The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-12-23
CHIEF PETTY OFFICER me-
& cQNKND, OF An ARrlED GUARD Z

ing all her other trips gc,uss there
from torpedocs,
Extracts from the navy depart
mont's reports of these steamers may
be chosen almost al random as inter
esting reading with u THRU IN It.
These are fair samples OF what II
means to make the Atlantic voyage.
which ia no longer i commonplace,
soothing ocean ferry"
Hiding Behind Life Boat.
THE lookout in the lower crows
next II coxswain of the naval guard.
picked up an oil slick ahead, which
vecrcd Off To port at right angles to the
ships course. Following the slick
which WAS about the width of a ship,
he suddenly saw the pcriscope of n
submarine appear ut the end If 1t,
about one foot ont OF abe water. lie
instantly sung out, +Feriseopc.' and tho
next moment, 'Torpeda,' for the sub
marine had been exposed scarely moro
than II second when she fired astor-
pcdo. The enemy MIS- then about 600
yards from the shin and three faultha
point forward OF the beam.
The torpedo was running straight
but apparently having trouble In main
tanning it's depth, for when about 200
yards off ! saw a streak. then at u
depth Of about five feet. II dived and
passed under the ship about 10 feet
from the stern. Soon after heading
away from the submarine we picked up
an abandoned lireboat two points Off
he starboard bow. The submarine
had apparently been living near Tho lifc
boat, and on seeing us approach had
beaded off to assume a position for
attack on our port side. probably eN-
pectng as 10 pick mp tho lifchoat and
, thus MISC seeing him Fortunately,
however. the oil slick was sighted first
"The old hands among the gnnnCrs
paid no attention to the torpedo, which
Was coming right for them. hut made
every Effort to get the gums on the
target, which was the submarines
perscopr.'
\ voyage of another steamer Of thig
same service varied the program bv n
| lively exchange Of she'll fire after the
following fashion.
The first report that u Submarine
was in sight came from the after gun,
one of the crew shouting, Submarine
broad on the starboard quarter. about
3 miles off Tho lockout and the
! bridge sighted it At almost the same
| moment. The captain put his glasses
on the craft and looked at il for four
or five seconds before he could feed
certain that il was a submarine two
flashes showed at either end of it, as
fire was opened on the ship.
Fifteen or 20 seconds later the
shells dropped, one just short Of the
ship on the starboard beam and the
other Just astcrn. A third shot fassed
by the forward funnel, under the radio
aerials.
The ships battery got into action
at once and evidently discouraged III"
submarine. which fired bet tween % aud
~ shots, without a hit. and then VAN
ished. She was near enough while
fighting to enable us to distinguish IN"
men grouped about her guns
Sails Over Submarine.
What might he caied a close shave
befeli this steamer on the return Yoy-
age.
There were several other ships in
the vicinity runs the report. "includ-
ing two tankcrs and a destroyer and
two or three trainps. Suddenly peri
scope was sighted n quarter of n mile
away, showing up plainly in the streak
OF moonlight on the water. The sub
marine seemed To be just coming up
, and had probably misjudgcd the speed
| of the steamer. having seen her some
| time earlier Before a torpedo could
| be fired or the guns manned, the
| steamer was right on top Of the sub
marine, which submerged. The chief
officer threw the helm hard over and
| went straight for him. hoping 10 ram
j him Hui shnnE Il h..l, IA.