Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-09-11

stroyers are believed to have sunk six
hostile submarines on the coast Of
France Sept 8. while conveying . feet
Of merchantmen from the United
States. Two of the merchant ships
were lost. but, IL Is reported. without
loss OF life. Meager reports to the
navy department today give q brief ac-
count OF the fight transmitted from the
American tank steamer WestWego, cnA
Of the ships which survived tn. attack.
4 En- Route From uni&sd etaeSs.
y The merchant fleet, OF which tho
Westwego. was one, was en- route to
Europe from the United 6tates when
attacked. The vesss.s were un Ter COM
voy, but no details of the fght we're In
cluded in the reports received. No loss
Of life was reported nor were the
names Of the two ships sank included
in the dispatch. It Is not known
whether they are American ships or
not. The navy department. has tabled
for additional Information.
The Westwego. an oil tank steamer.
was built in Germany In 1914. t,r
Roumanian account, under the name OF
the Steaua Romano. Later her reg
istry was changed &c American aiiS
afterward her name was made West
wego The vessel was Of 3,059 tons net
and carried crew OF forty-two. Lat
est reports show she was In an Amer
icon port Aug. 8. and later sailed on
transatlantic voyage, commanded by
Captain Mulcoy.
Navy Departments Statement.
Following Is the navy departments
statement:
"The navy department has received
report from Paris which states the
steamer westwego reports that while
cruising with several other shipe, she
was attacked by q massed formation
OF six submarines of the coast OF
France on Sept. s. The result OF this
attack was that two of the steamers
were sunk and probably all the subma-
rines were lost"
While thie does not actually state
that American destroyers were convoy
ing the ships, such IL believed to be
the fact It was announced recently
that the navy department had decided
on the policy Of conveying fleets OF
merchant vessels across the Atlantic.
Equipped With Anti Sub Bombs.
All American warships have been
equipped with depth bombs for fight
Ing submarines This weapon has been
highly perfected by American ordnance
experts and has proved very deadly.
II detailed reports bear out the nrst
dispatch. they Will signalize the most
notable action against submarines
since the war began. In no other case
has such wholesale destruction OF
U boats been reported. It also will
mark most striking victory for tho
American naval forces
Westwsso Once Attacked.
The Westwego had an experience
with a German submarine before the
United States entered the war. having
been attacked by one Jan. last while
off the coast OF England.
She was proceeding from an Ameri-
can port with cargo OF oil for Europe
when submarine fired five shots At
her from astern. The westwego,s cap-
tain, ]. s. Mulcoy, brought his vessel
to a stop and sent boat with his pa
pers, whereupon the German sub
commander demanded supply OF oil,
threatening to sink the ship unless his
demands were complied with. The
submarine commander also demanded
that the vessers million dollar cargo OF
oil be thrown overheard. saying he
would give the captain until morning
to do so. Four barrels ce csiis:.sssaasT cylinder Oil
were given the submarine and the
Westwego proceeded.