New Britain herald., 1917-07-05
TROOPS ATTACKED
 ON WAY TO FRANCE
One Submarine, Probably More,
 Sunk in Night Battle


 victory over the submarine.
 Prussian U-boets, forwarned of the starting of American troops for France. twice attacked the transports in force and twice were beaten back with the known loss of one vessel and the probable loss of others.
 In this first serious naval encoun- ter since the entry of the United States into the war, Prussian ingenuity has been checkmated. Apparently with full knowledge of the arrange ments for the expedition the time of steaming and the route to be taken, the submarines were able to foregath- CT even outside the usual limits of the danger zone.
 That advantage was of no avail The submarine, for once at least, was whipped by the surface vessel. Oil and wreckage upon the water gave evidence of the fate of one of the U-boats. Others, under the rain of grenades directed by the American gunners, probably went down also.
 The official report of the safe ar rival of the last contingent of the Pershing expedition was received at the Navy Department late Tuesday afternoon. Not until then was the veil of secrecy, with which the ar rangements for the expedition were guarded, lifted. For the first time the government announced the suc- cessful accomplishment of one of the most notable military undertakings in the history of all wars. For the first time also the dangers with which it was attended in running the subma rine gauntlet were disclosed.
 No American ship was hit. Not a single American life was sacrificed. It was a clean victory against the under sea weapon upon which Prussianism has based its proudest boast of eff ciency.
 The announcement was received with acclaim in Washington, but in the wave of triumphant rejoicing mis- giWngs over the realization that the Prussians had been .forewarned of the coming of the transports was not en- tirely obliterated. The utmost pre- caution to prevent the disclosure of informal ation concerning the expedition was fruitless. Officials realized that spies had access to the innerm ost se- crets of the departments.
 The news of the battle between the conveys and the submarines was giv- en to the public by Secretary Daniels in the following statements
 ''It is with the joy of great relief that I announce. to the people of the United States the safe arrival in France of every fighting man and every fighting ship.
 Now that the last vessel has reached port, 1t is safe to disclose the dangers that were encountered and to tell the complete story of peril and courage.
 '"The transports bearing our troops were twice attacked by German sub marines on the way across On both occasions the U-boats were beaten off, with every appearance of loss. One was certainly sunk, and there Is req son to believe that the accurate fire of our gunners sent others to the bottom.
 Attacked Before Reaching
 Rendezvous
 "For purposes of convenience the expedition was divided into contin- gents, each contingent including troop ships and @ naval escort designed to keep off such German raiders as might be met.
 "An ocean rendezvous had also been arranged with the American destroy CTS now operating in European wa ters in order that the passage of the danger zone might be attended by every possible protection.
 "The first attack took place at half past ten o'clock on the night of June 22. What gives it peculiar and dis turbing significance is that our ships were set upon at rcint we'll this side of the rendezvous and in that part of the Atlantic presumably free from submarines.
 'The attack was made in force, al- though the night made impossible any exact count of the U-boats gath cred for what they deemed a slaugh ter.
 "The high seas convey circling with their searchIights, answered with neayv gunfire, and it's accuracy stands proved by the fact that the torpedo discharge became increasingly scat tered and inaccurate. It is not known how many torpedos were launched, but five were counted as they sped by bow and stern.
 "A second attack was launched a. few days later against another contin- gent. The point of assault was be- yond the rendezvous and our destroy CTS were steaming as a screen between the transports and all harm. The re- suits of the battle were in favor of Ar,oricao punnerV
 Not alone did the destroyers hold the U-boats at a safe distance, but their speed also resulted in the sink ing of one submarine at least. Gren- tdes were used in firing-a depth charge explosive timed to go off at a certain distance under water. In one instance oil and wreckage covered the surface of the sea after 6 shot from