Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-06-07
U-BOATS LYING
IN WAIT, SINK
ANOTHER STEAMER
Send Down Britisher Off Virginia
Capes; on Watch There for
Liners or Transports.
THE FOURTEENTH VICTIM

BY Associated Press to Every Evening
Washingt on, June belief that the
German submarines. which early in the
week successfully attacked coast schoOn-
ers and steamers off the Now Jerse coast
are now living in wait for larger prey IN
one of the transatlantic travel routes oil
the Virginia Capes was expressed IN
official circles here today. This theory
was strengthened by the torpedoing
"Wednesday of the British steamship
Hafpatt ian. one hundred miles of the
Virginia coast, news of which was an
nounccd in Navy Department dispatches
published today
Having as the Germans believe struck
fear into the hearts OF America through
dcprcdatlons near the ports of New York
and Philadelphia, IT IS probable. officials
said, that the boat commanders have
decided to make a holder effort and des-
pltc the multitude Of patrol craft engaged
in the search Of them, make supreme
effort with transport or largo cargo or
passenger carrying vessel rs the prize.
STRUCK WITHOUT WARNING
In the torpedolng Of the llarpathlan,
the raiders struck without warning and
apparently at an armed vessel. The Navy
Department had not received word as TO
whether the ship was armed but expressed
the opinion that it was, as all British
steamers plying through the war zone
4 carry guns The Harpathian went down
within seven or eight minutes after the
torpedo struck but the crew managed to
get away and were landed late yesterday,
at port IN Chesapeake Bay.
100 MILES OFF VIRGINIA cAPEs.
The official announcement of the sink
ing follows:
The Navy Department was informed
last night that the British steamer Har-
pathian was torpedoed at o clock
" Wednesday morning, June ), about lU
miles east of the Virginia Capes. The
crew were all rescued by the steamer
Palmer. which arrived at Cape Henry
Yesterday afternoon One man was slight
" injured The HarImthlan was $500
ton vessel.
The sinking of the Harpathian brought
the number oil vessels attacked by suit
marines of the Atlantic coast since
May % to fourteen, So far officially
identified as having been sunk or damaged
and brought the total tonnage lost K
81. 237 in eleven days Of submarine
operation The tanker Herbert l.. Pratt
Of 200 tons, was, however, raised 81
Z jD6I the net loss - &OfbOf luis bub tAAt
loss of life has not been heavy and so TAI
no transports have been touched
-FOUR SUNK SINCE SUNDAY
Since Sunday the submarines have SUM
four vessels officially recorded as lost
Two OF them being steamers Of foreign
registry The schooner Menge wa.
sunk on Monday, the schooner Edward
Baird was sunk Tuesday morning the
steamer Eibsvold was sunk Tuesday
afternoon, and the steamer HarpathIas
was sunk Wednesday morning Ii Their
have been other victims they have no
been officially disclosed.
The Harpathian, latest Of the vessels
sunk, was attacked more than twice a.
far from the entrance to the Virgin,
Capes as was the last previously reported
victim the Eibsvold The latter wa.
sunk about forty miles east OF the Virgins
Capes. while the IIarpathlan was sum
100 miles out
TWO U-BoATs PROB tBLY.
Whether the same submarine wa.
responsible for both sinkiugs, or for al
vessels lost since Sunday cannot be as
summed as il is the official naval belief tina
not less than two submarines have beer
| engaged in the recent activities aimed a
coast wise commerce.
All of the four sinklngs since Sunday
could have been caused by one submarin,
gradually moving southwark along The
! coast.