The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-06-07
Battle Lasting Ninety Minutes
Resulted In Victory for Mer-
chairman
SUBMARINE CARRIED
SIX-INCH GUNS
Showed NoFlas and Continued
to Approach After American
Colors Were Displayed
American Craft Uninjured

Warrington. Juno e.-American
naval gunners on an armed merchant
man have bagged another German
Ouomarine. oflcial announcement to
chs effect was made At the state de-
paEtmsnt today. The locatiou of the
action between the merchant vessel
and submarine. which lasted an hour
ana Z half. was, not given. Neither
WAS the name Of the American ship.
Il was stated. however, that the
ship was not the Mongolia. regarding
which cable advices had been receiv-
I'd last night The Mongolia, accord
Ing to word from England, ran into
q nest OF submarines and had .
long running light with two OF them.
The other action took place in =
different territory. It lasted an hour
In the bare language OF ofncialdom.
follows:
This department il advised by
telegraph OF an engagement between
an armed American steamer and
1u6nArfne, The guns OF the Gteamer
were manned by an American naval
crsw. The submarine was hrst seen
1t about seven thousand yards She
had q six-inch gun forward and an
other err She dew no dag. Upon
sight of the submarine. the steamer
about ten minutes. A. the submarine
approached the steamer fred. The
submarine responded. Tho steamer
kept speed that would permit the
submarine 70 come within range.
Then followed = night lasting for
m hour and half. by, that time the
submartns had Assd thirty-Ave shots
md the steamer twenty-five. Tbs fAst
Mot of thS BfeGnaer xppArMnf1y Nruck
the submarine, which raised clear our
nf the water and STOOD stern end up
for 1 few second Then she disap-
peared The captain OF the steamer
and the commander OF the guard be-
iieve that the submarine was sunk.
The steamer suffered no damage" 5.
The fact that the submarine carried
two six-inch guns leads ofnciais to BE-
Neve that she was one OF the great
~ AearaoFS r. heaAs WHICH wvHA grepp1f-
ia building The ordinary submarine
carries only = al gun.
II was q shell from the six-inch
naval rine which sent the U-hoat to
the bottom. The full report Of the
incident was not made public. but II
Nas Indicated At both the state and
navy departments that the details ~
contained therein left no doubt that
the submarine had been sunk.
Onicials regarded II as the hrst au-
fhenticated case OF the American
navy hanging a submarine scalp to its
4 beit.
The reason the name OF the ship
and the personnel OF Its gun crew
we're withheld was explained by of
AciaIs as precautionary. On the Mon
roiia's last trip she shot the periscope
On d submarine. On her last voyage,
which was just ended at British
mort. she was attacked by several u
boats, Of5icials believe the submarines
were deliberately waiting for the Mon
R0lia. because of the press campaign
which could be carried on within Ger
many should she be sunk. Germany
| has warned that all men caught hrinE
81 submarines will be shot az pirates.
A. IN evidence Of the close censor
ship being carried on in Washington.
a became known this afternoon that
/ the report Of the sinking Of the sub
marine had been In possession OF the
Nate department for more than a
week.