Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1917-03-16
US SHIP BLOWN UP
IRY GERMAN U-BOAT;;
ENTIRE CREW SAFE
Commander 100 Busy" to Aid
Victims.
REFUSED TO TOW SMALL BOAT
American Steamer Algonquin Shelled
Without Warning and Then Sent
to Bottom-"Situation IN
chanaed"-Washington.

London, March JO.-lne American
steamer Algonquin has been destroyed
by German submarine. The crew
was saved, j. G. Stephens, the Amer
lean consul at Plymouth, reported.
Capt. A. Nordberg declared he had
no warning before the submarine
opened fire with live shells.
The Algonquin was u freighter. 1t
was sent down at six O'Clock on the
morning of March IL The submarine
refused assistance, the consuls report
said.
Twenty-seven men have been landed.
According TO later advices from
Plymouth. the German submarine
opened fire upon the Algonquin from a
distance of 1000 yards, firing about 20
shells.
These were not enough to sink the
steamer, so it was boarded by men
from the submarine, who placed four
bombs and the Algonquin was then
blown mp. The crew was given plenty
of time to leave the vessel.
Unwarned, Captain Says.
1T was just after daylight on Mon
day when we were attacked" said the
captain of the Algonquin. as quoted by
the Press association.
"There was no warning. The sub
marine started fire at range of three
miles. When about 20 live shells had
been fired at rhe Algonquin, of which
four hit the ship forward. the crew de-
cided to take to the boats, and pulled
away from the sinking vessel
"Then the submarine approached,
and, with only it's periscOpe showing,
sailed around the steamer several
times. Finding that the crew had
abandoned the ship the submarine
came to the surface.
"Some of the Germans boarded the
algonquin and placed bombs aft.
These were exploded, and within
quarter Of an hour the stearceF disap-
peared.
81 appealed to the submarine com
Hnander for a tow toward land in view
of the roughness of the weather. but
the German gruffly replied; i am too
busy"
Thirteen British vessels of more
than 1900 tons were sunk during the
week ending March IL. says an Off
<ial announcement of shipping losses.
-Four British vessels of less than 1000
tons and three fishing vessels were
sunk.
Ten Americans Aboard
New York, March 15-The Algon-
quin sailed from this port on Febru-
airy 20 with cargo valued at 81 .250,-
900. The ship itself was appraised at
$450000. 1t was commanded by Capt
A. Norberg, naturallzed Norwegian.
Four Of the Americans on the Al
gonQuin were born i'm the United
States and the other six are natural
dzed American citizens, according to
the records on f'e here. They are:
w. T. Holmes, Doatswain Pittsburgh /;
Allan Hopkins, Ellsworth, Me- A. T.
FOrman, seaman, Baltimore and Frank
Formason, seaman, Gloucester. Mass,
all native Americans; and Capt. A.
Norberg, Norwegian, Brooklyn; f. G.
Yerney, first mate. Belgian, Detroit,
Mich; Charles Schulz, chief engineer,
German, New York city; Frank John
stone, assistant engineer, Irish, whose
parents live in Scotland, Alexander
Paul, second engineer, Scotchman,
Brooklyn, and f.. Zimmerman, third
engineer, Norwegian, Brooklyn. all
naturalized Americans.
Situation is UNCHANGED.
Washington, March 15-In the alb
sence of official dispatches on the de-
Structlon of the steamer Algonquin,
officials withheld comment but the I'M
official view was that nothing in the
incident changes the situation between
1he United States and Germany.
President Wilson already has taken
steps to place the nation in a state of
armed neutrality which, with the
breaking of diplomatic relations with
Germany, is practically the last meas
are possible short of war
Armed Ships, U. S. Reply.
American ships now are being armed
10 defend themselves against unlawful
submarine attack. The general view
is that arming of ships is the only an
swer to submarine operations short of
declaration of war, which may be
made only by congress.
Inc feal issue OF peace or war is ex-
pected to come when an American
armed ship has clash with Il German
submarine.
A series of distinctions of American
ships probably would arouse congress
10 declaration of war, If indeed Ger
many should not declare war on tba
United States, as may expect, as re-
suit Of the first encounter with one of
her submarines
Up TO the present, in the absence of
action by congress, all that could be
done to meet such case as the de.
strnntinn Of thu Al.,rnn..t.. L.,