Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-09-09
sDftAHERTY TELLS OF
n. \. SINKING OF ARGAL|A
sSrmsf Army ohicer Recently In Eu.
81 rope Visits Relatives in
Richmond.
.CONvoYED VESSEL ToRPEDoED
;;ssHnk by German U-Boat While Trav-
& cling With Other Vessels From an
: Atlantic Port and Guarded by Tor
pa pedo Boats.


swidely known traveller and lecturer. is
sdn Richmond visiting relatives. and
sfecuperatinE from his adventure with
sh German torpedo which sank the Ar
SEalia forty miles off the Irish coast
hon the mornins Of August 6.
g Mr.. O'Flahertys who is man OF
slsilitary bearing. toll. we'll formed and
sRyhletic. served ten years In the regu-
Tar army before the war with Spain.
, platoon OF the Sixteenth United
States Infantry. and in the moment OF
victory was severely wounded and left
on the field for dead.
s although suffering from severe
3 cold, Mr.. O'Flaherty talked interest
= OF The Times-Dispatch about his ex-
: periences in the war zone, and in
Scotland. where he was taken by the
British destroyer. G-92. He said:
yes. / was on tho Argalia. which
was a '.g ship with an expensive
two vessels sailing from an American
port July 81. We had 4 pleasant I'M
s eventful voyage most OF the way
u across, until few days before the
& torpedo struck. when we encountered
terrible storm. But this caused no
serious damage to the fleet.
Son the morning of August the
high spirits, the fleet being only forty
miles off tho southwest coast of Ire
land and conveyed by nine British
destroyers and one scout cruiser. 1t
was about 10:15 a. Nj. when tho tor
pedo exploded under the engine-room
on the starDoard side Of the ship.
That is, on the side next to the feet
We were sailing four abreast, the Ar
gala being the first ship on the left
of front line. If the torpedo had
struck on the port, or left side OF the
ship, II would not have surprised us
80 much. 1t was large torpedo and
caused the ship to lurch toward the
port side moment. then shudder from
bow to stern and gradually to settle
down in the water like some hugo
animal with a mortal wound.
when the crash came I was be-
tween decks, and. with thirty-five other
Americans, rushed to the top deck and
made for the starboard side life boat
to which I had been assigned. The
water was scething below and already
spouting from the Ventilators above.
This caused us to become little ner-
vous, but there was no panic. all be-
ing experienced men.
LIFE boat DESTROYED
Ky TORPEDO EXPLOSION
ARRIVING amidships / found my life
boat hanging In shreds. destroyed by
toward the bridge, but finding the wa
ter rushing through the passaGe-way
to the right, climbed to the bridge
deck ran toward the starboard bow
boat, jumped down to the passage way.
where the bosin and seven others of
the crew were trying to lower the
boat. They had great difficulty in do
ing this. but finally. after hanging
over the side of the ship and jumping
into the boat one at Il time, we sue
ceeded in getting safely away. Two
other life boats had some trouble in
getting off. the captains boat being
the last one TO pull away. We were
in the boats about an hour, when the
British destroyer G-92 CRob Roy) took
us aboard. The captain and his boat
crew we're picked up by a patrol about
the same time. They were taken to
ireland and then to Glasgow. We were
taken direct to Glasgow, where we
remained eight days before we secured
passage OH the Cassandra for the re-
turn voyage.
ut was an easy job for the U-boat
After coming TO the surface some miles
away. and lying in walt for us. when
thE opportune nfbment arrived 1t merely
released the deadly shell without ap-
pearing on the surface. The exploding
torpedo was our first warning. There
was also another ship struck in the
road. bat managed to reach port safely.
Two men lost their lives when the
vessel was torpedoed-onc an Ameri-
CAM With relatives in Richmond. and
the other a Scotchman.
',"Glasgow Is wonderful city OF
million Inhabitants. ana many OF tho
people I talked with showed keen in
terest in the preparations for war now
being carried out by the United States"
BUSINESS CONDITIONS
ON THE OTHER SIDE
AS to war conditions on the other
sidS, Mr.. OFlaherty said:
TT is perhaps natural and inevitable
that the people OF this country should
be not only kcenly disappointed. but
somewhat impatient OF what they con-
slider the vaGaries OF the Russian revo-
luton, and inclined to hold them re-
sponsble for the prolongation OF the
war.
l"But however deep may be our dis
appointment. before we condemn we
must never forget the splendid services
which Russia has already rendered to
the allied cause.-the greatest Of all,
10 spite OF this temporary setback. be-
Ing the revolution itself.
4.TNis Is very far from being realized
In this country. We see the evils
which have accompanied this popular
and spontaneous upheaval: we do not
see the worse evils from which it has
saved us. But for 1t Russia would
have concluded a separate peace with
Germany months ago. with tho posi-
BILE contingency of joining the central
powers. 1t would have been by no
means the first time in history that
Russia changed sides during the course
Of great war.
The revolution made that impossi.
BILE, and notwithstanding the collapse
Of the recent offensive, and the unrest
In Petrograd. the situation Is very
far from hopeless. The formation OF
new government with NJ. KerensHy,
Russia's strong man. at the head Of
AFFAIRS. is a good augury. The gov
ernme nt has adopted firmer tone. fol-
lowed by sweeping changes in the
army. drastic measures against pro-
Germans and rigorous enforcement of
military discipline. Order Is gradually
being evolved ont Of chaos. and what
ever chagr1n the allies may feel. Ger
many can extract but little comfort
y from the prospect.
MUST not DE IMPATIENT
$50 WITH RUSSIAN LEADERS