Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-12-30

The American government has
published no lists of the number Of
armed merchant ships which nave
SUCCESSFULLY 4 EN- q @ d Themselves
against submarine attack The dis
astcrs are. OF course. more sensation
al and this information has not been
withheld by the navy department. A
compilation Of the figures will show,
on the other hand, that the trained
gun crews are an effective protection
and that the u-boats are learning 70
he wary of them. Such report as
the following is fHirly typical.
"A periscope was reported 1--WE
thousand yards off the port bow. II
soon disappeared, but two hours later
the submarine appeared above water.
II made no attempt 10 attack the
ship which promptly opened fire,
Then the submarine returned IL al
most shot for shJt. The steamer was
able to move at the faster speed and
soon ran out OF range. 1t was n stern
chase The captain OF the ship ar
gued that the submarine had fired u
torpedo and came up TO observe re-
suits our cargo was gasoline and
II seemed wiser TO crowd on steam
and get away than to stay and fight
4, out"
In every story OF an American
armed ship destroyed without
cnance to fight the hluejackets have
behaved with the fidelity which their
ration has learned to expect OF them.
The utmost vigilance can not guard
them against catastrophe. They can
not fight a foe when II Is wholly un-
seen In the darkness of night, or
at dusk and dawn, or when the sea is
rough, there is no chance to descrN
even a glimpse OF the tiny tube of a
periscopc. Then may come the crasn
and the deadly explosion that shat
ters the ship and sends her reeling 10
the bottom in a few minutes There
was one tanker, the official report
OF whose last voyage leaves impress
sions. vivid and inspiring of the hard
and hazardous service in which these
men of the American navy are en-
gagged. The chief gunner, Harry
Waterhouse. promoted 10 warrant
rank when he came home, the fourth
award OF the kind during the first
hs/. year of the war The report Of
the voyage follows:
THE steamer sailed for
with 2,5O0,O00 gallons of gasoline and
naphtha. The battery and fire con-
troll systems were vested every day.
Practice shots we're fired and every
thing functioned. Watches were set,
three mel at each gun. day and night.
Several warning messages received
relating to location OF suspected
raider No patrol poats were seen
off the coast and very
few off tho coast, Tho
coast was well patrolled by
chascrS and armed trawlers | had
to remain constantly on the bridge as
It was very hard to distinguish he
tween submarine and chaser.
Warnings OF submarine activities re-
ccived by flag hoists from shore sig
nal stations,
AT we DISCHARGED the
rest of the cargo and cleared all
tanks The ships crew was given
shore leave here and returned drunk
and In mutinous condition. The
chief officer was attacked and the
captain and police officials stationed
aboard could do nothing with the
crew. The captain asked me TO re
store order which I did without any
undue force. The gun crew un-
moored the ship and stood all
watches until the crew was sober
while homcWard bound the look
outs reported flare light and heard
voices ON the starhonrd bow. We
went TO general Qiarters and made
sure II was two lfchoats which had
been sighted. In them we picked up
% nleh - 'u ''sl9" st,"''ol. ~, II.
captain N'ld ne hau neeh loipeuoo"
as as wen As @ ,Mo StLer SUES It, p, ~.
WhIe IN the poNlS UlSS s"W t,,' uv,e
othel % sleiil'eIS sluN, ne u,'o"N,
were sil%tI' otessNlo,Nuc,i' s.', Ml,h umH
io" iI'S.'' w -, !, w. e"" W'u,u i
nav sU"n SW1,,ai No.'e oi ,', ,nv
@ nlen nau @ ne p',,~ ~ t' ul .',e 'Iu"
Mt MSre ios. MIvn til',' @ s'np WI. wv.
hn, m'Ve sIvS,,'ess ""u p"sS'u t''e Su',S, ,t,s,
~. ~ s'e'ie" ''i "'" '"' az S'hh''"S
'"e''' ....,. go. - ............- -..., 49,,
.,,o,,,,. , 49,, ~ GU YIN AZ,
a. cari,, ',o,rS,,, -, ha .&t'tos & ~
t,"o, o,'d st,ni,". On tb, WHOA
sow an unboovaI Of wntcr ana tbe
wake Of torpedo coming far us on