Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-07-06
Two Attacks Were Beaten
Off at Sea as Pershing's
Men Crossed Atlantic; One
Diver Sunk; Yankee Yes
sells Unframed.
SEARCH is INSTITUTED
FOR FOES INFORMER

Washington. D. c., July Am air or
elation today pervaded administration
circles over the safe arrival or the
hrst American overseas expedition al
ter voyage in which submarine at
tacks were twice repealed with the loss
Of at least one Of the under sea raiders.
The last Of the forces landed intact at
French port yesterday without the
loss of a man, ship or animal.
The first encounter on the night or
June 70, was complete victory for the
conveying destroyers. whose accurate
ginfIre directed on the enemy craft as
revealed by the rowing rays OF the
seArchlixhts, speedily routed the at
lacking forces.
SECOND ATTACK FAILS.
American gunnery told effectively IN
the second skirmish few days later.
A protecting screen Of destroyers
thrown around the transports held the
raiders at safe distance while. the
presence Of oil and wreckage on the
surface OF the sea after the battle indi-
Gated the destruction Of one and prob
ably more Of the undersea vessels.
SEARCH. FOR SPIES
Government officials are busyinS
themselves in an effort to discover the
source of the information which OBJ
yiously went to the Germans from
some point in America, relative to the
sailing OF the troops, their probable
route and the point in the hig seas
ut which they were to meet their
convoy.
It is evident that someone to whom
the innermost secrets of the war and
nv &c nook
sent this information to Germany. 1t
means that spies are at work in the
very heart of the naval service.
Both attacks we're made far out on
the Atlantic beyond the ordinary range
OF submarine activities. This is taken
to indicate that the German admiralty
has been furnished with information
concerning the exact route to be taken
hyu,the American contingents. Every
ysencrt Is being made to run down the
spies who are believed to have furnish
ed this information to the enemy.
THE FORMAL ANNOUNCEMENT.
This announcement was Issued last
night:
The navy department at
o'clock this afternoon received
word Of the safe arrival at a
French port OF the last contingent
OF General Pershing's expedition
ary force. At the time the in
formation was released announce
nent also was made that the
transports were twice attacked by
submarines on the way across.
No ship was hit. not an Ameri-
can life was lost and while the
navy dispatches report the sink
ing Of one submarine only, there
is reason to believe that others
were destroyed in the first night
attack"
Secretary Daniels told Of the battle
N the following statement last night
ALL ARE SAFE.
1T Is with the Joy OF great relief
that I announce to the people Of the
United States the safe arrival in
France Of every fighting man and
every fighting ship.
Now that the last vessel has reach.
ed port, 1t is safe to disclose the dan
gers that were encountered and to tell
the complete story of peril and cour-
age.
THE transports bearing our troops
were twice attacked by German sub
marines on the way across.
ION both occasions the U.boats were
beaten of with every appearance of
loss One was certainly sunk and there
is reason to believe that the accurate
fire OF our g,inners sent others to the
bottom.
BATTLE FAR FROM LAND.
For purposes OF convenience the ex.
petition was divided into contingents,
each contingent including troop ships
and naval escort designed to keep
OF such German raiders as might be
met
"An ocean rendezvous had also been
arranged with the American destroyers
now operating in European waters in
order that the passage Of the danger
zone might be attended by every pos
sible protection
THE first attack took place at 1890
on the night of June %. What gives
1t peculiar and disturbing significance
Is that our ships were set upon at
point well this side Of the rendezvous
and in that part Of the Atlantic presum.
ably free from submarines
1.-THE attack was made in force, al
though the night made impossible any
exact count Of the U.boats gathered for
what they deemed slaughter
THE high seas convoy. circling with
their searchlights. answered with
heavy gunfire. and its accuracy stands
proved by the fact that the torpedo
discharge became increasingly scatter
ed and inaccurate. 1t is not known
how many torpedoes were launched.
but five were counted as they sped by
bow and stern.
TWO cONTINGENTS ATTACKED.
"A second attack was launched a
few days later against another contin-
gent. The point OF assault was beyond
the rendezvous and our destroyers
were sailing as screen between the !
transports and all harm The result of
the battle was In favor Of American
gunhery.
mot alone did the destroyers hold
the U-boats at safe distance, but their