Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1917-04-26
feriscope Seen Twice, subma-
rine, Full Ahead, Diving to
Escape Ramming, Reap
pearing on Broadside.
BATTLE LAST DAY OF TRIP
Eyes" of U-Boat Furnish All
Target Needed By Gunners
From Navy Detailed
to the Mongolia.

London, April 26. Captain
Rice, of the American steamship
Mongolia, which has arrived at a
British port, told the Associated
Press today that the Mongolia had
fred the first gun Of the war for
the United States, and sunk a Ger
man submarine.
The submarine, Captain Rice
said, was about to attack the great
liner in British waters on April 19.
He declared there was absolutely
no doubt that the U-boat was hit,
and that there was every reason to
believe it was destroyed.
The naval g,lnners on board
made a clean hit at 1000 yards.
The periscope was seen to be shat
tered.
Even more pertinent a fact, as
regards the ultimate fate of the
submarine, was the shell disap-
peared Immediately after the hit
was made. The captain stated that
q shell always ricochets in the
water and can be seen again unless
it finds the mark. Oil also was
seen on the water after the sub
marine disappeared.
The Mongolia was going at full
speed and was a long distance
away when the spray and foam
subsidized, but from the bridge the
officers observed the spot through
their glasses and they are conf
dent the submarine was sunk.
! The periscope was sighted dead
ahead on the last afternoon of the
yoyage. The captain gave the or
der for full speed ahead with the
intention of ramming the subma-
5 .rine.
The pe1iscope disappeared and a
few minutes later reappeared on
the ships broadside. The gunners
& fred, hitting the periscope square
" and throwing up mountain OF
water. a
Captain Rice paid a high tribute
to the gunners, and to the manner
in which they were handled by
their officer.
For five days and nights. . he
said, II never had my clothes off,
and we kept a big lookout force on
duty all the time. 1t was 500
o'clock in the afternoon of the
10Th that we sighted the subma-
rine. The officer commanding the
gunners was with me on the bridge
where, in fact, we had been the
most Of the time throughout the
voyage.
There was a haze over the sea
at the time. We had just taken a
sounding for we were getting near
shallow water, and we were look
ing at the lead, when the first mate
cried.
There S submarine off the
port bow.
'tThe submarine was close to us
too close, in fact, for her purposes
and she was submerging again in
order to better her position fol
torpedoing ls.'
We saw the periscope go dowr
and the swirl OF the water. quick
" ordered the men at the wheel te
pull it to starboard and we swung
the nose of the ship toward the
spot where the submarine haC
been seen. We were going at, full
speed ahead and two minutes after
we first saw the U-boat it emerged
again about 1000 yards off. lt's
intention probably had been tt
catch us broadside. But when il
appeared we had the stern gu1
turned full on it.
The lieutenant gave the com
mand and the big gun doomed
We saw the periscopc shattered
and the shell of the U-boat disap
peared. cannot speak too highly
Of the cool manner in which th,
lieutenant handled his gunners. Il
was fine exhibition Of the eff
ficiency Of American naval men.
We did not stop to reconnoitel
after the incident, but steamed
away at full speed, for it was no
improbable that there was anothel
submarine about. The one we go
undoubtedly had been lying on th,
bottom at this spot waiting for tn
ship and came up when it heart
our propellers.
That is about all the story, ex
ccpting this
The gnnners had named TIL
guns on board the Mongolia, ant
tha one which gothic submarine