
being attacked the incoming freighter
passed three United States destroycrs
speeding to the rescue and the chase.
Unconflrmed reports had 1t that aero
planes from neighboring coast guard
stations also Joined in the hunt.
Attacked by submarine shellf1re" was
the message caught by the operator OF
the freighter at S o'clock Friday morn
ing from vessel which gave her posi-
ton as sixty-flve miles southeast OF
Nantucket lightship. This was followed
for about three minutes by repetitions
Of s o 8, then the name of the ship
again the s o s and abrupt silence.
1t was at first stated that only the
word ABBY" presumably part of the
ships name, was deciphered. but later 1t
was announced that the name of the
ship is known to Capt Goodwin and Of
ficers Of the Navy Department, who are
publication.
Distress Call Heard Elsewhere.
A second message was intercepted by
the freiGhter. which indicated that the
United States naval wireless station at
Siasconset had heard the distress call
and was sending out an answer. This.
It is believed. Is responsible for the i'm
mediate despatch Of the three destroyers
to the scene Of the attack
Though the Navy Department refuses
all requests for information bearing on
the question, additional reports from
three steamships arriving at American
ports yesterday lend strength to the
belief that German U-boats are now
playing at their favorite game In the
waters OF the western Atlantic. Officers
Of fourth British ship which has landed
safely on this side, having experienced
no excitement on the trip over, appear
inclined to view The rumors as bunk"
They state that they were compare
lively close to Nantucket Friday morn
ing and heard nothing OF the mysterious
8 o calls while passengers con-
tended that II any such messages had
been picked up they apparently gave
little concern. They noticed nothing un-
usual in the management of the ship.
On the other hand officers of another
British steamship said they had been
instructed to look sharply for u-boats
when nearing the American coast, and
British steamer arriving at DIFF
ferent port reported she had received
wireless warning from the Cape Race
ss4tion, Newfoundland, on September
Is, Of the presence Of a submarine that
had been reported previously by an
other ship. The exact location of the
submersible was not given.
Confirmed by L. :. Tauker.
Moreover, specific confirmation OF
ship being attacked southeast of Nan
tucket lightship Friday was brought in
by the captain of an American tanker
who asserted the tanker's operator had
caught the distress signals when no
more than twenty miles distant from
the attacked vessel. Since he was not
in a position to render assistance he
put full steam ahead for port
Information as TO the calls for help
intercepted by the freighter was not
given out by Capt. Goodwin, who was
under orders to keep silent. but by
representative OF II. Lawrence Smith,
Inc. agent of the line. to whom the
captain reported. An official OF the
company. which has offices at Il Bat
terry place, made this statement:
Capt Goodwin reported to Us thaS
at o'clock Friday morning, when his
ship was about thirty miles Off the
coast OF Nantucket. she heard wire,
less in the British code from a ship ap-
proximately thirty miles away stating
that the ship was being attacked by
submarine. The message continued for
several minutes and was then followed
by the s o S. Owing to a ruling by
the British Admiralty that no merchant
ships may go to the aid OF ship under
attack by a submarine CU-boats nave
at times used the distress signal as
decoy), the captain continued on his
course"
1t was learned later that this was a
source or poignant regret To the ships
ofiicers. who were rather keen for go
with the undersea craft.
SO > Sent In British Code.
The fact that the call was in the Brit
ish code removes the possibility that Il
might have been sent out by amateurs
When he had made his report to the
company the commander appeared be-
| fore naval officials in answer to a sum
| mons from the Government. which de-
sired full particulars. Nothing, however
OF this interview has been revealed
Naval officers stated In answer to aues-
| tlons that they knew no more than had
been published In press dispatches. and
| that besides they were not In a position
to dispense information II they would
The place where the mysterious ship
was reported attacked. sixty-hve miles
TO the southeast of Nantucket. is in the
vicinity in which the U-63 sank FIVE
! steamships while on its visit TO American
waters I'm October, 1915.
This undersea monster. a huge craft
| Of the Deutschland type under command
| OF Lieut.-Comman Hans Rose, ap-
peared in Newport harbor October Z
| putting back to sea after a three hour
visit She was again heard from when
the American steamship Kansan, since
| destroyed was stopped off Nantucket
but permitted 10 proceed upon establish
| ing her identity.
Shortly afterward word came OF the
sinking OF the British steamers Strath.