The Washington times., 1917-02-12
KROONLAND HERE
SAW U-BOAT RAID
Dutch Freighter Sunk Off Irish
Coast in Full View of
Passengers.
NEW TEUT0N ROVER LOOSE?
Supposed Submarine and Later
a Strange Steamer Sighted
in Midocean.
NEW TEUT0N ROVER LOOSE?

NEW YORK, Feb. 1.-THE Kroon-
land, of the American line, arrived
here yesterday from Liverpool with a
dramatic account OF the sinking OF a
freighter by a German submarine off
the Irish coast.
Passengers aboard the Kroonland
said they had witnessed the destruc-
tion by shellfire of Dutch freighter
OFF the Irish coast on February I, and
later had sighted what the officers
believed to be a German raider and a
submarine In midocean.
The supposed craft caused the COM
mander of ,the Kroonland, Capt.
Thomas G. Barman, to approach the
coast without lights in order
to- avoid risks. Hitherto all Amer
lean vessels have been illuminated
with electric lights fore and aft to
show the flag, the name painted on
the sides, and the ensign flying at the
fiagstaff.
Submarine Saved Men.
Captain Barman said that when he
saw the freighter heel over to port
and sink he prepared to go to the
ASoNuO VI hCE WHO ndu kOI away
in lifeboats. He felt that he could
not stand by and see the men drowned.
but later he saw that the submarine
had taken the boats in tow, and he
continued on his course toward New
York
According to the Kroonland's Of
ficers and passengers, the officer on
the bridge at $40 o'clock Thursday
afternoon. February l. saw a big u
boat about nine miles to the south
ward overhauling a freighter with
two masts and one funnel that was
steaming along at ten knots. The
weather was very clear and the sub
marine could be seen plainly by the
officers and the passengers on deck
without using a glass.
Seven Steamers Near By.
The American liner had Just passed
the Stocks" off the Fastnet; on the
eleven miles off the land. An hour
before a British destroyer had gone by
at a 35-knot clip. bound north, and
seven steamships were passing
along in shore.
When the steamship, which was
flying the Holland flag and had its
name painted on both sides, was
within five miles the officers on the
Kroonland saw the submarine circle
around the stern to see II she had a
gun, and then steam up on the port
side and order the captain to stop.
The order was obeyed.
Couldn't See What Happened.
81 could not see what was happen
ing" Captain Barman explained, "be-
me and the submarine. At AIS we
heard three shots fired and almost
simultaneously she listed over to port.
and I'm five minutes she had gone to
the bottom"
After submerging for a few min
utes the U-boat rose to the surface
and took the lifeboat in tow. Moth
ing could be seen of all this from
the shore, Captain Barman explained,
because the Kroonland was by that
time between the sinking Dutch yes
sci and the land.
Didn't Go Toward shore.
Instead of towing the unfortunate
sailors from the freighter toward the
shore, and enabling them to land in
an hour or so on the Irish coast, the
U-boat took the boat seaward at high
Hptfus Ilbhl lh lut lCCNh VI
east breeze and choppy sea which
had suddenly sprung up. The men
must have been drenched and frozen
to their seats in the lifeboat, it was
said, because the weather was bit
terly cold.
The passengers on the KrOonland
saw the submarine go away after the
Dutch steamship Mad been sunk. but
as they knew nothing about the Ger
man threat to attack neutral ship
ping on February l. they all felt safe
under the protection OF the Stars and
Stripes, which was. flying at the stern
OF their vessel On Friday afternoon.
when the news was received by wire
less and posted on the bulletin board,
there was a good deal OF excitement,
and every one was glad to hear that
the liner was some 300 miles to the
westward of the coast OF Ireland.
Strange Coming Tower.
Again the routine of the voyage was
broken at 1850 o'clock, on Monday
morning. February 5. when 1900 miles
out. The officers on the bridge sighted
what appeared to be a funnel or n
coming tower OF a submarine hve
miles away. slightly on the port
quarter. Neither mast nor hull was
visible
In fifteen minutes the strange craft
disappeared below the surface or the
sea without attempting TO get nearer
to the Kroonland or make signals Of
any kind. Passengers who stood on
deck and watched through their glass
eS became very thoughtful, and told
the steward that they did not care
about any breakfast just then.
When asked what he thought the
craft was, Captain Barman replied
that he could not form any opinion,
unless II was a submarine OF some
kind. 1t appeared above the water
mysteriously and went out of sight in