The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-03-19

NQ1 OO6E DUll0crS IO1 O0AAc eAOS'S~
submsrine "chasers" to patrol AmeF-
ican waters and prepared to put into
effect the communicating OF all priv
ate motor boats of sufficient size and
speed to meet the requirements OF
anti-submarine warfare. Ihat thS
department wants to act swiftly, was
apparent by the fact that the oids
for the submarine chasers were 10 DO
ooened Wednesday. Usually sucn
bids are advertised for consider
able time In advance OF their open
ing. In connection with plans ror
| communicating private crart; II IS
known naval boards In every coast
state have listed all available vesseis
and drawn tentative contracts hor
their transfer to the naval service.
Telegraph orders from the depa
ment at Washington to close the con.
tracts and take over the ships would
! be ali that is necessary, the depart
ment stated
Boats as small as s5 feet and pos
! sibly smaller VIII be subject to se-
lection. -,
Bids in response to the appeal viii
be opened Wednesday. The chasefs
will be manned by naval militia ana
the enlisted mems volunteer reserve
consisting largely of fishermen and
seafaring men along the Atlantic
coast. Large numbers OF these nave
volunteered for immediate service on
the chasers, should they be required,
it was stated.
The boats will be constructed out
of the $115.O00.00o fund appropriated
nv congress for use in national
emergency. The are to have from 20
to 35 knot speed. Deliveries are TO
ba9iD within fOrlr months
Twenty-Five Missing.
LONDON, March 19.-Shortly be-
fore noon today United States con-
sr1lar reports to the American en-
bassy here declared the captains
boat of the torpedoed American
steamer City OF Memphis was still
unaccounted for There were eight
men in this boat.
In all, twenty-five men OF the crews
Of the three Am merican ships sunk by
German submarines were missing to-
day.
The three ships were the American
steamers Vigilancia. City of Memphis
and Illinois. All OF the crew OF the
last named were safely landed.
The Vigilancia was struck by tor
pedo without warning. Lookouts did
not even see the periscope OF the
submarine, nor did the U boat emerge
from the sea after the ship had been
struck her death blow. The City OF
Memphis was first struck by shell
fire from the submarine and then
sunk by torpedo.
Consul Frost's Report.
WASHINGTON, March 19.-Consu
Frost at Queenstown cabled the state
department today that while thirty
three survivors of the sunken Ameri-
can steamer City of Memphis do not
include Captain Borum. four other
Americans and four non-American
members of the crew, indications are
that they are safe aboard some mer-
chantman or admiralty vessel.
Frost's message undated, but mani
festly sent yesterday said:
"Thirty-throe survivors City OF
Memphis, do not include Captain l..
T. Borum and four other Americans
and four non-Americans, but indica-
tions are that these men are safe
on board some merchant or admiralty
vessel which has no wtaeless.
CAPTAINS beat did not separate
from others until one a. IN. today and
was picked up empty at 10 a. m.
Weather meantime remaining moder-
ate.
Vessel cleared Cardiff sixteenth in
ballast with f1fty-eight persons includ-
ing twenty-nine Americans. At 1855,
18th, submarine fired warning shot
from three miles on starboard quar-
ter
Vessel was stopped. Submarine
approaching to one mile fired once
more. fragments striking vessel ship
then only being able to read subma-
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