The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1917-10-25
TROOPSHIP SUNK
BY SUBMARINE
Seventy American Sailors and
Soldiers Lost When Trans
port Goes to Bottom.
ENEMY CRAFT UNSEEN
Lurking U-Boats Believed To Have
Lain In Wait Until Convoy Passed.
4. Rescue Work Blocks Search.
-167 Survivors Rescued.


Washington, Oct. 22.-The Antilles,
an American army transport, home
ward bound under convoy, was torpe-
doed and sunk by a German subma-
rine in the War zone Wednesday.
About 70 men are missing and prob
ably lost.
All the army and navy officers
aboard and the ships master were
among the 1877 survivors. The missing
are members of the crew, three civil
iaIl engineers, some enlisted men of
the navy and 16 cut of 33 soldiers re-
turning home for various reasons.
Neither the submarine nor the torpedo
was seen and the transport, hit square
ly a~midships, sank in five minutes.
Largest u. S. Casualty List OF War.
This tragedy Of the sea, the first
in which an American ship engaged
in war duty has been lost, is the first
of its magnitude to bring home to the
people of the United States the rigors
of the war in which they have engaged
against Germany. 1t carries the larg'
est casualty list Of the war of Amer
lean lives and marks the first success
Of German submarine attacks on Amer
lean transports. That the loss Of life
was not greater was due to the safe
guards with which the navy has sur
rounded the transport service and the
| quick rescue work Of the conveying
warships.
Secretary Daniels announced the dis
aster in a statement based on a brief
dispatch from Vice Admiral Sims
which gave few details and did not
say whether it was a day or night
attack. An accurate list Of the mis-
sing cannot be issued until Genera
Pershing reports the names OF the
army men on the vessel and the lis,
of the merchant crew.
Families OF Lost Men Notified.
Upon receipt Of the c%ablegram from
Admiral Sims the government KEEP
it's promise not to withhold bad new.
from the public. The issuance of thu
statement was delayed only until the
navy could telegraph to the familie!
of the men known to have been lost
Secretary Daniels carried word o
the loss of the Antilles to the White
House when he went there with AID
miral Mayo, who made his report t
the President on his visit to England
on the direction of the President. Thu
news added to the gravity Of the hou
that the Secretary and Admiral May'
spent In conference with the Presi
dent.
Few Soldiers Aboard.
Quick upon the wave of sorrow a
the loss of the transport came a fee
ing of distinct relief because she ha'
met her fate homeward bound an
/ not on the way over with the troops
The only soldiers on board were re
turning to the hospital or on specia
assignment. Had the full complement
OF the transport heen aboard the les
undoubtedly would have been write
In hundreds, as she vas struck i
the most vulnerable spot and went VI
der so swiftly that few could have el
capped.
Officials are confident that thos
who survived I'VE their lives to tn
careful attention given by the Nav
department to the equipping of tran
ports with life boats and life raft
1t is a fixed rule that enough boat
and RATS shall be carried to affor
a place for every man aboard. eve
though the ship keels over and ps
half her boats out Of commission.
Missile Hit Engine Room.
The loss OF the ships engineer Q
kcers indicates the probability that \
one of the engine and fireroom force
on duty escaped. Probably most
them died in the blast of the expl
sion of the torpedo which tore its We
into the engine Dom compartments.
The heavy loss among the army o
listed. men indicated cannot be q
counted for until further details CON
in. Probably they and the navy me
were In their quarters below and cou'
not make their way on deck before Il
ship took her nnal plunge. The arm
navy and ships officers and the oths
rescued were probably on deck. or
cabins, from which a step took the
to the decks and a chance for the
lives
Think u-Boat Lay In Wait
: Lacking details Of the attack, :
Z yond the fact that the submarine W
. unseen and that the first warning
: those aboard the Antilles came wi
. tie shock Of the explosion of the Il
pedo. many theories were current
70 how the U-boat erept through d
3 Antilles Was Crack Liner.