The Tomahawk. [volume] (White Earth, Becker County, Minn.) 1903-192?, 1917-11-01
The Antilles, Homeward Bound,
.... From France, Torpedoed
diver Not Sighted.
1877 MEN ARE RESCUED
Single Torpedo Hits Ship In Middle,
Cutting It in Two-sixteen
Returning Soldiers Among
Those Lost.

HSIuTUIuS oOIOIOtO |u'S'S
Those Lost.
Washington, Oct. 22.-The Antilles
an American army transport, home
ward bound under convoy, was torpe-
doed and sunk by a German subma-
r1ne In the War zone Wednesday.
About 70 men are missing and prob
ably lost. -
All the army and navy officers
aboard and the ships master were
among the 167 survivors. The missing
are members Of the crew, three civil
ian engineers, some enlisted men or
the navy and 16 out Of 80 soldiers re-
turning home for various reasons.
Neither the submarine nor the torpedo
was seen and the transport, hit square
" amidships, sank in five minutes.
Largest U. S. Casualty List Of War.
This tragedy of the sea, the first
in which an American ship engaged
In war duty has been lost, Is the first
of it's magnitude to bring home to the
people of the United States the rigors
of the war in which they have engaged
against Germany. 1t carries the larg-
eft casualty list Of the war Of Amer
lean lives and marks the first success
of German submarine attacks on Amer
lean transports. That the loss or LIE
was not greater was due to the safe
guards with which the navy has sur
rounded the transport service and the
ouick rescue work of the conveying
warships.
Secretary Daniels announced the dis
aster in a statement based on a brief
dispatch from Vice Admiral Sims,
which gave few details and did not
saw whether 1t was q day or night
attack. An accurate list Of the mis-
sing cannot be issued until General
Pershing reports the names OF the
army men on the vessel and the nst
OF the merchant crew.
- Families Of Lost Men Notified.
Upon receipt of the cablegram from
Admiral Sims the government kept
its promise not to withhold bad news
from the public. The issuance OF the
statement was delayed only until the
navy could telegraph to the families
of the men known to have been lost.
Secretary Daniels carried word OF
the loss of the Antilles to the White
House when he went there with Ad-
miral Mayo, who made his report to
the President on his visit-to England
on the direction of the President. The
news added to the gravity Of the hour
THAT the Secretary and Admiral Mayo
ispent in conference with the Presi.
dent.
Few Soldiers Aboard.
Quick upon the wave Of sorrow at
the loss of the transport came feel
ing of distinct relief because she had
met her fate homeward bound and
mot on the way over with the troops.
The only soldiers on board were re-
turning to the hospital or on special
assignment Had the full complement
of the transport been aboard, the loss
undoubtedly would have been written
,dn hundreds, as she was struck in
che most vulnerable spot and went un-
der so swiftly that few could have es-
capped.
Officials are confident that those
who survived owe their lives to the
careful attention given by the Navy
department to the equipping Of trans
ports with life boats and life RATS.
1T is a fixed rule that enough boats
and RATS shall be carried to afford
q place for every man aboard, even
though the ship keels over and put
half her boats out of commission.
Missile Hit Engine Room.
The loss of the ships engineer Of
f3cers indicates the probability that no
one of the engine and fireroom forces
ON duty escaped. Probably most OF
them died in the blast Of the exp1o-
sion of the torpedo which tore its way
into the engine room compartments.
The heavy loss among the army en-
listed men indicated cannot be &C.
counted for until further details come
in. Probably they and the navy men
were in their quarters below and could
not make their way on deck before the
ship took her final plunge. The army
navy and ships officers and the others
rescued were probably on deck, or IN
cabins, from which a step took them
10 the decks and chance for their
iives.
Think U-Boat Lay In Wait
Lacking details of the attack, be-
yond the fact that the submarine was
unseen and that the first warning to
Antilles Was Crack Liner.
Now York. Oct. 21.-The Antilles. a