Yerington times. [volume] (Yerington, Nev.) 1907-1932, 1917-03-17
GERMANS TORPEDO
AMERICAN VESSEL

The American steamship Algonquin
has been torpedoed by German sub
marine. The crew was saved.
The Algonquin was torpedoed with
out warning at 6 O'Clock Monday
morning, according to a report made
by the American Consulate at Ply
mouth. The Consulate states that all
on board weer saved. The submarine
refused assistance, according to the re-
port of the consulate at Plymouth.
Twenty-seven men have been landed
According to a later report from J.
G.. Stevens, American Consul at Ply-
mouth, the captain of the Algonquin
stated that his ship was sunk by shell
fire without warning.
The Algonquin, owned by the
American Star line of New York City,
was recently transferred from British
registry.
The Algonquin was torpedoed and
sunk on March II, according to a
cablegram received by the owners.
Where the torpedoing took place was
not mentioned in the message, which
came from Penzance.
Representatives of the American
Star line said that the vessel was
worth approximately $4500OO, and that
the cargo, consisting mostly OF food
.tuffs, was worth more than $780,
600.
There were ten Americans, includ-
ing the captain, on the Algonquin
the owners announced.
The Algonquin, Fl Fighter, was one
OF the first American vessoAs to sail
from the United States after Germany
announced her submarine campaign of
unrestricted warfare. She carried
about 1900 tons OF cargos and II
was expected that she would reach
the submarine zone about March
1t is assumed that she went consid
erably out of her course.
Prior to sailing the Algonquin's cap
tain said that he had no fear that hi
vessel would be torpedoed
81 feel safer in sailing through the
war zone on vessel flying the Amer
lean flag than | do trying to make my
way about New York streets and
lodging taxicabs," he said.
President Wilson already has taken
armed neutrality, which yith the
breaking of diplomatic relations with
Germany is practically the last meas
ure possible short of war. American
themselves against unlawful submar-
inc attack.
The circumstance that the Algon-
quin carried foodstuffs, which are con-
traband, and that she recently was
transferred from British to American
registry, a transaction which Germany
might plead she would not recognize
are not taken to outweigh the fact
that the ship WIS reported destroyed
without warning. Neither does the
fact that apparently no lives were lost
mitigate the situation.
But the fact, as unofhcially ex-
pressed, is that while the destruction
OF an American ship in such man
ncr is very serious, the American gov
ernmen. already has taken all the
steps it can take to meet such case
unless il wishes to take the last step
and declare war.
The zeal issue OF peace or war is ex-
pected to come when an American
armed ship has clash with German
submarine.
A series of destruction of American
ships probably ould arouse Congress
TO a declaration of wcr if indeed Ger
many should not declare war on the
United States, as many expect, as
result of the first encounter with one
of the submarines.
Up to the present in the absence OF
action by Congress, all that could be
done to meet such case as the de-
struction of the Algonquin already has
been done. 1t is generally accepted on
first reports as not having been the
overt act"
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