Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-11-25
u. S. DESTROyERS
MAKE QUICK WORK
OF ENEMY U-BOAT
Treacherous Germans Sink
Submarine After Signi-
flying Surrender.
ABOUT FORTY PRISONERS
TAKEN OFF BY AMERICANS
One browns While Being Trans
ferred and Another Dies, Be-
ing Given Military Burial.
REPORT REACHES WASHINGTON
Officers OF War and Navy Department
Too Elated to Keep Details
Secret.
ABOUT FORTY PRISONERS
TAKEN OFF BY AMERICANS
REPORT REACHES WASHINGTON
Officers OF War and Navy Department
Too Elated to Keep Details
Secret.
1sz A.snniat.a p-...,

German submarine captured recently
by two American destroyers was sent
to tae bottom by members OF her crew
opening cocks below while their ship
mates stood on deck with hands raised
in signal of surrender. All Of the
crew were taken prisoner.
Ono of the Germans was drowned
while being transferred to a destroyer.
and another died. The latter was
buried with military honors.
Secretary Daniels announced tho
capture and sinking of the submarine
to-day in formal statement. which
made no mention of prisoners, nor Of
tho reason for tho boat sinking. Tho
details leaked out at the department
later, but the secretary would neither
confirm nor deny them, saying he had
Issued the statement in agreement
with the British Admiralty. and could
not add to It.
DANIELS GIVES OUT BRIEF
OFFICIAL STATEMENT
Secretary Daniels announced tie re-
port In this statement:
dispatches received from Admiral
Sims state that German U-boat has
been accounted for by American de-
stroyers operating in European wa
ters. While on patrol duty. destroyer
sighted periscope 400 yards of. I'm /.
mediateiy ringing full speed ahead. the
commanding oficer headed his craft
to, pass q few yards ahead of the sub
maifpSG AR 70 destroyer passe6soyst
tho U-boat's courae depth charge was
rdrppped. rs This evidently caused dam
age to- the U,hoat, which shortly :af-
terward broached about 500 yards
away.
Sire was Immediately opened on
the submarine by two Of our destroy
ers, which circied about their target
The submarine did not return the
fre.a and was evidently disabled. Ono
OF the destroyers got a line TO her,
intending TO tow her but tho boat soon
sank"
There was report In naval circles
that approximately forty men. includ-
ing five officers. were taken of tho
submarine. II this were true, it was
pointed out, the vessel undoubtedly
was one OF the largest OF tho cruiser
type known authcntically to be op-
Grated by the Germans.
ACTION occurs SEVERAL
DAYS AGO IN WAR ZONE
The action occurred In the war zono
several days ago, and the submarine
went down while one destroyer was
attempting TO tow her TO port. AL
though the British policy is to publish
nothing in such cases. an agreement
was reached between the Navy Depart
ment and the British Admiralty to
give out certain facts. which Secretary
Daniels announced to-day in brief
statement Officers Of both tho War
and Navy Departments, however, were
too clated over the news to keep it
quiet. First the report spread that
some prisoners had been taken, and
before the day was over the story of
just what happened was out. Mr..
Danielss statement said destroyer
on patrol duty. sighting a pcriscope
at 400 yards, headed for it and dropped
depth bomb; that tho subma rine
came 10 the surface soon afterward
and was>hred upon by two destroyers
second having come up; that the
submarine. apparently damaged, did
not return the fire. and sank imm edI-
atciy after ore destroyer had taken her
in tow.
1t is now known that the submarine
rose because her stearinE gear wa.
damaged by the explosion of the depth
bomb. As she appeared above the wa
ter to meet Eunfire from the destroyers
at close range, most OF her crew clam
bered on deck and raised their hands
Boats put off from the destroyer ia
take the prisoners on board. and while
this was goinG on sope members OF
the crew werc busy opening tho sea
cocks below. When tho prisoners were
removed and tow line had been at.
tached the captured craft, filling
through tho open cocks. went down.
Navy officers assume that the Ger
man sailor who died was wounded by
shell fire, though it Is understood that
Admiral sims's report did not clear ur
that point. 4. t.