The Wilson times. [volume] (Wilson, N.C.) 1896-19??, 1918-07-23
submarine APPEARS
OFF OUR COAST
And Sinks Tug and Three
Barges-U-Boats May Be !.
Planting Mines. (
|HYDRoPLANEs STOP SUB.

Orleans, Mass, July 22.-An enc
my submarine attacked tow of the
eastermost point of Cape Cod yester-
day sank three barges, set q fourth
and their tug on fire and dropped
four shells on the mainland. The ac-
ton lasted an hour and was unchal-
lenged except for two hydroplanes
from the Chatham aviation station
which circled over the U-boat, caus-
ing her to submerge, for only mo-
ment, to reappear and resume FIR
ing. ....M
The tug Perth Amboy with her
four barges in line was putting along
leisurely just off the shoals, two
miles from shore at II o'clock this
morning when the U-boat, Of an es-
timaated length of 400 feet, rose sud
denly one mile seaward and trained
her guns on the tow. A moment lat
er and without warning to the crew
a shell struck the second barge amid
ships.
The emty craft doubled up and
sank so quickly that her crew barely
had time to lower their small boats
Capt. J. H. Tapley of the tug, had
sounded his whistle as soon as the q
boat was sighted and ordered barges
abandoned. The first shot was fol-
lowed by rain or shells that drop
ped on and all about the Perth Am
boy and her barges. A lucky shot
next sank the last barge. Meanwhile
hits on the tug had set her afire but
she stood by her barges to the finish.
The third barge in line, the small
est of all proved a hard mark ana
the German gunners occupied half an
hour in disposing OF her.
By this time the firing had alarm-
ed the whole cape and cries for az
sistance were sent broadcast. No
American warships however, appear
ed to be in the vicinity and the ex-
hibition of German gunners was be-
ing displayed when several hydro
airplanes made their appearance.
The Germans anticipated evident
ly an attack from the air for they
stopped firing and elevated their
guns against the hydro-airplanea-
They did not fire, however, and .
moment later submerged.
The planes circled about where
the enemy was last seen and then
turned their noses toward their sta
ton. Scarcely had they reached the
shore when the U:boats re-appeared
and resumed her attack on the tug
and the one light barge remaining
afoat. Both the tug and this barge
were in flames and were half held
where they were by the sunken barge
one of which with load Of stone.
made an effective anchor.
When the firing began the crews
lost no time in abandoning the tow.
Each Of the four barges had one
small boat intended to carry only i've
persons and all the crafts were great
ly overloaded. In addition the occu-
pants were exposed to constant dan
ger from shell fire.
Several merchant crafts were In
the vicinity and regardless of the
menace to themselves, went to the
rescue of the crews and towed the
small boats to shore. The men OF
the Perth Amboy who stood by their
ship until it was ablaze from bow to
stern were taken off by life boats
from the coast guard station.
The U-boat as still trying to ina
vulnerable spots in the Perth Amboy
and the remaining barge when the
hydro-airplanes again appeared. At
sight of the plane the submarins
again submerged and did not reap
pear.
The three women and five children
did not suffer physical harm, though
one of the women, who had been
making her first trip at sea, tainted
after she had been placed in, small
boat. Among the children was an
11-year-old boy, who at the first
sign of battle grabbed an American