The Detroit times., 1917-04-26
"MOngOlia's" Gunners
Shatter PeriscOpe
AT 1000 Yards
VESSEL ATTACKED
OFF ENGLAND
Officers Feel Certain
U-BOat Was Sent
To Bottom

Mongolia in sinking a German sub
marine which attempted 20 attack
her near the British coast. April ~,
the anniversary OF tho battle OF Lex
ington. divided interest with the pro.
oeedings OF the Allied war council
here today
News Of the Mongolia encounter
was FIRST received from London,
where Il was made public by the
master. capt Rice inquiry ~ thr
navy department elected The infor-
nation that officers OF the Mongo
Tia had reported their belief that
they had sunk the U-boat. but that
IN the absence Of more specific in
formation tho department had not
seen m 20 make ~ public.
According 10 Capt. Rice's story
the Mongolia's gunners struck the
submarines perisoope A. the first
shot The periscope was seen to
be shattered. he says. and there II
every reason 90 believe that the
submarine was sunk The captains
story as given In London dispatches
follows
1T was s % o'clock in the after.
noon OF the 18th Ne sighted the sub.
marine. The officer commanding
the gunners was with me on the
bridge where. in fact, we had been
the most OF the time thruout the
voyage.
s-rhn.n -. 49,. $3.50 4ho go.
At the time We Rad lust taken a
sounding FOR We were getting near
shallow water. and We were looklng
a. the lead when the first mate
cried
There's a submarine OF the
port bow
The submarine was close 20 US.
TOO close. in fact for her purposes.
and she Vas submsrgiug again IN
order 10 maneuver into a better po-
sition for torpedoinb US when We
sighted her
we saw the periscope 20 down
and the swirl ~ the water I
quickly ordered p man Al the wheel
10 put II TO staTboard and We swung
the nose Of the ship toward the
spot where the submarine had been
seen
I'VE were going At rull speed
ahead and two minutes after We
fret sighted the L boat q emerged
again. about 600 yards OF rs
intention probably had been 10
4 4 e
appeared We had the stern gun
trained fuil on ~
The lieutenant gave the com
msnd and the biz guns doomed
We saw the periscope shattered
and the shell and the submarine
disappeared.
Tho fact that the shell did not
ricochet from the surface ~ the va.
ter is additional proof that Il found
Us mark
II cannot speak too highly OF the
cool manner In which the lieutenant
handled his crew Of gunners Il was
enc exhibition Of the efficiency OF
American naval men The lieuten
ant knew before the shell struck
me submarine that its aim was &C
eurats.
Il assure YOU We didn't stop 20
reconnoiter after the Incident. but
steamed away al full speed FOR u
was not improbable there was an
other submarine about The one
got undoubtedly had been lying
tftr
For the ship and came Mp when u
heard our propellers
That's about all the story. eK.
septlng this The gunners had
uamed the guns on board the Mon
collie and the ono which got the sub.
marine was called Theodore Roose.
Velt. so Teddy fred the FIRST Gun
~ tho war after all"
LONDON April "a Whether the
American armed liner Mongolia
Iank German submarine April 10
,ested today upon belief OF her CAP.
ain and the navy lieutenant IN
,harge Of her gun crew that from
q point thousand yards distant.
hey had seen pieces OF the L.
boats periscope ~ Into the air and
afterwards observed oil on the Sur
ACE Of the water
Considerable skepticism was MAN.
tested here today as 20 the ability
" observers 10 detect such hit
~ this distance
The story told by Capt Rice and
,onhrmed by the navy lieutenant 20.
lay. however. aroused enthusiasm
tmonE members OF the American
colony here and the frankly eX.
pressed hope In British naval
nrcles that The shot had found
pigment as the two Americans be
Ieved. Naval officers have had vast
admiration for the excellence Of the
mns with which the American I'm
us are armed and they have great
eepcct for American marksman.
nip. They were pulling FOR somo
,ncisl confirmation ~ the Mon