The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1917-05-04
AMERICAN SHIP SUNK
FIGHT IN CHAMP ACNE

An American armed steamer-the
oil tanker Vacumm-has been sent 10
the bottom by German submarine
and it is feared that an American
naval lieutenant and some Of his guh
crew Of nine men perished in the dis
aster. The captain and several OF the
crew of the Vacuum are known 10
have been drowned.
While returning to the United States
from trip in Europe. the Vacuum
encountered off the coast of Ireland
the submarine which gave her a death
wound. Scant details OF the sinking
are available land it is not known
whether the Americans were able to
bring their guns into play or if the
vessel was torpedoed and sunk un-
warned.
This is the second armed American
vessel that has been sunk IN the war
zone, the steamer Aztec having gone
to the bottom April l as the result
of an explosion Whether she Was
the victim of a torpedo or mine
has not been definitely established.
One member of the American naval
crew on b. = tne Aztec was lost.
The expec.eu battle in the Cham
pagne region of France, following
days of acute gun preparation by the
French forces, which was answered
almost shot for shot by the G er-
mans. at last has broken. Seemingly
synchronizing it with the somewhat
lessened activity on the part OF the
British against the Germans on the
Arras front, the French Monday east
ward from Rheims launched an attack
over "a front of about four miles from
the south of Beine to the east or
Montcarnillet and captured several
fortified German trenches:
Delivered at midday, the offensive
was swift and sharp, and at its con-
clusion the French line had been
driven forward into territory pre-
viously occupied by the enemy to
depth ranging from 500 to l,ooo
Yards. simultaneously to the east
ward thrust by the French north
east of Mont Haut netted them gam
of about two-thirds of mile and
placed them virtually astride the
Moronvillers-Nauroy road.
That the fighting in this region has
not yet been brought to conclusion
is indicated by the official statement
of the Paris war Office which an
nounces that artillery duels OF Vio-
lence are still going on. There also
has been a continuation OF the great
artillery activity from ST. Quentin 10
the Oise and along the Chemin-des-
Danes. northeast of scissors.
Little news concerning the situa-
ton along the front from Lens TO
St. Quentin. where the British for
several weeks have made notable
gains. has been vouchsafed in the
latest official communication. The
London war office Monday night mere
" mentioned the repulse of a Ger
man attack east OF Arras between
Monchy-le-Preux and the Scarpe
river. The Berlin communication
dismisses the Arras sector with the
assertion that Monday saw only an
artillery engagement of varying IN
tensity, but it goes to considerable
extent into a description of the san
culinary engagements of Saturday at
Oppy, which it is asserted still re-
mains in German hands, and north OF
the Douai-Arras road. The British
casualties in this fighting are declar-
ed to have been more than 5000 while
more than 1000 prisoners and ~
machine guns were captured, and ten
tanks we're destroyed.
The airmen of all the belllgerents
continue to carry out spectacular Dat
ties in the air. Berlin claims for
one of her fighting aviators a total
of 50 aircraft shot since the COM
mencement of the war.