The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-10-21
ANTILLES FACTS
VAINLYAWAITED
IN WASHINGTON
News of 1877 Survivors of
Lost U. s. Transport
Is Delayed.
RETURNING TO EUROPE
Secretary Daniels Believed
to Know More Than He
Can Divulge.
WIRELESS NOW SILENCED
Pair of German Cruisers Re-
ported to Have Escaped Past
British Gordon.
RETURNING TO EUROPE
WIRELESS NOW SILENCED
Special Dcspdtrh to THE srY.

W NS''''NoIps>y ott E'.--lJ"ldy III R0t-
ting further information concerning the
sinking of the American transport An
TILES In the war zone with an indicated
loss OF seventy lives is beginning to
cause concern here. Secretary Daniels
said frankly that he believed the con-
voying vessels, which presumably picked
UP the survivors, were refraining from
using the wireless because Of the danger
attendant upon indicating their where
abouts.
This mc,'.- that e-Admiral Sims
has been unable TO get information from
these vessels. and consequently has moth
ing beyond his brief message OF yester-
day to report He appears to be await
Ing the arrival of the conveying ships at
the American base in Europe before
seeking to obtain further facts.
The anxiety of officials here further.
more has been increased by press re-
ports from Great Britain stating that
two British destroyers and nine mer-
chant craft have been sunk by two Ger
man raiders The Interpretation which
naval officers here give to this report Ia
: that two speedy German cruisers have
slipped by tho Gordon of British vessels
''''' '' W s"'''e''u III S'i t'Wu NV
less powerful British craft conveying
the merchantmen before attacking the
merchantmen themselves
u,,, ,.,.
This policy of hit and rum has been
| characteristics of German naval efforts
since the beginning of the war. Like
| the German cruiser s0uadrons which
| from time to time have raided the
British coast these vessels may he under
| orders to do as much damage possi-
Die without risking actual engagement
with any British force capable of coping
I with them.
II is clearly intimated by Secretary
Daniels that the Navy Department will
feel uneasy over the vessels which ac-
companied the Antilles until they are
safely back to port. Secretary Daniels
undoubtedly knows more about the cir
cumstanccs of the attack than he is free
to divu'ge and it may he that the An
TILES was accompanied 10y other army
transports as well as by conveying ships
/ Were this the case the Navy Depart.
ment. It Is explained. could not afford
to divulee the fact until the ships were
safely out Of the war zone.
When asked il the conveying vessels
with the survivors aboard We're now en-
route for the United States, Mr.. Daniels
said he believed they were bound for q
European port.
In reply to the Question of ube,bor
the submarine which sank the Antilles
H''sh' o' 'hc same submarine which at
ta'ksu ana crippled the American de-
, S'roScr th- preceding nay, Mr. Daniels
saiu ne thousht thls hardly likely. as
the scene OF IN" Two attacks was 80
Tar dlstHht from each other, This
/ taf
"htre IN" Antilles was sunk. although
nothing concerning inns rs given In tNe
p"rtion OF \i'e-Aamlra! Simss despatch
"'a'e pune
IL was suggested To Mr.. Daniels that
no Marin "ouio DE zone ny permitting
newspapers 10 puhllsh where the attack
LOOK place as the German submarine
coWf'ahutr must necessarily Know this.
nut naval ohcerS explain that there is
goo" reason lor W'thho'dlhg this and
o'ner Important information Tor the
present
me iao' 'na' me submarine COM
Nhaho'r KNOWS 'h' exact location does
| nov mean J" 'Npla'n'd' mat the Ger
l'"" Nu'h'"hS h'oWs IL YET sun
,M'a' M 'n's mus '"'r"'n from sehn'ns wire
| Us Us "n'ss"s'S tur 'n' same reason ~
be TWO weeks nr more before the German
commander of whcr, the Ar,iNcs MA,
sunk
Vandicap Tor tho Germans.
,
~ ''',s'" ,""' J! t"' '''r'
.'u 49, '"'r -, ',"., i'',H '"'",'
- ,,Lo a1,,,,,co ~, ,, -" m'",o
nu,o,,,,;,, II, o'''n '.,' ,F
nrnI,ah,, ,,u,, -, ,,s ,,,,,,,,t, wv
co,yoy,r, shirs or ,r,rsnnr,s
Tb, Gorr,u r,,, b,s (o,,on.,
poli,,, NJ snor,ai, a,t,TLs frnoua,,,v
when th.rc was proof ina, ,ro,,y sn;,s
were in distress. The FIRST successfu, at