The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-12-30

The American government has published no lists of the number of armed mer. chant ships which have successfully de Tended themselves against submarine at tack. The disasters are, of course, more sensational, and this information has not been withheld by the navy depart ment. A compilation of the figures vii show, on the other hand that the trained gun crews are an effective protection and that the U-boats are learning to be wary of them. Such a report as the following is fairly typical:
 "A periscope was reported 5000 yards off the port bow. It soon disappeared but two hours later the submarine ap- peared above water. It made no attempt to attack the ship, which promptly opened fire. Then the submarine returned it almost shot for shot. The steamer was able to move at the faster speed and soon { ran out of range. It was stern chase. The captain of the ship argued that the ship had fired a torpedo and came up to observe the results. Our cargo was gasoline. and it seemed wiser to crowd on steam and get away than to stay and fight it out.
 BEHAVE WITH FIDELITY
 In every story of an American armed ship destroyed without a chance to fight the hlueiackets have behaved with the fidelity which their nation has learned to expect of them. The utmost vigilance cannot guard them against catastrophe They cannot fight foe when it is wholly unseen. In the darkness of night, or at dusk and dawn, or when the sea is rough. there is no chance to descry even a glimpse of the tiny tube of a periscope. Then may come the crash and the deadly explosion that shatters the ship and sends her reeling to the bottom in a few min utes. There was one tanker, the official report of whose last voyage leaves inn pressions, vivid and inspiring, of the hard and hazardous service in which these men of the American navy are en- gagged. The chief gunner, Harry Water house, was promoted to warrant rank when he came home, the fourth award of the kind during the first half year of the war. The report of the voyage fol- lows:
 "rhe steamer sailed for with g. 500,0O0 gallons of gasoline and nap-- tha. The battery and fire control sys tems were tested every day. Practice shots were fired and everything func- toned. Watches were set, three men at each gun, day and night. Several warn ing messages received relating to loca- ton of suspected raider No patrol boats were seen off the ** coast and very few off the coast. The coast was well patrolled by chasers and armed trawlers. I had to remain constantly on the bridge as it was very hard to dis tinguish between a submarine and chaser Warnings of submarine activities were received by flag hoists from shore signal. stations.
 "At we discharged the rest of the cargo and cleared all tanks The ships crew was given shore leave here and returned drunk and in mu- tinous condition. The chief officer was attacked and the captain and police officials stationed aboard could do nothing with the crew. The captain asked me to restore order which l did without any undue force. The gun crew unmoored the ship and stood all watches until the crew was sober.
 .sWhile homeward bound the look outs reported a flare light and heard voices on the starboard bow. We went to general quarters and made sure It was two lifeboats which had been sighted. In them we picked up 32 men of an Italian steamer. The cap tain said he had been torpedoed, as we'll as two other ships at D. m. While in the boats they saw these oth- CT steamers sink The lifeboats were small overcrowded. with only few inches of freeboard, and would have soon swamped. None Of the men had
 
 when their ship went down. Three steamers had passed the boats, but sheered off and ran at sightine them.
 ROUGH SEA RUNNING
 "A rough sea was running and the weather was overcast and hazy in the early morning. when the chief officer and standing on the bridge saw an. upheaval of water and the wake of a torpedo coming for us on the starboard beam. The disturbance of the sea was about 150 to 200 yards away. The helm was put hard to starboard before the torpedo struck
 .It hit just abaft my cabin, blew the starboard lifeboat to splinters. car A1ed away the mainmast shrouds and a section of the deck, snapped off the Aadio wires. tore ont large section of ~ne ships side, and put the steering gear out of commission. Parts of the Seek and other wreckage flew as far as the forecastle.
 "The tanks were empty and the ship went over on her beam ends in