Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-09-16
S 0 S Calls Were Heard
From Ship Sixty
Miles East of
Nantu cket
tBy Associated Press. ]

waters was orought mere to-day by
two steamships, which yesterday morn
Ing picked up wircess IS o S. calls
indicating that n ship was being she'll
ed by a U-boat in tho vicinity of Nam
tucket Lightship.
| One ship receiving the distress calls
was British frcighter. and the other
an American tanker. Both reported
| the scene of the attack as about sixty
miles east Of Nantucket. and the time
| about O'Clock yesterday morning. The
identity of the submarines victim was
| not learned by either vessel, az far
as Is publicly known.
According to the commander of the
British vessel. the messages received
by wireless operator from the ship
! said she was being shelled, and re-
ported her position. but only a part Of
her name could be heard-the word
I ABBY" which is the last name of
several ships in Atlantic trade.
SILENCE IS IMPOSED
ON BOTH CAPTAINS
The American tankers captain con-
frmed tho British skipper's report, but
| added no details Silence was imposed
on both captains by naval officers who
interviewed them as soon as they re-
pOTieO 10 tne1f agents.
Tho British captain said he under
| stood an American radio station also
had picked up the distress call Fol-
lowing the now rule OF the sea. es-
'ahiished since German submarine war
fare began, neither vessel went to N,
| assistance Of the submarines victim.
Reports OF the sighting OF subma i.
rines or periscopes in American wa
ters have been frequent since the Unit
ed States entered the war, but the
fact that In this case wireless messages
| telling of an attack by shellhre were
| picked up by two steamships gave to-
days reports the color of truth, in
the opinion of shipping men. Further
more. the captain Of a third Incoming
| vessel reported he had been instructed
to watch out for submarines in West
ern Atlantic waters. 1t was realized
that II was possible tho message were
| a hoax.
IN STEAMSHIP LANE
OF TRANSATLANTIC SHIPS
Tho place where the attack was re-
| ported Is IN tho steamship lane OF
transatlantic ships calling at New York
and In the vicinity in which the German
| submarine U-53 sunk five steamships An
its visit to american waters in Octo-
Der. 1916. The U-53, under command
Of Lieutenant-Comman Hans Rose,
| appeared in Newport harbor on Oc-
tober Z. and after a three-hour stay,
put out to sea. The next report of
| her activities was when the American
! steamer Kansan. since sunk, was
stopped off Nantucket, but was per-
mitted to proceed upon establishment
of her identity. Then soon after came
word OF the sinking of the British
| steamers Strathdene. West Point and
Stephano. the latter a coastwise pas
| senger vessel; the Dutch steamer
| Bloomersdijk and the Norwegian
| steamer Christian Knudsen. Passen-
gers from the Stephano and crews from
the other ships were rescued by Ameri-
can destroyers.
SAFE ARRIVAL OF PRESIDENT
RELIEVES SERIOUS STRAIN
WASHINGTON. September 15.-With
the safe arrival of President Wilson
OF board the Mayfower at an Atlantic
strain under which the Navy Depart
worked since the war began has been
relieved.
| The President, Mrs. Wilson and the
were cruising in the very waters in
which two merchant captains reported
evidences of a hostile submarine. The
| report was the most circumstantial
of the many that have been received
since the U-53 dropped into Newport
a year ago. 1t spurred the Navy De.
partment to exceptional activity.
The commander of the naval dis
frf fot
aboard the merchantmen and get the
statements of the captains. He re-
ported to Washington that their ac-
counts were substantially as pub
lished this afternoon. These reports
told of wireless calls for help from a
| ship apparently under shell fire from
submarine. Coming from two ships.
the reports were considered well
| founded.
POOR VICTIM FOR TEUTON
SEA FRIGHTFULNEss
1t is known that the NIayfower
was conveyed. end that her speed
makes her a poor victim for Teuton
sea frightfulness. But she still wears
her white paint. she is one of the
best-known craft in the seven seas
and she carried a precious freight.
Though the Navy Department will
not admit 1t. it is believed that sum-
mary orders were flashed to the COM
mander OF the Mayfiower to get his
distinguished company within the pro-
lection of netteG harbor as fast IS
the well-groomed engines of tho pres
idential yacht could turn.
The completeness OF The navy's
preparations for just this contingency
was revealed in the smoothness with
which plans for running down the
report and for protecting the Pres.
ident we're carried out. 1t was learned
tonight that the regular patrol force
off the Atlantic coast was deemed we'll
| able to perform this duty. The report
that additional destroyers rtd been
hurried to the scene was vigorously