The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-04-28
LINER SINKS SUBMARINE.
FIRST GUN FIRED By AMERICAN
IN WAR FINDS ITS MARK.
u-Boat 0ocs Down when Hit by Shot
From the Mongolia, Armed Mer.
chant ship-Capt. Rico Tells Of Eek.
paos % Associated Press at London.

chant ship-<,apt. Rico Tells Of Ex-
paos 20 Associated Press at London.
London. April 25.-Capt. Rice Of.
the American steamship Mongolia.
which has arrived at q British port,
ttld the Associated Press today that
the Mongolia had fired the first gun
Of the war for the United States and
sunk German submarine.
The periscope was sighted dead
ahead on the last afternoon Of the
voyage. The captain gavo the order
for full speed ahead with the inten-
tion OF ramming the submarine.
Tho periscope disappeared and
few minutes later reappeared on the
ships broadside. The gunners fred.
hitttng the periscope squarely and
throwing mp a mountain Of water.
Even more pertinent fact. as re-
cards the ultimate fate of the SUBJ
marine. was that the shell disap-
psarsd Immediately after the hit was
made. The captain stated that a
shell always ricochets In the water
and can be seen again unless II finds
NE mark. on also was seen on the
water after the submarine disap-
pearsd.
The Mongolia was going at fun
sp>sd and was long distance away
when the spray and foam subsidized.
but from the bridge the officers OBJ
served the spot through their glasses
and they are confident the subma-
rins was sunk.
Capt. Rice outlined the incident
with modesty but could not quite con-
ceal the pride he felt In the achieve
mont OF his ship. He paid high
tribute to the gunners and especially
- the manner in which they were
handled by the oflicer who directed
the nring OF the telling shot.
fJ0r i've days and night" said
cspt. Rice. ~ hadn't had my clothes
- anl W. kept . big force of look
oots On duty all the time. 1t was
b:so O'Clock In the =. .afternon of the
18th that we sighted the submarine.
The ofYlcer commanding the gunners
wss with me on the bridge where in
fact we had been the most of the time
throughout the voyage. There was
hess on the sea ut the time. We had
Just taken sounding for we were
getting near shallow water and VIC
were looking at the lead when the
first mate cried:
There's a submarine off the port
bowl
"The submarine was close to us, too
close In fact for her purposes and
she was submerging again In order to
manoeuvre into a better position for
torpedoing us when we sighted her.
We saw the periscope go down and
the swirl Of the water. quickly or
dered n man at the wheel to put II to
starboard. and We sung the nose Of
the ship toward the spot where the
submarine had been seen.
we were going full speed ahead
and two minutes after we first sighted
the u-boat II emerged again about
1000 yards OF. It's intention prob
ably had been to catch us broadslde
on. but when II appeared we had the
stern gun trained full on IL.
The lieutenant gave the command
and the big gun doomed. We saw
the periscope shattered and the shell
and the submarine disappeared.
II can't speak too highly of the
cool manner I'm which the lieutena Mt
handled his crew OF gunners. 1t vas
. fine exhibition OF the efficiency OF
American naval men. The lieutenant
knew before the shell struck the sub
marine that Its aim was accurate.
There Is no guesswork about 1t, but
q case Of pure mathematics. Taking
the speed at which the Mongolia was
travelling at the time and the speed
which the submarine undoubtedly
would make and computing these fig
ures with the distances we were from
the submarine when II was first sight
ed and when II appeared the second
time. II can be shown that the lieu
tenant had his gun sighted to the
4 Inch. And II must be remembered
that the whole affair took only two
minutes.
it assure you we did not stop to
R8C onnoiter afta. A. .,,. ,.