The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1917-07-26
WARSHIP ELUDES
/. U-B0AT TORPEDO
ONLY SIX FEET
Correspondent Tells How De-
stroyers Act After Alarm is
Given.

A BRITISH PORT ON SOUTH
EAST COAST. Wednesday. June 81
(By Mail. Just how a British de-
stroyer acts when attacked by SUB
marine was Unexpectedly demonstrate
ed to an Associated Press correspond
ent today while travelling ON one OF
the modern oil driven torpedo boat de-
stroyers from England to France.
. The correspondent had been taken
aboard the destroyer for the purpose
of observing British methods Of COM
batting the submarine menace, when
the boat was suddenly attacked by a
submarine. a torpedo missing 1T by a
scant six feet, thanks to the vigilance
and quick action OF the crew.
Conveying Big Transports.
- The destroyer was one of a certain
number which were conveying in the
usual manner some large transports
carrying British troops TO Franco.
The group Of ships was half way
across the channel when suddenly one
Of the lookouts saw pair oftwin peri
scopes rise for q moment few inches
out of the water half mile away.
They were gone the next instant, but
almost before they had gone came the
shout: Submarine on port bow" &C
companied by shrill call of warning
from the destroyers whistle and the
fluttering out of the flag which mott
fled every other ship in the convoy OF
the enemy's presence.
On every ship things began to hap
pen, more quickly than the telling.
Guns were swung In the direction from
which the periscopes had been seen
ready to speak if the periscope appear
ed again. Tordedo tubes like wise
were swung into line, and the numer-
Gus anti-submarine devices along deck
were In the hands of their skilled ex-
pert crews.
Seen from Deck
But even while this was being done
came the torpedo, clearly seen from
the deck. its cleaning brass body
glistening in the bright sunlight, it's
propellors sending it at express train
speed straight toward the destroyer.
Something was wrong with the mech
anism of this particular torpedo for
it should have travelled twelve or
fifteen feet below the surface. In
stead It came bounding along in plain
sight, now and then leaping out of the
water, like fat stone made to skip
over the surface.
Even thus, it might have found its
target but for, the presence of mind
of the sixty-year-old coxswain. He
had been first to sight the periscopes,
and had rushed Immediately to an
emergency lever whereby he instant
ly stopped the port engine, thus
swinging the ship with lurch to the
left. The torpedo whizzed through
the water six feet behind the stern of
the destroyer, its gradually lessening
speed as it sank into the swirl of the
engines indicating that its possibility
for mischief was nearly done.
Would Nave Made Hit
Except for the coxswain's action in
twisting the ship from its course, the
missile would apparently have made
square hit in the stern magazine.
Meanwhile. the wireless was at work
notifying the hundreds of patrols in
all directions that the enemy was
near. 1--WE sighted a submarine on the
port bow, just off blank buoy 2:03 pm.
Torpedo passed just behind our stern
missing US. We are proceeding with
our convoy" said the captains mes
sage. 1t was given simultaneously
ashore and afloat by hundred vigilant
wireless operators. The destroyer's
captain, according to his orders, must
noe leave his convoy to seek out and
attack the U-boat. Others would at
tend to that. Already they were gath
ering for the chase-trawlers, chas-
ers, drifters, destroyers. even dirig-
ible air ship had caught the wireless
call and with the quick turn of sea
gull. was swooping down to the pur-
suit.
All Precautions Taken
The transports and destroyers, al
though fairly confident that the u
boat would scarcely dare show herself
again, even for pot-shot were never
theless taking every precaution. Ev-
cry ship was at full speed, oil burn
ing destroyers constantly protecting
their charges.
The whole attack occupied bare sec
onds. Convoy and charges were out
of range in a few minutes at the most
Nowhere had there been the slightest