New-York tribune., 1917-06-02
Dirigo, Frances NJ. and Bar
bara Sent Down During
Last Two Weeks
Helpless Against Guns
One Of the Vessels Was Fired
Upon Without Warning,
Admiralty Reports

London, June German U-boats
have sunk three American sailing ships
within the last two weeks. according to
Admiralty reports issued here to-day.
The crew of the Dirigo, which was at
tackled without warning yesterday has
been landed at Plymouth, with the ex-
ception Of John VI. Ray, the third mate,
who was drowned when the boats were
being launched. The crews of the
Frances NJ, sunk on May is, and the
Barbara, sunk on May -, are reported
at Cadiz and Gibraltar, respectively.
Being sailing craft, the three vessels
we're helpless against the submarines
II was unnecessary to waste tor
pedo on any of them. The Barbara and
the Frances VI. were destroyed by gun
fire. presumably after the crews had en-
tered the boats. The Dirigo was
brought TO a halt by the deck guns Of
the U-boat and was subsequently sunk
by bombs after she had been ransacked
By the enemy.
The Dirigo was attacked at o'clock
il, the morning. The weather was fine,
although hazy. The men were rescued
before 9 o'clock. Joseph &. stephens
American Consul at Plymouth, is caring
for the survivors.
Mate Falls Overheard
Captain J. A. Urquhart of the Dirigo
was asleep in the chartroom when the
attack was made. He rushed for the
deck to find the mate giving orders to
abandon the ship. One boat with eleven
men was in the water as the Dlrigo
was still under way. and it was when
ne was attempting 10 reach the boat
that Ray, the tEird mate. fell over
board. drifted astern and was drowned
The DirIgo was hit by the third shot
fred from the submarine. Then the
L boat commander ordered her along
side the submarine, and an American
boat was used to carry German sailors
10 the Dirigo. which was blown up by
bombs after all her papers mad been
seized.
"Stcer by the wind; the land is not
far Off" was the parting salutation Of
the submarine commander 70 the Dlri-
cos crew. The sailors were picked up
bv a fishing boat and taken to Ply
mouth.
CAPTAIN Urquhart and the officers of
the Dirgo have left Plymouth for Ne"
York. NJ
The Dirigo was a four-masted sailing
chin Of zoos tons. owned by Mengel
Brothers. box manufacturers, Of Louis
Vile. who recently bought her from
4. Sewall g. Co., of Maine. She IS reg
istered as from Pensacola. Fla, and was
en- route from New York to the west
coast of Africa for mahogany logs, car
rving miscellaneous cargo, valued at
100000 for Havre, France.
Vessel Fully Insured
DISPATCHES from Louisville tonight
quote c. K. Mengel. president OF the
owning company. as saying that she
vas insured for S225 900. her full value.
The vessel was in command OF Captain
j. 4. Urguhart. and carried crew OF
thirtv-one men, nine Of whom were
American citizens.
Tho records of the United States
Commissioner of Shipping IN New YORK
give the following names OF the Amerl- =
cans i'm the crew: Donald h. Mcdonald,
mate. Nova Scotia, naturallzed; A. An
dcrson. second mate. Denmark, natural
ized: ]. VI. Ray, third mate. Mary land'
Y Yucasta. engineer, 90 Madison Ave
nue.. New York; J. ?. Shields boat
swain. New York; A. Winter, seaman
326 state Street, Brooklyn; Harry
Parin. seaman. French, naturalized'
Chester Wright. seaman, Manchester
Oklahoma. ard J. Trate. seaman, 22J
Wcst SD Street, New York.
The American schooner Frances NJ
registered as from Bath, Me, was
owned bv A. d. Cummings q Co. OF
Philadelphia. Adviccs from PhlladeI-
mia say that Cummings & Co. nave re-
cerved word that the craft was sunk
and the crew landed in their own boats
Carried Oil for France
She was bound for Algiers from New
york with 10000 cases Of oil for the
French government and carried crew
of nine men. including the following
Americans: Captain Charles PenniwllI,
Rath. Ne: John +. Rogers, mate Phila-
delnhia: August +. Lang. engineer
Philadelphia, and Oscar Tate Ivan
The Frances VI. was built at Phipps,
buro. Me. i'm 1896 She registered
+ 5a99 tons. and was got feet long.
The American schooner Barbara,
owned by the Foreign and DomSslic
Transportation Corporation OF Ne"
YORK. was last reported as sailing on
March 20 from Port Arthur, Tex. 70, for
Spezia. Italy. with cargo OF case on
Tho barbara was built at Chelsea
Mass. in 1909, and was l85 feet long
of s3s tons gross. Prior TO the war
she was engaged in coastwise traiiic be
tween North Atlantic and Gulf ports.
The Barbara carried crew OF clever 1I
mon. I'M command Of Captain r. T.
Iaurv. Other Americans on board were
J. Johnson. second mate, HARRISBURG
Penn: p. Walton. seaman chicago
Harry stone, steward, Colorado' Mrs.
=. +. Laury, assistant navigator;
Thomas Stohcr, first mate.