Daily Kennebec journal., 1917-10-20
70 LIVES LOST
(Continued from Page one)
Quick Rescue Work

That the loss of life was not greater
is due 10 the safeguards with Wnich
the navy has surrounded the transport
service and the quick rescue work OF
the conveying warships
Secretary Daniels announced the dis-
aster tonight in Il statement based up
or a brief dispatch from Vice Aomlral
Sims which gave few details and did
not say whether it was day or night
attack An accurate list of the missing
cannot be issued until Gen. Pershlng
reports the names of the army men
on the vessel and the list OF the mer-
chant crew. Following is the an
nouncement:
Bad News Not Withheld
Upon receipt of the cablegram from
Admiral Sims, the government kept lts
promise not 70 withhold bad news from
the public. The issuance of the state
ment was delayed only until the navy
could telegraph TO the families OF the
men known TO have been lost.
Secretary Daniels carried word of the
less of the Antilles to the White House
when he went there late in the day
with Admiral Mayo who made his re-
port to President Wilson on his visit
to England at the direction Of the
President. The news added to. the grav-
ity of the hour that the secretary and
Admiral Mayo were in conference with
the President.
Quick upon the wave of sorrow at
the news of the loss Of the transport,
came feeling of distinct relief be-
cause she had met her fate homeward
hn yx-tth
troops. The only soldiers on board were
returning to the hospital or on special
assignment Had the full complement
of the transport been aboard the loss
undoubtedly would have been written
H. hundreds as she was struck in the
most vulnerable spot and went under
Sc swiftly that few could have es-
capped
Officials are confident that those who
survived owe their lives to the care
ful attention given by the Navy De-
partment TO the equipping of trans
ports with life boats and life rafts It
Is q fixed rule that enough boats and
RATS shall be carried to afford a place
for every man aboard. even though the
ship keel over and throw half her boats
out Of commission.
None Escaped in Fireroom
The loss of the ships engineers indi-
Gates the probability that no one Of the
engine and fireroom force on duty es-
capped. Probably most Of them died in
the blast Of the explosion OF the torpedo
which tore its way into the engine room
compartments
The w 1CCc tba
ed mon Indicated cannot be accounted for
until further details come in. Proba blv
they and the navy men were in their
quarters below and could not make their
way on deck before the ship took her
final plunge. The armv navy and ships
officers and the others who were rescued
probably were on deck or in cabins from
which a step took them 10 the deck and
a chance for their lives
Many Theories Current
Lacking details of the attack. beyond
the fast that the submarine was unseen
and the first warning to those aboard
the Antilles came with the shock Of the
explosion of the torpedo, many Theories
were curreni to how the C-boat crept
through the destroyer screenf did its work
and escaped unchallenged A majority
Of the officers who would comment
thought the transport and her conveying
patrols had run directly over lurking 3
suhma rine which saw them coming. cay
culated the distance and launched her
deadly torpedo without ever showing
more than her pariscope Thev regard it
as probable that the T-hoat commander
picked his place. Law in wait below tha
surface until his microphones told hin,
the patrols had passed and the transport
was upon him. then shot his periscopa
above water only long enough to sight
and fire before he ducked back to safety
''tst Have Been Torn IN Two
Any attempt TO locate the subma rine
probably was made impossible hy the ne
cessitN Of rescuin2 the survivors, The
vessel must have Deen virtually torn in
half by the explosion to have gone down
in the time she did. Probably the attack
was made well ont at sea II took two
days for the news 10 reach Washington
and the dispatch shows the time that
must have elapsed before definite word
could reach Admiral Sims The survivors
are believed to be already safe ashore
somewhere in France or England
SO Ear as known no high officers OF the
army or navy were due to return on the
Antilles. There is no definite infornoa-
tion on this point however. as only Gen
Pershfng knows who was sent home on
the ship. The reports so far received
show merely that number OF army off,
GERS and 80 enlisted men of the army
were aboard. Evidently Admiral Sims
rushed his tidings off before he communt-
Gated with Gen, Pershng
The loss Of the Antilles marks the first
reduction of the transport feet that has
been opera ting. very considerable num-
her of American troops workmen and
others involved in the war have been
ca rried safely 10 France and England and
the unsuccessful attack on the first CON
tingent is the only recorded previous in
stance where the U-boats have succeeded
even In catching sight of the vessels.