Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-06-07
AMERICAN NAVY HANGS
U-BOAT SCALP TO BELT
Submarine Sunk by Armed Steamer
in Running Fight Lasting an
Hour and a Half.
TOTAL OF SIXTY SHOTS FIRED
Official Announcement of Action
Made Mt State Department-Does
Not Refer to the Mongolia's Re-
cent Attack on Underwater Raider.
TOTAL OF SIXTY SHOTS FIRED
IRy Associated Pres..l

| BY Associated Press.
W.ASHINGTON. June 6.-A German
submarine is believed to have been
sunk by an armed American steamer
In running fight lasting hn hour and
half. in which thirty-fve shots were
fired by the submarine and twenty.
FIVE by the steamer.
Official announcement TO this effect
was made at the State Department to-
day The location Of the action be-
tween the merchant vessel and sub
marine was not given. Neither was
the name of the American ship.
1t was stated. however. that the
ship was not the Mongolia. regarding
which cable advices had been received
last night. The Mongolia. accord ing
TO word from England. ran into a
nest Of submarines. and had a long
running fight with two of them.
THRILLING DETAILS
AS OFFICIALLY TOLD
The other action took place in a
different territory. The thrilling de-
tails told in the bare language OF
of1cialdom. follow:
The Department of State is advised
by telegraph OF an engagement be-
tween an armed American steamer and
submarine The guns OF the steamer
were manned by an American naval
crew. The submarine was first seen at
about 1000 yards. She had six-inch
gun forward and aft. She flew no flag.
Upon sight of the submarine. the
steamer hoisted the American flag, and
waited for about ten minutes As the
submarine approached. the steamer
fred The submarine responded The
steamer kept speed that would per-
nit the submarine TO come within
range. Then followed fight lasting
for an hour and a half. The suhma
rine came TO a distance OF about $500
yards. BY that time the submarine
had fired thrtY-f five shots and the
steamer twenty-five. The last shot OF
the steamer apparently struck the sub
marine, which raised clear out of the
water and stood stern end up for A
few seconds. Then she Disappeared
The captain of the steamer and the
commander OF the guard believe that
the submarine was sunk. The steamer
suffered no damage"
RELIEVED TO HAVE REEN
ONE OF T.00O-TON BOATS
The fact that the submarine carried
two siN-inch guns leads officials 10
believe that she was one of the great
7o0o-ton C-Boats which was reported
building. The ordinary submarine
carries only 2.7 gun.
1t was she'll from the six-inch
naval rifle which sent the U-boat to
the bottom. The full report OF the
incident was not made public hut il
was indicated at both the State and
Navy Departments that the details as
contained left no doubt that the sub
marine had been sunk.
Officials regarded 1t as the first au-
thenticated case of the American navy
hanging submarine scalp to It's belt
The reason the name of the ship and
the personnel OF it's gun crow were
withheld was explained by officials as
precautionary. on the Mongolia's last
trip she shot the periscope OFF sub
marine On this last voyage which
has just ended at british port she
was caught by several u-boats OH
cia1s believe the submarines were de-
liberately waiting for the Mongolia be-
cause OF the press campaign which
could be carried on within Germany
should she be sunk Germany has
warned that all men caught firing at
submarines will be shot as pirates.
As an evidence of the close censor
ship being carried on in Washington.
1t became known this afternoon that
tho report OF the sinking Of the sub
marine had been in possession OF the
State Department tor more than a
week. b-