Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-30
GUNNERS OF NAVY
PROTECT SHIPPING
Department Records Show Many
Incidents in Which Blue
jackets Win.
FIDELITY Is AS EXPECTED
Gun Crews Reflect Honor Upon
Nation and Win Praise
of British.
FIDELITY IS AS EXPECTED
BY RALPH ID, PAINE.

marine attack. The disasters arc, OF
course, more sensational. and this in
!.formation has not been withheld by
the Navy Department. A compilation
OF tho figures will skor. on the other
hand. that the trained gun crews are
an effective protection. and that the
C-boats arc learning IL BIZ war" OF
them. Such a report the following
is fairly typical:
~ pc,iscopc was reported 500
yards of the port bow. 1t soon disap-
peared. but two hours later the sub
marine appeared above watrr. It
. made no attempt TO attack ;hc ship,
which promptly opened frc. Than the
submarine returned II almost shot FOR
shot. The steamer was able to move.
AZ the faster speed. and soon ran out
OF range. II was stern chase. The
captain Of the ship argued tina t the sub
marine had fired torpedo and came
up to observe results. o.. cargo was
gasoline. and 1t seemed wiser to crowd
On eteara and set away than 10 stay
and fight II out
In every story OF an American armed
ship destroyed without chance to
! fight. the bluejscke.s have behaved
with the fidelity which their nation has
learned to expect OF them. Tho utmost
vigilance cannot guard them against
cata"tTophc. They cannot fight foe
when u Is wholly unseen. In the dark
ness OF night, or at dusk and dawn, or
when the sea is rough. there is no
'hance 10 descry even El:InpS. Of the
TIN; tube OF . pcriecope Then NAV
| come the crash and the deadly eyrlo-
! SION that skaters the ship and senda
her Keeling TO The bottom in q few.
minutes. There was one tanker, the
/ oHi"iai report OF whose last vovar.
leaves Impressions. vivid and inspir-
ing OF the hard and hazardous sery;c.
, IN winch these men Of the American
navy are engaged. The chief gunner
Harry Wsterhouse. was promoted 70
warrant rank when he came l,om. N.
FOURTH award OF the Kind during m.
Hfst half year OF the war. Tho r.nort
or the voyage follows:
oUELL DISTURBANCE
~ DRUNKEN CREW
The steamer sailed for - with
-''oo'uo' gallons OF gasoline and
naphtha. The battery and IRE control
eyStetns were tested every day. Prac-
tice shots were fred and everything
tuhctioned. Watches were set, three
men al each gun. day and night. Sew.
warming messages received -elat-
,"I 10 location OF suspected raider.
NO patrol boats were seen off the -
coast and very few Oft tho
eoae'. me -- coast was we'll pa-
,'o!ied py chasers and armed traw!ers.
haa TO remain constantly on the
ef:ose' as 1t was very hard to dis
''nsu'Sh between submarine and
chaser. Warnings OF submarine actiyi-
uea were received by has HOSTS from
shore signal stations.
AZ - we discharged tho rest
OF the cargo and cleared all tanks
mo SHIPS crew was given shore leave
mere and returned drunk and in a ,ou.
e'hous condition. The chief officer wae
a.tacked and the captain and no,;cc
o'hciais stationed aboard could do moth.
'"s with tho crew. The captain asked
me 10 restore order. which did with
oot any undue force. The gun Grey
unmoored the ship and stood all
"a.chcs until the crew was sober.
WI ME hcmcward bound the loor
outs reported marc light and heard
voices on the starboard bow VIC went
10 general quarters and made sur. -
was TWO Efcboats which had h..n
s'sAted. In them we picked up tb;rtv-
'"o men OF an Italian steamer -rhc
captain said he had been ,orp,doa1
as "fli4as two other ships, at ep \,
hiic IN the boats they saw these other
SINK. The lifcboats were
small o"ercrowdcd, with onl7. few
. inches OF freeboard, and would bave
soon swanped. None Of the men had
lie belts. Five OF the crew were LOST
"hen their ship went down Three
steamers had passed the boats. but
Ghcercd off and ran at sighting them.
rough sea was running and the
weather vas overcast and hazy .n tho
early morning, when the chief officer
and |. standing OH the bridge. saw an
upheaval of water and the wake OF
torpedo coming for US on the starboard
; beam. The disturbance Of the sea was
about $50 TO 200 yards away. The helm
! was put hard to starboard before tho
torpedo struck.
IT hit just abaft my cabin, blew
the starboard Iifeboat to splinters. car
ricd away tho mainmast shrouds and n
section OF the deck, snapped of the
radio wires tore out large section OF
the ships side, and put the steering
gear out OF commission. Parts Of the
deck and other wrecEage flew as far
as the forecasuc.
NAVY MEN LEAVE SHIP
AFTER OTHERS ARE SAFE
Tho tanks were empty, and tho
ship went over on her beam ends In
less than minute. The two port
boats were got into the waite. With
as they should. No navy man was
lowered In the boats. All worked to
get the boats out and lower away. In
the port forward boat sent one man
down the fall to prevent frantic mem-
hers Of tho crow from cutting the boat
(Continued on Eirhth PaSe.)