Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-10-20

who survived owe their lives to the
careful attention given by the navy
department to the sQuipping OF trans
ports with lifeboots and life RATS.
II is fixed rule that enough boats
and RATS shall be carried to afford
a place for every man aboard even
tho the ship keel over and put half
her boats out OF commission.
The loss or the ships engineer Of
ficers indicates the probability that 10
one OF the engine and fire room forces
on duty escaped. Probably most of
them died in the blast of the explo-
sion of the torpedo which tore It's way
into the engine room compartments.
The heavy loss among the army en-
listed men indicated cannot be ac-
counted for until further details come
In. Probably they and the navy men
were In their quarters below and
could not make their way on deck
before the ship took her final plunge.
The army, navy and ships officers
and the others who were rescued
probably were on deck or In cabins
from which a step took them to the
utth anu Huu u CndnCe tnelr lives.
Lacking details of the attack, be-
yond the fact that the submarine was
unseen and the first warning to those
aboard the Antilles came with the
shock of the explosion OF the tor
pedo, many theories wore current as
to how the U-boat crept thru the de-
stroyer screen. did ITS work and es-
capped unchallcnged
Lay In Wait.
majority OF the officers who
would comment thot the transport
and her conveying patrols had run
directly over a lurking submarine,
which saw them coming. calculated
the distance and launched her deadly
torpedo without ever showing more
than her perlscope. They regard II as
probable that the U-boat commander
picked his place. lay in wait below
the surface until his microphones told
him the patrols had passed and the
transport was upon him. then shot his
periscope above water only long
enough to sight and fire before he
ducked back to safety.
Any attempt to locate the subma-
rine probably was made impossible
by the necessity of rescuing the sur
vivors. The vessel must have been
virtually torn in half by the explosion
to have gone down in the time she
did.
Probably the attack was made
well out ut sea. II took two days for
the news to reach Washington and the
dispatch shows that time must have
elapsed before definite word could
reach Admiral Sims. The survivors
are believed 20 be already safe ashore
somewhere In France or England.
So far as known no high officers
pf tho
turn on the Antilles. There is nc
definite information on ia pin.
however. as only General N.rshing
knows who was sent home on the
ship. The reports so far received
show merely that n number OF army
officers and S3 enlisted men of the
army were aboard. Evidently Admiral
Sims rushed his tidings Off before no
communicated with General Pershing.
The loss OF the Antilles marks the
first reduction OF the transport fleet
that has been operating. A very CON
siderable number OF American troops.
workmen and others involved In the
prosecution OF the war have been ear
ried safely to France and England
and the unsucce esyful attack on the
first contingent IL the only recorded
previous instance where the U-boats
have succeeded even In catching
sight of the vessels.