The Seward gateway and the Alaska evening post., 1917-08-24
SUB ATTACKS ON FIRST THREE AMERICAN
 CONvOYS TO FRANCE TOLDBY COMMANDER

Submarine very close to us." AS the submarine passed the B and the flag ships bow and disappeared close aboard on our port bow, between the columns, it was followed by the B, which ran down between the columns, and when the latter resumed her sta ton she reported that there were strong indications of the presence or two submarines astern, which were growing fainter. The B was then sent to guard the rear of the convoy.
 Second Attack
 The H, leading the second group, encountered two submarines, the first about 1850 a. m., June 26, 1917, in latitude - N., longitude - w., about a hundred miles off the coast of France, and the second two hours later. Then l investigated the wake of the first without further discov- cry. The J sighted the bow wave of the second at distance of 1,500 yards and headed for it at speed of 20 knots. The gun pointers at the for ward gun saw the periscope several times for several seconds, but it dis appeared each time before they could get on, due to the zigzagging of the ship. The J passed about p yards ahead of mass of bubbles which were coming up from the wake and let go depth charge just ahead. Several pieces of timber, quantities of oil, bub- bes, and debris came to the surface. Nothing more was seen of the sub marine. The attacks of the second group occurred about 800 miles to the eastward of where the attacks had been made on the first group.
 The only unusual incident of the trip worth mentioning was on the 2Sth day of June, about 10:05 a. m., the lookouts reported something right ahead of the K. q had the bridge at the time.) When looked l saw what appeared to be very small ob- ject on the waters surface, about a foot or two high, which left small wake; on looking closer and with the aid of binoculars 1 could make out shape under the water about 250 to 300 yards ahead and which was too large to be a blackfish, lying in po sition about 15 degrees diagonally across the Ks course.
 "I ordered the port bow gun to open fire on the spot in the water and sounded warning siren for convoy. When judging that ship had arrived above the spot first seen l ordered right rudder in order to leave the sub marine astern.
 "A minute or two later the port after guns crew reported sighting submarine on port quarter and opened fire at the same time. The lookouts from the top also reported seeing the submarine under the waters surface and about where the shots were land ing.
 "The ship kept zigzagging and fir ing from after guns every time some thing was sighted.
 Saw TnrnadnaS Fired
 "Lieut. V, United States Navy, was in personal charge of the firing and reports that he saw, with all the gun crews and lookouts aft, the sub marine fire two torpedoes toward the direction of the convoy, which sheered off from base course to right 90 de- grees when alarm was sounded. "All the officers and men aft had observed the torpedoes travelling thru they saw torpedo miss transport. hey saw a torpedo miss a transport. They are not certain though which one it was, as the ships were not in line then and fore or less scattered.
 "The gunnery officer and all the men who were aft at the firing are certain that they saw the submarine and the torpedoes fired by same"