New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-06-06
Cunners Shell Enemy for 40
Minutes While Destroyer
Rushes to Rescue
Passengers Calm
During Whole Fight
Captain Said to Have Ger
man Price on Head for
Sinking Submarine

London, June 5.-Members of Chi
cago Hospital Unit No. II arriving in
London to-day brought thrilling ac-
count of an encounter between their
ship, the Mongolia, and a German sub
marine in the North Atlantic.
Three torpedoes were fired at the
Mongolia, which hit and disabled a
German Uboat on recent voy-
age to England. All on board the
big ship were ordered TO don life
preservers and stand by the life
boats. The ship was brought about so
that the bow pointed at the source Of
the deadly missiles, while the naval
gunners rained a rapid fire of shells
at the wakes of the torpedoes, and
later at the periscope Of a submarine
which was sighted from the bridge.
The submarine was not hit.
Attack Lasted Forty Minutes
During the attack, which lasted forty
minutes, British destroyer escort ap-
peared on the horizon and rushed with
Cross ship.
Major Frederick A. Besley, of Mercy
Hospital, Chicago, director of the unit,
related the thrilling experience this af-
ternoon in the lounge room of the Cur
zon Hotel, where the Chicago doctors
are quartered.
Friday afternoon, while the Mon
golia was about 175 miles out of Fal-
mouth" Major Besley said, "the look
out sighted at a distance of about GOO
yards an almost submerged object MAX
ing its way in the direction of our
course. 1t seemed to leave filmy haze
Of blue-grsy vapor in its wake, which
caused it to be characterized by the
navy men as the new German smoke
torpedo, so devised that if it missed its
mark it would reveal its presence OH
the surface, afterward, making its re-
covery possible by the submarine.
Our captain, who is said to have n
German price on his head as the result
of the disastrous encounter with an
other submarine on the last trip,
turned the Mongolia's bow toward the
obvious source of the torpedo and pro-
ceeded in that direction under full
steam, thereby accomplishing the
double purpose of reducing our size as
target and hoping to ram the subma-
rine.
No Panic on Steamship
AT the same time the alarm was
sounded, and everybody ordered into
lifebelts and TO take their lifeboat
positions. There was a total absence
of panic and not the least bit of con-
fusion as the $50 passengers more
than sixty of them women nurses
proceeded 10 their boat stations in an
orderly fashion, the same as during the
drills on the way over. All the davits
were manned preparatory TO lowering
the boats.
"The first torpedo passed 300 yards
off our port side. Its source was fired
at repeatedly by the gunners on the
stern, but the fire was made ineffective
by the rough sea. The submarine, still
unseen, launched its second and third
missiles at intervals of ten minutes.
but both passed some distance off the
port side.
Their obvious source was fired upon
repeatedly, but without success.
almost simultaneously the stern
lookout reported sighting the periscope
Of the submarine. and the bow lookout
sighted a British destroyer on the star
board rushing toward US at great
speed. Our wireless had been working
every minute. The sight of the British
craft was thrilling. All on board
cheered it's approach. while the stern
gun doomed away at the periscope Of
the submarine, which found itself too
uncomfortably within range or had
also sighted our escort. for it sub
merged almost Immediately. Under the
safe convoy We docked at Falmouth the
next day"
Copyright. The Chicago Tribune)