New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-02
Admiral Believes Germans
Knew of Fleets
Coming
Flagship Is First
Vessel Fired On
Two Submarines Took Part
in Each Attack-One
Sunk

Washington, Aug. "Details OF the
attacks by German submarines upon the
first expedition Of American troops sent
70 France became known for the hrst
time to-day, when the report OF Rear
Admiral Gleaves, commanding the naval
convoy. was made public by Secretary
Daniels.
The first attack was made on Admiral
Gleaves's flagship, leading the nrSt
group of the expeditionary force ana
at least two submarines were indica1eo
TO be engaged. The admiral stated the
belief that the U-boats had knowledge
of the coming of the troop ships and
were on watch for them.
The second group of transports also
was attacked by two submarines one
Of which apparently was sent 10 tne
bottom by bomb dropped from an
American destroyer. There is disagree
ment among officers of the third group
as TO whether they were attacked, ou'
much evidence is presented to indicate
that they were.
Secretary Daniels made the repor'
public, with certain military informa
tion deleted, after he had sent an un'
censored copy in confidence to the Sen
ate Naval Committee, members OF whlcf
recently inquired as to the truth o.
charges In the Senate that the ofhciai
account of the attack published on
Julv was greatly exaggerated
When the committees inquiry nrS'
was made the full report from Admiral
Gleayes had not been submitted TO tnt
d.,artment. but the Secretary repiieo
.ha+ he was willing to show the mem
taS tbe bTiefer dispatch from wnlcn
tbe first announcement was maue'
Daniels's Letter
IN his letter Of transmittal TO-DAY
~ naniels recalled these tacts anu
continued: 49,. o~sct text of
,bs report of Rear Admiral GlesveS
Giving in detail the account OF lhe
ssaar;5e attacks for the use of the MAYA
AEsirs Committee. | am also seho.ns
20, a copv for the press exactly IN tne
IDS al the official report, the onIy
oLaneea being that the names Oh the
800 are represented by letter, and
~ nv the real name Of the ship, WIN
~ oyciqsion also of certain mllltary
~ inn that cannot be puohsneo
der naval regulations. However, the
o;ss;ons are noted. Everything WIN
raierence TO the attacks OF the SUI
marines is given in the exact "0iu'
of the official report
Text of Gleaves's Report
The report was prepared by Admiral
r,aa,os while at a French port ana was
emS~o;tted 10 Admiral Mayo, IN com
,oard Of the Atlantic fleet, VINO LOT
,,-srJad II 10 the Navy Department itS
fniI text as made public follows; m
"First-About 1915 p. m, June %,
49, eret group of the expeditlohary
[orce of which the flagship was tne
ieader encountered the enemys sun IL,
marine in lat. - n, Long. w
aSecond-At the time 1t was eh-
.raroeIv dark. the sea unusually, phos-
rborescent. q fresh breeze was DIo"!us
froro inc northwest which broke the
eea into whitecaps. The conditioh was
;5eaI for a submarine attack.
"Tbird- Paragraph gives the lot'
rostion and names OF the vessels, "
getber with the speed they were mar mar
Ing and the method Of proceeding no'"'
in9 else. II is therefore omitted
sFourth-Shortly before the attaeS
the helm Of the flagship had Jamfneu
and the ship took rank sheer 70 e'H o.
hoard. The whistle was blown 70 ~.
dicate this sheer. In rev nm ~ tbe
the ship was brought BACK 70 nv nv
course. At this time the onSer oa Oh s"s
,,.Eifo streak about fifty yards ahead OF
+bo shio. crossing from starboard 70
~ al right angles TO our course. Inc
sbin YVES Immediately run oil 9O degrees
M starboard at full speed. | was asIeeI
- the charthouse at the time. l hearo
tba oFicer of the deck say: Report 70
tbe admiral a torpedo has just crossed
- how General alarm was sounded
,ornsdo crews being already at theli
guns When ! reached the bridge tn'
a. and one Of the transports as.eri
bs5 onened FIRE, the formers sneil htte'
With tracers. Other vessels OF the con
vov ,urned 20 the right and ieit, IN dc
cordance with Instructions - -,
our bow AZ full speed and turneG ""
y~d the left column in the direction o.
the firing.
Wake Was That of U-Boat
"Fifth-At first 10 was thought or
board the flagship that the wake wa;
that Of a torpedo, but from subsequent
reports from other ships, and IN the
opinion Of Lieutenant ~ VINO was OF
Tie bridge IL was probably the wake Of
the submarine boat itself. Two tor
pedoeg passed close TO the "A from
port 10 starboard, one about thirty
Yards ahead Of the ship and the other
under her stern, as the ship was turn
ing 70 the northwaTd. Captain I re-
ports the incident thus:
"'Steaming in formation on zigzas
courses, with base course 10 degrees