Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1917-07-25
HOW MONGOLIA
DODeED TORPEDO
6ermans Missed BY Fifty Yards
When 200 Miles OF Shore.
CROWD GOT GREAT THRILL


bod. on Board Was Calm, Writes
Passenger Who Witnessed Clash and
Also Describes II.
How the Mongolia, with Base Hos
pital No. IL aboard. came to q second
misfortune In her voyage to the war il
set forth In letters from Shelby Single
ton. Jr.. of Chicago
His hospital unit sailed from New
York on the unlucky Mongolia on May
10. On the following day when the
ship was but few miles of the coast
an accident, which never has been
clearly explained, caused the death Of
two OF the nurses and necessitated the
return to port OF the transport.
After the accident everything seems
to have been tranquil on the ship I'M
I'll a German submarine was sighted
on June / when the Mongolia was
about 200 miles off the port Of Fall
mouth, England To quote Mr.. Single
tons letter. written on the same day.
Early this morning a German sub
marine bobhed up right In front Of our
boat and quickly disappeared again.
Evidently they hadn't seen us. and
they seemed much afraid of those
big stern guns. They We're in n great
hurry to get away and didn't take the
time to fire. They were out Of sight
before our gunners could shoot
"crowd Got a Real Thrill"
h. Y
boat and got a real thrill. None Of us
boys saw il, and we were disappointed,
but our chance came later. While We
were down eating this noon the whis-
ties blew for the gunners to get the
guns ready and for everybody to hurry
TO the hfeboats. The boat turned to
por. Immediately. and We got up just
In time to see torpedo going by less
than ffty yards back OF us. They had
seen the submarine with Its periscope
above the surface coming up from the
side to attack us, and the captain had
lodged the torpedo.
"You can see where the torpedo Is
coming by the white wake 1t throws
up. We fired the aft gun mt the sub
marine as II disappeared beneath the
surface, but 1t was too quick and es-
capped. At this time something else
was sighted up ahead, and two OF the
guns were trained on It, At first 1t
looked like speek of smoke In the
distance. but as 1t approached 1t look
ell exactly like submarine on top OF
| the water.
"In the meantime the submarine be-
hind us came up so that we could see
the periscope 1t was chasing us and
trying to get around to one side to
torpedo US. We fred again, but 1t
dived and again got away. Just then
there were cheers up In front, and We
were told IL was British destroyer
ahead coming to convoy US the rest
| OF the way. | never saw more well
come sight In my life than that de-
stroyer speeding up to our assistance.
Two More U Boats Attack.
AT this time two more submarines
were seen of to the rear, and all OF
the big guns began firing rapidly. TWO
more torpedoes We're sent at us, but
we managed TO dodge them both. The
destroyer came tearing around to the
rear OF our boat about forty miles an
hour. and nothing more was seen OF
the submarines. l have heard OF
Diamond Dick stuff, but l don't be-
lleve that could compare with our ex-
perience for excitement. That de-
stroyer came to the rescue In the nick
OF time. all right. and 1t was almost
| miracle.
Everybody on board was remark
ably calm throughout the whole af-
fair. They stood In lines near their
llfeboats with their preservers on, and
as the destroyer came past everybody
sang The Star Spangled Banner and
America"
Previous to this Mr. Singleton had
written his mother on Memorial day
that the trip was an uneventful one
The unit had been on the boat then for
more than twelve days, including the
time they had spent in New York har'
Dor. and they had been on the sea seven
days.
Occasionally we see sharks swim
ming alongside the boat" he wrote,
"and we have seen immense porpoises
Jump out of the water. The other day
the gunners blew up whale, mistak.
ing it for submarine In the distance
I have seen few ducks way out here
which looked like canvasbacks. piov-
er of some kind alighted on the boat
while we were drilling this morning
and has been walking around on the
deck ever since. 1t was evidently ex'
hausted and very hungry and thirsty.
We gave it some crumbs and water
which were eagerly devoured, and the
little bird is so tame now that it walks
around between our feet fearlessly.
"A ship is rare sight way out here
and we haven't seen but three at close
range. You can imagine the excite
uent when ship is sighted. The guns
are trained ON 1t when all we can see