The sun., 1917-12-18
RAIDERS
SINK II SHIPS
IN NORTH SEA
Seven Neutral Merchant
men and British Destroyer
Are in List.
CRAFT UNDER CONVOY
Cruiser Squadron Arrives Too
Late to Aid-Inquiry
TO Be Made.
CRAFT UNDER CONVOY

LONDON. Dec l7--Announceme!t was
made to-day that a conveyed merchant
feet Of six ships, one British and Ave
neutral, with British destroyer and
four armed trawlers. was destroyed by
a German raid In the North Sea An
other destroyer was damaged IN the at
tack.
The ofYicial statement OF the attack
was made BY Sir Eric Geddee. First Lord
Of the Admiralty. Shortly before Thomas
]. MaoNamara. Financial Secretary to
the Admiralty. had made public tho news
that two neutral steamships and
trawler had been destroyed on the mouth
Of tho Tyne on December IL. This at.
tack is tho hrst made recently In which
operations have been 50 close 10 the
English coast. The Tyne flows through
northern England. enptylng into the
North Sea at South Shields.
Tho attack upon the convoy will result
! In an immediate Investigation. The fact
that the merchant fleet. comprising .
tonnage Of 5000. was protected BY only
two destroyers and four trawlers prom
ises to provoke sharp discussion. the
ships were bound from Scotland 10 Nor
way.
Too Late 10 Give Ala.
Apparently there was desperate at
tempt by cruiser squadron to come 10
| the rescue but the four destroyers de-
tached from that unit and sent for the
I purpose arrived too late TO render any
| assistance other than saving number OF
survivors. Tine four destroyers picked
up e!gh,y-eight Scandtnavians. two OF
them women. and ten Brl;ons Other sur
vivors reached Norway in boats.
The raid was similar to that carried
out by two Germans craft IN October. In
that attack nine neutral craft and two
British destroyers were sent down. The
! raiders escaped without serious damage
! In the recent disaster the merchant
men were being escorted BY the destroy.
ers Partridge and Pciew. The Partridge
vas sunk and the Felsw was damaged.
! Sir Eric said that the circumstance ~ o,
the attack, 80 far as available. wer,
that the Partridge sighted four enem,
destroycrs shortly before noon and with
the Pelew engaged them. while the con
voy scattered. The Partridge was hi
heavily. Soon after ar explosion oc
CURED aboa I'd and she sank.
Pelew Dsought 20 Port.
The Pelew was pierced at the water
line and her engines were disabled. bu
eventually she was brought safely (,
port. The enemy then attacked the con
voy. sinking the six merchantmen ant
four armed trawlers.
The entire crew or the travler Lore
Alveston was saved in one OF It's owl
boats. The casualties on the Pelev
were one officer and three men killed ant
two wounded seriously.
Information regarding the crew of th,
Partridge Sir Eric said. was incomplete
hut a report from kisi told o. the takin,
there OF three officers and twcnty-on,
men from tho Partridge and oe one OF
ncer and twenty-five men from III
travcrs.
The Partridge and the pe!.w. 10
sether with four armed trawiers. sal'
Sir Eric. comprised the antl-subna-in
escort of the convoy. For some rca so,
as Yet unexplained. ne addet. the fore
which was sent for the purpose OF pro
tecting tho convoy against surface az
tacks WIS not on the scene In time &
prevent the destruction OF the convoy.
A court OF inquiry had been appoints
to investigate the circumstances. he an
nounced. A second convoy. which ais
was being covered. was not attacked.