New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-19
Faced Death in
Crows Nest as
Finland Was Sunk
Survivor Tells Of Thrills as
He Watched Torpedo
Hit Liner
Prefers Battle Line
American Ambulance Drivers
One Experience With U-Boat
Plenty, He Says
Prefers Battle Line

AN ATLANTIC PORT. Nov. H.
Harold Selick, OF Glen Ridge, n. j.,
who was in the crow's-nest Of the for
mer Red Star liner Finland when she
was torpedoed, arrived here to-day on
British liner that brought ia pas
sengers to America.
The young American. who for more
than a year had been doing his bit for
France in the 18th Regiment, French
canton service, has carried hundreds
Of thousands of tons Of high explosive
shells 70 the guns on the French front.
Dangerous, Of course, but nothing
about # like the terror OF being hit by
torpedo.
Volunteered for Duty
There were a few Of US coming over
on the Finland at reduced rates" said
Selick, "and the skipper asked IL We
would volunteer to assist In watching
as we went through the war zone. We
had been used to doing active WORK
abroad, had received our honorable dis
charges from the French army and
were glad to keep busy.
Il was assigend 20 the crows nest.
Everybody on board knew what the
Antilles had received and we were
mighty cautious. I had been told that
il was a tough guy that could stick in
the crows nest when torpedo strikes,
as the conclusion either snaps the stick
or throws the observer into the sea.
"The morning We were attacked was
clear and cold and high sea was run
ming, Just the sort Of weather you
wouldn't associate with U-boat activity.
At $3.50 q. m. | observed the torpedo
coming FOR US at about fifty miles an
hour. Il performed like a porpc!se and
never would have been seen had IL not
been for the heavy sea informed
the bridge az once that the missile was
coming for the starboard bow. but the
bridge had seen it as soon as !.
Then ! braced myself for the shock
Rocked the Foremost
1--WE had heard that the foremost Of
the Antilles had been blown clean out
of her, and | surely expected 20 be
hurled with the mast into the sea.
well. the torpedo struck: shook the
ship from stem TO stern and whipped
that foremost as the north wind plays
with a sapling When found the mast
was not going TO snap climbed down
and reported for further orders.
think the torpedo had been aimed for
the engine room, smidships. but the
German misjudged our speed II tore
hole through the bow. ripping up a
! compartment on the port side that cor
| responded with the compartment II en-
/ tered 10 starboard.
Some of the fellows said they saw
| two periscopes come TO the surface for
about four seconds. but IL is doubtful
| il the submarine ever came up after
the shot was fred She was probably
afraid Of our guns and those OF the
naval yacht Alcedo and several de-
stroyers that were escorting US. IL Is
a pity that any lives were lost when
the men took TO the lifeboats. as no
one aboard was injured by the eIplo-
sion. We were about 2l0 miles west
OF our port Of departure, but put back
to another port 1875 miles away. get
ting in that night at IL o'clock
Among others on the liner that ar
rived to-day were Laurence B. Stod-
dard. IT,. J. s. Foster. G. Parker Toms.
Lieutenant Commander Frank Davis. OF
the British Royal Flying Squadron; Cap,
tain William Marshall. jr.. r. y. T.. and
Henry c. Woods.