New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-12-23

the effects of the shell which ended
her wretched career. II was her COM
mander's intention to move beyond
range and continue the action on the
chance that he had the bigger guns,
but he miscalculated and paid the
price.
1t was during this voyage that the
steamer picked up a boat containing
twenty-three of the crew of tor
pedoed English freighter from the Far
East. The submarine had sunk her
only a few miles beyond the position
of the American ship and the boats
had become separated. Soon after the
rescue destroyer on patrol duty came
tearing out Of the eastward and bore
down on the ship that few the Stars
and Stripes, firing two guns across her
bow as a summary signal to halt ana
explain herself. The steamer halted
hastily, wondering what the row WAS
about. ;I.
viqilant. suspicious, her crew at their
battle stations, the officers scanning
the steamers side. The explanations
were apparently satisfactory, ana
presently the destroyer tore OF on
some other errand. Later the rlddie
was solved. When the men from the
sunken English freighter had been
taken aboard the first officer OF the
steamer had fired several shots from
his revolver at the empty lifeboat as
il drifted astern. Scuttled IN TINS
fashion, the boat slowly filled and
sank.
The other boats, with the rest of
the derelict crew, had been picked up
by a passing merchant vessel whlch
was able to sight from distance
men passing up and down the side OF
the American steamer and what
looked like a submarine submerglng
astern. This was, in fact, the aban-
doned lifeboat. Reporting the cir
cumstances to the destroyer, met
little later, it was surmised that this
honest American vessel might be >.
German decoy or submarine supply
ship. Hence the summons TO heave TO
and the scrutiny in search OF con-
cealed gun ports. To the Yankee gun
ners, amused by the incident, II was
proof that Johnny Bull was right on
the job"
Voyage of Silver Shell
Very similar to this successful en-
counter was the adventure OF the
steamer Silver Shell. In this instance
also the French Ministry of Marine
added its opinion that the submarine
had probably been hit and sunk.
The chief gunner won promotion
shortly after this statement was IS
sued by Secretary Daniels:
william ]. Clark, of New York,
chief turret captain and commander OF
the naval gun crew of the Silver Shell,
Is deserving Of promotion, which we
are now considering. All tho other
members OF the crew, as well, and
what they have done, deserve great
credit and distinction. The chief tur-
ret captain Is very capable man. lie
+ is an enlisted man who has seen near
+ " twelve years Of service in the navy
and has won successive promotions by
proven capacity. For his work he de-
| serves the very besg that can be done
/ for him"
Here was a man TT and ready for
/ his job. and he knew how TO put his
! own spirit and experience into the
team play OF his gunners. An Ameri-
can naval officer Of high rank detailed
/ on special duty st a French post con
{ Quoted an inquiry and found pleasure
IN writing to Washington that "the
master of the Silver Shell was par
I tcularly enthusiastic over the SPLEEN
did work Of the turret captain and the
entire naval gun crew; he also states
that his whole crew displayed most
/ commendable spirit during the battle"
This is precisely as IL should be,
bluejaekets and merchant seamen
standing together, fighting the enemy
as one intrepid American crew, and
the Stars and Stripes hoisted at the
/ first shot by order OF the skipper
! Chief Gunner Clark had the honor to
report 20 the Navy Department.