The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1917-10-26
j. 5. TRANSPORT
IS SUNK BY SUB
AMERICAN STEAMER ANTILLES,
HoMEWARD BOUND, VICTIM
OF UNSEEN BLOW
SEVENTY MEN ARE MISSING
Tragedy Is the First of Its Magnitude
to Bring. Home to American Peo-
pie the Horrors of War
With Germany

Washington, Oct. 2O.-The American
army transport Antilles, homeward
bound under convoy, was torpedoed
and sunk by German submarine in
the war zone Wednesday. About 20
men are missing and probably lost.
All the army and navy officers
aboard and the ships master were
among the 1877 survivors. The missing
are members of the crew, three civil
ian engineers, some enlisted men of
the navy and 16 of 80 soldiers return
ing home for various reasons. Mel
Their the submarine nor the torpedo
was seen, and the transport, hit
squarely amidships, sank in five min
uteS.
This tragedy of the sea, the first in
which an American ship engaged in
war duty has been lost, is the first of
its magnitude to bring home to the
people of the United States the rig
ors of the war in which they have en-
gagged against Germany. 1t carries the
largest casualty list of the war of
American lives and marks the first
success of German submarine attacks
on American transports.
That the loss of life was not greater
is due to the safeguards with which
the navy has surrounded the transport
service and the quick rescue work of
the conveying warships
Secretary Daniels announced the
disaster last night in a statement bas-
ed upon brief dispatch from Vice
Admiral 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 |
General Pershing reports the names
of the army men on the vessel and |
the list of the merchant crew.
Following is the announcement:
Secretary Daniels Announcement.
THE department is in receipt of a
dispatch from Vice Admiral Sims
which states that the steamship An
lilies, an army transport, was tor
Dedoed on October II while returning
% this country from foreign service.
This vessel was under convoy of
American patrol vessels at the time.
THE torpedo which struck the An
lilies was not seen, nor was the sub
marine which fired it. The torpedo
lit abreast of the engine room bulk
lead and the ship sank within five
minutes. One hundred and sixty
even persons out of about 237 on
GARD the Antilles We're saved. About
o men are missing. {
Army and Navy Officers Safe. +,
"All the naval officers and officers [
the army who were on board the
hip at the time were saved, as were {
ne officers of the ship, with the ex-
option of the following: Walker
bird engineer officer; Boyle, junior Z
ngineer officer, and O'Rourke, jun a
,r engineer officer.
''The following enlisted naval per. d
onnel were lost: E. L. Kinney, sea- '
ian second class, next of kin, Thomas t
|. Kinney, father, Water Valley, .
liss.; j. W. Hunt, seamon second s
ASS, next of kin, Isaac Hunt, father
fountain Grove, Mo-, r. r. No. 2, d
OK "A; c. L. Ausburn, radio electri- c
an first class, next of kin, r. Aus
urn, brother, 28O0 Louisiana avenue. D
ew Orleans, La, and H. F. Watson. y
idio electrician third class, next of l!
IN, Mrs. W. L. Seger, mother, Rut-
nd, Mass. n
There were about 80 of the army
llisted personnel on board, of whom
were saved. The names of the miss
g of the army enlisted personnel and r
the merchant crew of the ship can
1t be given until the muster roll in
rance of those on board has been
nsulted. AS soon as the department
in receipt of further details con-
rning the casualties they will be tt
ade public Immediately" Sc