The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1917-04-17
German Submarine Blockade Under Way;
First Torpedo of Naval Warfare Misses
Destroyer Smith Reports At
tack by Diver Hundred Miles
From Port; U-Boat Then
Disappears,
STATE OF WAR RECOGNIZED
Berlin viii Declare American
CoaS&ProhibIted 10 Neutral
Shipping,

WASHlGTON, April IA German
submarine today fired upon the de.
s,royer Smith about 100 miles south OF
New York
Blockade Is Started.
The presence OF enemy submersibles
NJ American waters indicates that the
threatened German submarine blockade
OF American Atlantic ports has begun.
This announcement was made al tho
navy department
Reported from Fire Island Light
| ship TO the naval stations at Boston
and New York at $50 a. m. on the
nth, an enemy submarine was
sighted by the U. S. S. Smith,
running apparently submerged.
Submarine fired q torpedo At the
U. S. 8 Smith, which missed her
BY thirty yards. The wake Of the
torpedo was plainly seen crossing
the bow Submarine disappeared."
First information OF the encounter
came to the navy department in .
roundabout way from the Boston navy
yard which picked up the Smiths re-
port saying she had been fired on BY
German C-boat.
Report Substantiated.
The navy department after COM
munioa,lng with Fire Island. Boston.
New York. other Atlantic coast points
announced ,ha, the reiort OF the Smiths
encounter had been Substantiated by
official inyestigation
At noon no further details were
available here.
Whether the presence OF the German
submarine merely foreshadows a spor-
datic raid such as the U.S5 made Oft
the New England coast or whether i
IS the signal for the beginning OF Z
general submarine blockade OF the Al.
lantlc coast IS not known
First Recognition Of War.
The action OF the U-boat is Ger
many's first recognition OF the state Of
war declared by the United States, IL
was stated in Germany soon after the
action OF congress that no offensive
steps would be taken against the Untci
/ States
Practically no American official, be-
lleved this, however and steeys to
meet aggressive action were At oncs
taken The probability of submarine
attack on unprotected seaboard cities
ard towns, raids on shipping withii
sight OF American shores, and a sub
marine blockade OF the principal Attain
nc ports with the purpose Of ,errorilins
! shipping and people were expected
Prohibited Zone Planned.
Last week word came TO Washington
N a round about way that Germany
was about to declare prohibited
zone about the hafbotS at Boston,
New York, the Delaware Capes. Chesa.
peake bay Charleston and Savannah.
II was said then that an official
warning 10 neuttalS of the prohibited
zone would be issued from Berlin Some
| American officials were di,inclned 10
/ credit the report, bu, the entente dip
lcmatic corps here believed IN it. and
| predicted that Germany would soon
carry the submarine campaign TO this
side oi the Atlantic
May Already Re Declared.
/ Some officials believe that the lack
/ OF a declaration OF a prohibited fone
m American waters may he due 10 tho
crippled condition OF communications
with Germany since the United States
entered the war Withou, such a dec
ara,lon they poin, out. Germany will
incur great claims OF damage, to nett
trails and will carry on new cam.
paign wthou, the color OF legal au-
thorl,y which she contend, the deelafA-
tlon OF barred sone leads to Il.
-