Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-10-20
DETAILS ARE EAGERLY AWAITED.

Omcial report on the sinking of the
Antilles was announced last evening in
the following statement authorized by
Secretary Daniels:
Tho department Is In receipt Of
dispatch from Vice Admiral Sims which
states that the s. s. Antilles. an Army
transport. was torpedoed on October II
while returning to this country from
foreign service. This vessel was under
sppvoy Of AmeEtcan patrol vessels at
ehs tina.
.Ths torpedo which struck the An
titles was nst seen. nor was the sub
marips which fred It. The torpedo hit
ahrsast Of the engine room bulkhead.
ara the Ship sank within five minutes
One hyndrsd an and sihtyssysn zen pn1;f,es persTns
very saved. About Aeventy men are
ZAM the naval officers and officers of
= the Army who were on board the snip
ct the time were saved. as were the
O0eers Of the ship, with the exception
Of the following: Walker, third engi-
aeer ofacer: Boyle, Junior engineer Of
Seer, and O'Rourke. Junior engineer Of
Acer.
Naval Enlisted Men Lost.
The following enlisted naval person.
mol were lost: e. l. Kinney. seaman.
second class, next of kin, Thomas NJ.
Kinney. father. Water valley. Miss;
]. W. Hunt, seaman. second class. next
Of kin. Isaac Hunt, father, Mountain
Grove. NO.. R No. 2, Box A: c. L. Aus
burn. radio electrician. first class. next
Of kin, R. Ausburn, brother, $500 Louisi-
ana avenue, New Orleans La; and H.
+. Watson, radio electrician, third class.
next Of kin, Mrs. w. l. Seger. mother.
Rutland. Mass.
ho, ,f he
Army enlisted personnel on board. of
whom seventeen were saved. The
names Of the missing of the Army en-
listed personnel and of the merchant
crew OF the ship cannot be given until
the muster roll in France of those on
board has been consulted. AS soon as
the department Is In receipt of further
details concerning the casualties they
Survivors Reach Port.
It was learned today that the An
tilles sailed for home from an unnamed
port in France or Great Britain. and
that the survivors have arrived at an
other unnamed port in one Of the two
countries.
Names Of those on board at the time
Of embarkation are known at the port
Of departure. but owing to the diff
Guilty Of communicating with the port
whore the survivors were landed, there
has been delay in checking the lists to
show definitely names Of those lost or
unaccounted for. Some further report
1s expected later today.
Meanwhile not further scrap of in
formation has been forthcoming about
the manner in which the transport was
torpedoed- 1t is not even known
whether the disaster occurred at night
or by day. II 1t occurred at night the
belief that. the attack was a chance
one will be further confirmed.
There was speculation, however
about the possibility Of the extension
Of the German submarine zone. which
troops to France extended to 500
mile radiu%from the shores Of France.
Zone May Be Extended.
Some reports seem to show that since
. United States troop laden transports have
been going abroad this zone has been
1omewhat etended in an effort to sink
one OF the vessels on teh way over. The
fAct that such effort has not been success
ful. but that the U-boat had the minor
way back. further adds to the belief that
the attack was matter of chance
A submarine would have a much bet
ter chance of q successful attack on a
returning transport than on one going
abroad. because the convoy of the re-
turning vessels is less adequate, for
reasons OF naval policy. 1t is stated
that 1t would not be considered good
East destroyers In large number to
bring back the transports. with only
their crews aboard They do not carry
cargo.
Rescue of a comparatively largo pro-
portion Of the mon aboard is regarded
a. q tribute to the equipment of the
transports with every form of Hfe-sav-
ing apparatus and the thorough drill
ing Of those on board in case of such
NmscgencieA Preservation Of order
and maintenance of discipline. 1t was
explained, probably account for the
number Of lives saved despite the quick
neso with which the vessel went down
after the torpedo had pierced her vital
parts.
Might Have Been Greater.
While the deepest sympathy was ex-
fssased today in onicial circles for those
Kho GnllantlY gave up their lives, re-