The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-04-26
Periscope Struck at Thousand
Yards and Officers Report
Oil on Surface Later
BIG FREICHTER WAS on
SECOND TRIP ARMED
May Mean Alteration of Ger
many 8 Announced Intention
to Ignore America as One OF
Ito Enemies

BY International News Sfrvicc-}
London, April 25.-A brilliant
pot shot from an American gun,
manned by American gtInncrs ON
m American merchantmen on
Thursday last sent to the bottom
~ the North SCI n German sub
marine, just rs the u-boat one
Thousand yards -uay. was about
To huri a torsssio into uA nfcr-
chantnian's vi,als.
The ship which thus boasts of
being tho first OF Uncle Sums
maritime traders to sink Il
beat il the steamship Mongolia.
Of the Atlantic Transport cos
fleet, which sailed from on Amcri-
can port on April I with " crew
CT i46 men and an American
naval gun crew of eighteen men.
Sisfy-scvcn Americans IRE in her
regular crew.
Sensation of Day.
The SEanG!ed Banner futter-
Ing proudly froa her mast. the
iner lplacentl: nosed her way into
British port today. To American
rowsra per men greeting him. await
Ing him ~ the pier, her skipper, Cap
fsin Emery Rice. told the story OF
fhs exploit thai IL destined 10 be-
esgna history Throughout the even
ing hours crow ds Of curious English
men lined the dock, gazing admIrinE-
Is upon the gallant guest that had
bred the first shot in Americas war
en- the SIDE of tho allies. The Mon
Rolia's feat was the sensation OF thu
lay in the newspapers here.
The day OF the Nongriia's feat
was April 10. anniversary of the
battle Of Lexington. when the first
hot WAS fred In the American
revolution. T7,e gun that sent the
fatal shot In the U-boAt bears the
name Teddy having hecn thus
baptized" by it's crew when the
vessel left America.
so Teddy fred the first gun OF the
war after all, remarked Captain Rice.
laughingly. as he commented upon
this coincidence.
Praise for Gunner.
II was in the last lap of the Mon
Eoiia's voyage that she encountered
the gray sea monster. The liner was
going fun speed when the submarine
was sighted dead ahead. The whole
one sided night TOOK Just about two
minutes II was case Of "out-t-
boating the J-boat" To Lieutenant
.. .s..... u s. ~. In command
Of the gunners. Captain Rice at
tributes the credit of the splendid
achievement.
Modes.ly. as TO his own part. but
with unconcealed pride in his ship,
Captain Rice told the story of the
encounter;
ut was SEQ o'clock on the after
noon of the 18th" he said. when the
first mate cried:
There's a submarine off the port
bow
Lieutenant ... was with me on
the bridge. We had been there most
of the time throughout the trip. T
hadn't had my clothes off for Ave
DAYS and nights. There was haze
over the sea and we had just taken
a sounding. since we were approach
ing shallow water. We were looking
At the lead when the hrst mates cry
stirred us into quick action. We
caught glimpse OF the U-boat as II
at close distance. The
periscope was just disappearing IN a
swirl OF water.
Seen Thousand Yards Away.
.atarboard wheel. I shouted, and
In the next moment We were swing
ing the nose of the ship toward the
SPOT where the submarine had Owed.
| intended to ram H. Two minutes
later IL emerged again about 1000
Yards off. Evidently it proposed to
catch us broadside on.
But Lieutenant ...... was on tho
Job He had his stern gun trained
Full on the I-boat. He had sighted
Il to the inch. The next thing we
heard WAS his command to fire and
hen we saw the periscope being shat
Tered into splinters
THE submarine was gone. And
there isn't a shadow of doubt that
it's gone for good It's at the bot
TOM and will never come up again.
/ wish could express In words my
admiration for the cool manner in
which the lieutenant handled his
rev Of gunners. But it surpasses
verbal description. Uncle Sam can
indeed be proud OF such marveIousiy
.rained men. And in such hands any
American ship will be safe.
hip going full speed. the lieutenant
hat which the Mongolia would un-
loubtedly make, with the distance we
we're from the submarine when we
afst sighted II and when 1t reap
peared, and training his gun at the
lxAct spOt--all In two minutes There
! no guess work about II. It's case
81 pure mathematics.
T9SCM Ran for ~.
4 Did w stop 4fter the shot was
Ired7 Well, should say not We
! - away n full speed, for II waa
! ~ - lJlfo11 tllat tlaero w. asA-
\ in6 aropnd Tint
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