Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-10-20

Shs news OF the loss Of tho transport
Harne a feeling Of distinct relief be-
cause she had met her fate homeward
Bound. and not on the way over with
Hroops. The only soldiers OH board
Swere returning to the hospital or on
Special assignment. Had the full conf
&pisment Of tho transport bcen aboard.
he loss undoubtedly would have been
written In hundreds. as she was struck
gin the most vulnerable spot. and went
Gnder 80 swiftly that few could have
ESCAPED.
81 Officials are confident that those who
r$urvived owe their lives to the care
y siul attention given by the Navy De-
spartmenb to the eQuipping Of trans
sports with lifeboats and life RATS 1t
Us \ fixed rule that enough boats and
crafts shall be carried to afford n place
sxor every man aboari. even though the
chip keel .ovef and put half her boats
sbut Of commission.
sfRODADLY DIED IN BLAST
9, OF TORPEDO EXPLOSION
: The loss OF Che ships engineer off,
sSers indicates the probability that no
Gone OF the engine and fire room force
son duty escaped. Probably most of
-
.bf the torpedo, which tore its way into
Sthe engine-room compartments.
=, The heavy loss among the army en-
slisted men indicated cannot be account
ged for until further details come in.
.Probably they and the navy men were
sin their quarters below, and could not
SNAKE their way on deck before the
Sship took her final plunge The army.
Rnavy and ships officers and the others
Swho were rescued probably were on
sdeck or in cabins from which 4 step
stook them to the deck and chance
sfor their lives.
Lacking details OF the attack, beyond
Ethe fact that the submarine was un-
.seen and the first warning TO those
Saboard tho Antilles came with the
sshock OF the explosion Of the torpedo.
.many theories were current to how
sthe U-boat crept through the destroyer
.screen. did it's work and escaped un-
challenged.
a majority OF the officers who would
comment thought the transport and
her conveying patrols had run directly
-'over lurking submarine which saw
them coming. calculated the distance,
and launched her deadly torpedo with
out even showing more than her peri
scope. They regard it as probable that
the U-boat commander picked his
place, lay in wait below the surface
until his microphones told him the
patrols had passed and the transport
was upon him. then shot his periscope
above water only long enough TO sight
and fire before he duckcd back 10
safety
SUBMARINE GETS AWAY
DURING WORK OF RESCUE
Any attempt to locate the submarine
probably was made Impossible by the
necessity of rescuing the survivors.
The vessel must have been virtually
torn in half by the explosion TO have
gone down in the time she did.
Probably the attack was made well
out at sea. It took two dars for the
news to reach Washington and the
dispatch shows the time that must
have elapsed before definite word
could reach Admiral Sims. The sur
vivora are believed to be already safe
ashore somewhere in France or Eng,
land.
So far as known, no high ofIicer
Of the army or navy were due to re
turn on the Antilles. There is no def
nite information on that point. how
ever. as only General Pershing know
who was sent home on the ship. TIL,
reports so far received show merel,
that number of army officers ant
thirty-three enlisted men OF the arm.
were aboard. Evidently. Admiral Sim
rushed his tidings off before ne com
municated with General pe-rn'-~
The loss Of the Antilles marks III
first reduction OF the TRANSPORT fee
siderable number Of American troop.
workmen and others involved in tn
prosecution Of the war have been car
ried safely to France and England. an
the unsuccessful attack on the frs
contingent Is the only recorded pre-
vious instance where the U-hoats hav
succeeded in catching sight OF the YES
sells.