The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-02-08
U-B0AT THAT
HIT TUSCANIA
ALSO IS SUNK
American Naval Officer
Tells Of Attempt to De-
stroy Rescue Vessels.
THREE TORPEDOEs USED
This Betrayed Her Location to
Convoy Vessels, Which
Acted Promptly.
THREE TORPED0Es USED


Acted Promptly.
LONDON, Feb. From the lips Of an
American naval officer who was aboard.
the Tuecania At the time Of the sinking
came the story that the German submA-
rins which destroyed the transport had
been sent to the bottom. The story
came from the Associated Press corre-
spondsnt at Londonderry. Ireland. who
obtained II from the oh,cer. one Of the
last to leave the TlscaniA.
His story Of the attack differs from the
other versions in that he said that II
was the hrst torpedo that was fred
which hk the transport. and the second
went Wild. In an instant a destroyer
that was near the big ship went away
with greyhound speed and began drop
ping bombs with device that has proved
very effective in the past. The undersea
fighter. he says, was caught by these
bombs.
Everything went well with us during
the voyage" he said. MANY of our
men never had been to sea before. and
must say that they stood It like sol.
diers We were one Of a powerful con.
voy. l must not tell you our position
in the convoy, or how our ships were
formed, but you may take II that all Of
the other boats have got through 20 far
as know. As for ourselves, we'll. the
Germans succeeded IN getting only a
fraction of our fine fellows in addition
to the boat but II they have, they have
put the iron Into our souls, and We will
= rsady 70 repay them when the claaaea
offers. -. -, ~ :, "
satsw Cane with Dars.ss.
Monday was a wild night Had the
disaster occurred during u gale don't
like to think OF wha; would have hap
pened. But Tuesday evening was calm.
The first inttmation we had Of possible
danger was an order for all men TO go
on deck with life belts. 1t was about
80 o'clock. At the same time We
| sharply altered our course.
"At 6 o'clock. just as the darkness was
setting in. we got the blow.
Nobody saw the periscope. nor could
one have been scen we'll. Some SOL
diers described having heard a Kissing
| sound Immediately before the torpedo
| struck us In the engine room.
I'VE were instantly disabled. All the
lights went out. An order rang out
| sending the troops to their boat stations
and to get the lifeboats out. The shock
| was not severe. It was more OF a
crunching In feeling that went through
the ship than . direct blow. There
naturally was q good deal Of confusion.
You cannot lower a score Of Nfeboats
from the height of an upper deck in
| the darkness without some nsusion
! but at no time was there panic.
Men Are Wonderfully Calm.
There was great excitement. how
ever. but 1t lasted only q few minutes
Then all the men pulled themselves to.
gether. Megaphone calls were given al
over the ship, saying there was no dan
ger that tho vessel would sink before
all were taken of. In the meantime
8 o signals were sent out.
, even before some OF us had grasped
the situation British destroyers were
dashing up alongside. Such soldiers Al
| had been lowered In l,feboats were puI
on board destroyers. \ few men who
| had jumped overheard In the first ex'
element we're picked up I believe one
or two lifeboats were smashed IN
launching.
THE destroyers took on our men ir
splendid style. with perfect order.
| "All this tims the Tuscania was slowl,
sinking. For a minute I did not know
whether to go into lifeboat or to stici
by the ship.
zone Of the members of the crew
urged that we stay on board ant
trust to John Bulls destroyers. HI
| yelled this In my ear took his advice
and waited for my turn to come to x
on board destroyer.
mo sooner had we cast of. with 60(
men on board, than a torpedo was nret
at US. II missed. Another destroye
dashed OF. operating a bomb dropping
device. and the assertion was mad
afterward that the submarine had beel
done IN"
Tried to Attack Rescucrs.
That a German submarine endeav
ored 10 attack the destroyers while tn
latter were engaged In rescue work 4
the statement made by an American of
flcer at another Irish port, where u larg
number of men were landed. The ONCE
said to a correspondent of the Asso
ciated Press:
"The thing that somehow impresee,
mo most In the whole experience wa
the promptitude and preciaion wit
which tho British naval men handle
their craft under the trying condition
Of rescue work. This work had onl
Just begun when these came the rnoe
exciting moments OF the night.
"A U.boat from the curtain Of black
ness, behind which she was skulkinl
thought to hnish the work BY an attac
on the destroyere. Three torpedoes wer
dnchar6ed In q few minutes at thre
dsstroyers. and II was only due to tn
watchfuiness of the lookouts and tn
splendid seamsnship Of the British navs
men that they failed to roach their tai
gets
'sThis onslaught however, revea!e
the approximate location OF the enen!
and . pair Of destroyern at once q
lacked with guns and bombs DO effet
/ st,>i. Hh.& >,,>u - tk> Yy-hn>k v,as ~