Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1917-05-04
AMERICAN SHIP
SINKS U-BOAT
Was Preparing TO Launch Tor
pedO When Struck.
SHELL SMASHES PER|SCOPE
Navy Gunners en- the Mongolia Score
Clean Hit at 1000 Yards While Going
at Top Speed.

Clean Hit at 1000 Yards While Going
at Top Speed.
The American merchant steamship
Mongolia has sunk a German subma-
rine.
In the first shot fired for the United
States in the world war, navy gunners
scored a clean hit at a distance OF
1000 yards.
The vessel was going at full speed
when the shot was fired. 1t was on
Thursday, April 10.
News of the attack was given out
by Captain Rice, of the Mongolia. He
arrived at a British port several days
ago. The submarine, he said, was pre-
pairing to attack. Before it could
launch its torpedo the navy gunners
had trained their piece on her.
The engagement took place the last
day of the voyage, Captain Rice said.
The Mongolia was in British waters.
The captain said there was absolutely
no doubt the U-boat was hit. The she'll
disappeared entirely: According to the
captain, a shell ricochets when its
strikes the surface of water. 1t can
be seen again unless 1t hits it's marx.
After the shot, the officers from the
bridge observed through their glasses
the spot where the submarine had
been seen. There was nothing in view
except oil which had risen to the sur
face.
The submarine was dead ahead
when the periscope was sighted, late
in the afternoon. The captain gave
the order fer full speed ahead, intend
ing to ram the U-boat.
The periscope disappeared. A few
minutes later 1t came to the surface,
this time on the shiDs broadside. The
gunners fired, as the shell hit the
periscope, it threw up mountain OF
water.
Captain Rice outlined the incident
with modcstv. He could not quite con-
ceal the pride he felt in the achieve
ment of his ship. He paid high trib-
ute to the sunners. He commented
especially up0n the manner in which
they were handler by the officer who
directed the firing of the telling shot.
"For five days and nights" said
CAPTAIN Pice "I had not had my
clothes off. We kept a big force of
lookouts on 8uty all the tine 1t w"s
500 o'clock in the afternoon that we
sighted the submarine. The officer
commanding the gunners was with me
on the bridge. We had been there
most of the time throughout the voy-
age.
"There was a haze over the sea. We
had just taken sounding for we were
getting near shallow water. We were
looking at tie lead when the first
mate cried: "There's a submarine of
the portbow.'
"The submarine was close to us,
too close for her purposes. She was
submergine again to maneuver In a
better position for torpedoing US.
1--WE saw the neriscore 60 down and
the swirl of the water. Quickly or
dered a man at the wheel to put 1t
to starboard. We swung the nose OF
the ship toward the spot where the
submarine had been seen.
1--WE were going at full speed. TWO
minutes after we first sighted the
U-boat. it emerged again 1000 yards
off. It's intention probably he'd been
to catch us broadside on. When 1t
appeared, we had the stern gun train
ed full on it.
"The lieutenant gave the command.
the big gun doomed. We saw the peri.
scope shattered. The shell and the
submarine disappeared.
81 can't sneak TOO highly of the cool
manner in which the lieutenant handl.
ed his crew IF gunners. It was a fine
exhibition of the efficiency Of Ameri.
can naval men.
"The lieutenant knew before the
shell struck the submarine that its
aim was accurate. There is no guess
work about it. 1t was a case Of pure
mathematics.
"That's all the tale except this: The
gunners had named the guns on the
Mongolia. The one which got the sub.
marine was called Theodore Roose-
velt. So, Tod1v fired the first gun of
the war after all.'