The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1917-04-27
FIRST AMERICAN GUN
BAGS GERMAN C-B0AT

BAGS GERnAN C.BUAI
London, April 25.-Capt. Rice OF
the American steamship Mongolia,
which has arrived at a British port,
told the Associated Press today tnaI
the Mongolia had fired the first gun
of the war for the United States and
sunk a German submarine.
The periscope was sighted dead
ahead on the last afternoon OF the
voyage. The captain gave the order
for full speed ahead with the inten-
ton of ramming the submarine.
The periscope disappeared and
few minutes later reappeared on the
ships broadside The gunners fired,
hitting the periscope squarely and
throwing up mountain of water.
Even more pertinent fact, as re-
CARDS the ultimate fate of the SUD-
marine, was that the she'll dlsap-
peared Immediately after the hit was
made. The captain stated that a
she'll always riccchets in the water
and can be seen again unless it finds
the mark. Oil also was seen on the
water after the submarine disap-
peared.
The Mongolia was going at full
speed and was long distance away
when the spray and foam subsided,
but from the bridge the officers OBJ
served the spot through their glasses
and they are confident the subma-
rine was sunk.
Cant. Rice outlined the incident
with modesty but could not quite con-
ceal the pride he felt in the achieve
ment OF his ship. He paid high
tribute to the gunners and especially
TO the manner in which they were
handled by the officer who directed
the firing of the telling shot.
"For five days and nights" said
Capt. Rice, 81 hadn't had my clothes
off and We kept a big force OF look
outs on duty all the time. 1t was
5 30 O'Clock in the afternoon OF the
18TH that we sighted the submarine.
The officer commanding the gunners
was with me on the bridge where IN
fact we had been the most nj the time
throughout the voyage. There was
haze on the sea at the time. We had
inst taken a sounding for we were
getting near shallow water and we
we're looking at the lead when the
first mate cried:
"There's a submarine off the port
bowl
.The submarine was close to us, TOO
close in fact for her purposes anu
she was submerging again in order u
manoeuvre into a better position 1or
torpedoing us when we sighted her.
We saw the periscope go down and
the swirl Of the water. I quickly or
dered man at the heel to put II 10
starboard, and we swung the nose OF
the ship toward the spot Where ING
submarine had been seen.
1--WE were going full speed aheaa
and two minutes after We first slsnt-
cd the U-boat, it emerged again about
1000 yards off. It's intention prop
ably had been to catch US oroadsloe
on. but when it appeared, we had the
stern gun trained full on it.
"The lieutenant gave the command
and the big gun doomed. WE saw
the neriscope shattered and the she'll
and the submarine disappeared.
81 can't speak too higl! of the
cool manner in which the. lieutenant
handled his crew of gunners. II was
q fine exhibition Of the efficiency OF
American naval men. The Lieutenant
rnev before the shell struck the SUP
marine that it's aim was accurate.
There was no guesswork about II, out
a case of pure mathematics. Taxing
the speed at which the Mongolia was
travelling at the time and the speed
which the submarine undouDteoiS
would make and computing these ns-
ures with the distances we were from
the submarine when it was first slgnt-
al and when it appeared the second
time. it can be shown that the ileut-
tenant had his gun sighted TO 1ne
inch. And 1t must be rememoereo
that the whole affair took only t"o
minutes. H. -
~ assure you We did not stop 10
raconnoiter after the incident OUT
steamed away at full speed, LOT II
Vas not improbable that there was
another submarine about. The one
got undoubtedly had been lying on the
bottom at this spot waiting for the
shin and came up when it heard our
propellers. l Immediately sent
wireless message stating that a SUD-
marine had been seen.
+rThat's about all the story, except
ing this: The gunners had named tne
gpns ON board the Mongolia and one
Y which got the submarine was called
@heodoYe Roosevelt; so Teddy fired
the ~ Srst gun OF the war after ALL
Capt Rice recalled that he came
from Alliston, Mass, and 'nA
the encounter with the submarine oc-
Cured on the date when the bay
state was celebrating the anniVersay
OF the battle of Lexington.