Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1917-09-27
HOW MONGOLIA.
DODcED TORPEDO
Germans Missed BY Fifty Yards
When 200 Miles Off Shore.
CROWD GOT GREAT THRILL


body on Board Was Calm, Writes
Passenger Who Witnessed Clash and
Also Describes IT,
How tho Mongolia. with Base Hos
pitnl No. ~ aboard. came TO a second
misfortune In her voyage TO the war In
set forth ia letters from Shelby Single
ton. Jr., OF Chicago.
Ills hospital unit sailed from New
York ON the unlucky Mongolia on May
10 on the following day when the
ship was but few miles on the const
an accident. which never has been
clearly explained. caused the death OF
two OF the nurses aud nccessitnted the
return 10 port OF the transport.
After the accident everything seems
TO have been tranquil on the ship un.
III German submarine was sighted
on June when the Mongolia was
about 200 miles on the port Of Fal-
mouth. England. To quote Mr.. Single
TONS letter. written ON the same day.
Early this morning German sub
marine bobbcd 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 were In great
hurry 10 get nway and didn't take the
time 10 fire. They were out Of sight
before our gunners could shoot
"crowd Got Real Thrill"
quite a crowd on deck saw the U
boat and got real thrill None " us
boys saw II. and we were disappointed.
but our chance came later While we
were down eating this noon the wills.
ties blew for the gunners Ia get the
guns ready and for everybody to hurry
TO the llfebonts The boat turned TO
port Immediately, and we got up just
In time TO see torpedo going by less
than nfty yards back OF us. They had
seen the submarine with It's periscope
above the surface coming up from the
gldc TO attack ua and the captain had
- n,l the torpedo.
"iuu can see where the torpedo Is
coming by the white wake II throws
up, We iircd the aft gun at the sub
marine M Il disappeared beneath the
snrface. but Il was too quick nnd es'
caped AZ this time something else
waH sighted up ahead. and two Of the
guns were trained on it. Al first Il
looked like speck OF smoke In the
distance, but rs II approached II look
ed exactly like u submarine on top OF
the water.
"ln the meantime the submarine be-
hind us came up so that we could see
the periscopc. II was chasing us and
trying to get around 10 one side TO
torpedo us We fred again. but II
dlved and again got away. Just then
there were cheers up In front. and We
were told It was British destroyer
ahead coming to convoy us the rest
OF the way, never saw more wei.
come sight In my life than that de-
stroyer speeding up to our assistance.
Two more " BOATS Attack.
AT this time two more submarines
were seen OF to the rear. aud all OF
the big guns began firing rapidly. Two
more torpedoes were 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 have heard Of
Diamond Dick stun, hut 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 II was almost
miracle.
Everybody on board was remark.
ably calm throughout the whole af-
fair They stood In lines near their
lifeboats 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 porpolses
jump out Of the water. The other day
the gunners blew up whale. mistak-
Ing II for a submarine In the distance.
I have seen few ducks way out here
which looked like canvasbacks. A plov-
er Of some kind alighted ON the boat
while we were drilling this morning
AMI has been walking around on the
deck ever since. II was evidently ex-
hausted and very hungry and thirsty.
We gave It some crumbs and water.
which were eagerly devoured, and the
little bird 10 80 tame now that II walka
around between Uur feet fearlessly.
"A ship Ia a rare sight way out here
and We haven't seen but three at close
range. You can imagine the excite.
ment when ship In sighted. The guns
are trained on 1t when all we can zee
IA a spcck OF smoke. and the suspense
Ia awful until the approaching vessel Az
| A. A.. a., ~ -.