The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1917-04-18
Torpedo Just Misses Smith
patrolling 100 Miles
South of New York
ALREADY SUBMERGED
Glib MAKES GET AWAY
Navy Officers Appreciate
The Dangers of The
Blockade
pr ASSOCIATED PRESS.

BY ASSOCIATED PRESS.
Washington, April 17.-Warning
- The probable presence of a Ger
" submarine off the Atlantic coast
r n.1a sent broadcast to all ships by
tbe navy following a report that a
tnrnado was fired across the bow OF |
fba United States destroyer smith
last night. No further word has
come from the Smith. =,
Navy officials are awaiting with
keen interest additional reports re-
reived late today at Boston. Some
nayv officials are somewhat inclined
n believe the Smiths lookout was
mistaken in thinking he say the wake
of a torpedo. In any event, the IN
cident serves to illustrate the fact
that a rigid patrol is being main
tanned off the Atlantic coast, but no
details as to how operated has been
made public.
J Washington, April ia German
submarine today fired on tie de-
stroyer Smith about 100 miles south
Of New York.
This announcement was made at
the navy department.
Reported from Fire Island light
ship to the naval stations at Boston
and New York at $3.50 a. M. on the
18th, an enemy submarine was sight
ed by the q. S. S. Smith running APP
parently submerged. Submarine
fred torpedo at the II.
S. S. Smith, which missed her by
thirty yards. The wake of the tor
pedo was plainly seen crossing the.
bow. The submarine disappeared.
Blockaded?
Whether the presence of the sub
marine merely foreshadows spo-
radio raid such as the U-53 conduct
ed off the New England coast, or
whether it is the signal for the be-
ginning of a general submarine
blockade of the Atlantic coast is not
yet known.
The attack by the U-boat is Ger
many's first recognition of the state
Of war declared by the United States.
It was stated in Germany soon after
the action of congress, that no ag-
gressive steps would be taken
against the United States.
Practically no American officials
believed this statement, however, and
moves to meet aggressive steps were
at once taken. The probability of
Submarine attack on unprotected sea-
board cities and towns, raids on ship
ping within sight of American
yhnroe o-J - -,,Lv~,,,-,x,o hI0olzodo of
The principal Atlantic ports to ter
Forize shipping and people were ex-
peeted.
Last week word came to Washing
ION that Germany was about to de-
clare prohibited submarine zone
about the harbors at Boston, New
York, the Delaware Capes, Chesa-
peake Bay, Charleston, and Savan-
Individually all the important
ports on the Atlantic seaboard.
Great Food Ships.
Some American officials were dis
Inclined to credit the report, but en-
tente diplomats here predicted that
1ernany would soon carry the sub
marine campaign to this side of the
Atlantic principally to scare neutral
SHIPPING away from American har-
eors and to raid the great merchant
Ieets moving food and supplies to
Americas allies.
Some officials think that the lack
q a declaration of prohibited zone
a American waters may be due to
1e crippled condition of commune
eaaons with Germany. Without
sacn declaration, they assert, Ger
many will incur great claims of dam
ages to neutrals and will carry on a
u" campaign without the color OF
..gYgal authority which she contends
ne declaration of a barred zone
ENDS to it.
,, Germany Crippled?
With submarine war brought
sloSe to the doors of America, the
feasibility that German U-boats ma.
lave bases on this side of the At
rI@.SIe IS revived. The raid of th'
-o0 and the Deutschland's two trip:
essstnonstrated that German subma
. .lgs could escape the British nava
''uoas and reach America. Whethe,
=. Suomersible could make such ;
r S;p and return without getting sup
s,.sS on this side of the Atlantic i
s.I doubted. Many of the off
s@'S 4ere have always believed tina
~ 9-o3 had a mother ship. Tn
oss:2ssiio'ilty that merchant submarine
IN. me deutschland type, now con
NJ sii,,9a to carriers of fuel oil and sup
ss, might accompany flotillas o
war boats on their trans-Atlanti