Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1917-04-17
TORPEDO FIRED BYD|VER
MISSES j. 5. DESTROYER
Bergaent Visitor Submerges After Unsuccessful Attack
on Warship at Early Hour This Morning. Few
Miles OF East Coast and Apparently Escapes

Washington, April 7.-Gerrnany fired the first shot
of the of America against Germany today-and it
missed The information reached the navy department
shortly after that the United States destroyer Smith
fired upon by German submarine at $3.50 a. The
torpedo launched by the boat missed the Smith The
latter gave chase to the submarine but the enemy boat
submerged and escaped.
Announcing the first engagement of the war, the navy
department this afternoon issued the following buletn
Reports from Fire Island ightship to navy station
at Boston and at New York that at about $50 m, the
18th, enemy submarine sighted by the U. s. s.
Smith, running apparently submerged The submarine
fired torpedo at the Smith, which missed her by thirty
yards. Wake of torpedo plainly crossing the bows
Submarine disappeared"
The navy department had not heard about the clash
until press reports brought word of it, Immediately
Commander Beknap, navy censor, got the New York
navy yard on the telephone and asked details New York.
too, ignorant, but at communicated with Fire
Island lightship, from where the original report to
Charestown had been made. few minutes later Sandy
Hook flashed back the story to New York. which at
notified Belknap.
\ The submarines efforts to sink the destroyer were
the first definite evidence of the orepeated that
German U boats lurked off our coasts.
The fact that the Fire Island ghtship conveyed the
original information led to the belief that the German
not far distant from New York City, nasmuch as the
ghtship is only 20 miles beyond Sandy Hook the outer
portal of New York harbor.
While, for military reasons the navy department does
not say what being done about hunting the submarine
l
effect.
One Of the numerous reports of submarines off our
shores has been that group of them were harbored in
Mexican waters ready to make spectacular raid
Of the big American ports The immediate effect of the
Smith affair the navy it, win be to stir up the
country to realization that is at our Shores and to
stimulate recruiting both for the navy and the army
The destroyer Smith is of the an" class built in
19O9 with length of 2S8 feet and displacement of 700
tons Her speed is 29 knots hour and she is armed
with five 14pounder guns and three 8nch torpedo tubes
She carries 81 men,
The scout cruiser Chester in charge of the patrol in
the New England district dspaces 75O TONS has speed
Of rs knots and lightly aored She carries two 5nch
six 3-inch and two 3poundes, with two torpedo tubes
Her complement includes 356 men, She was built in
1906. FG &@
When the U-53 arrived at Newport Captain Rose es-
pecay called attention to the fact that he had not put in
For fuel-nor did he take any aboard
The actual appearance of fighting submarine on this
side has naturally aroused the greatest speculation as to
the possibility Of secret base having been established at
some point within comparatively easy reach from home
waters. No information is available however, as to
whether the navy department believes this may be the
case. aNa
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