The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1918-02-01

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whole crew displayed most commendabe spirit
during the battle"
This is precisely as 1t should be, bluejackets and
merchant seamen standing together fighting the
enemy as one intrepid American crew. and the
Stars and Stripes hOIsed at the first shot by order
of the skipper. Chief Gunner Clark had the honor
to report to the navy department:
AS the submarine displayed no flag and was
coming nearer we fired a shot The submarine.
which was then about 1000 yards away replied
Immediately with what seemed ID me, on account
OF the range, a slx-lnch gun. Her first shot fell
amdshlps about 100 yards short We changed
our course due west. increasing speed. The sub
marine followed us. keeping up fire The fight
lasted from o'clock until about 7 80 D. m We
fired 25 shots The submarine fred over 80 In
Guiding some shrapnel toward the end which ex-
ploded astern of our ship too high to do any dam
age.
"Our last two shells seem to have hit the sub
marine In tho forward part. A few seconds later
her bow Jumped up, and she went down, stern
upward Mt an angle OF about As degrees The sub
marine did not come up. again. and believe 1t was
sunk Then and there. No damage was done to our
ship, and there We're casualties"
The steamer was stll within effective range OF
the big guns of the submarine, which could have
had no other reason than II sudden attack of acute
Illness for vanishing In this abrupt manner II
seems fairly conclusive that a shell blew her part
ly out of water and then she went lunglng and
laundering into the depths. The steamer did not
stop 20 search for traces of the disaster but SEN
siby continued along on her course Tankers
hlled with millions OF gallons OF gasoline do not
linger In the war zone
The American passenger liners, maintaining
their service almost as regularly as In time OF
peace would naturally run the gantet much often
or than the same number of cargo boats. They
sail on an express schedule and spend little time
In port II Is no secret that they are fast and well
armed able to whip n submarine In fight with
guns. The deadly torpedo is another matter but
speed has so far been II saving factor II is what
the gunners ON board call the sporty lfe" nor
can It be recommended to people with nervous sys-
TENS as resttul vocation For example one of
these liners, during the first six months of war.
made only one perfectly tame and routine yoyage
During 0ll ner other trips across there were fights
with submarines or escapes from torpedoes
Extracts from the navy departments reports OF
theS" steamers may be chosen almost at random
as interesting reading with thrill Ia it, These
are fair samples of what 1t means to make the
Atlantic voyage which is longer common.
place soothing ocean ferry"
The lookout In the lower crows nest. a COX.
swain of the naval guard. picked up an oil slick
ahead, which Vcercd Off to port ut right angles to
the ships course. Following the slick which WAS
Rhnut the width OF IA ship he suddenly saw the
pcriscupe ~ n submarine appear at the srB ,f n
about one foo out OF the water. lie Instantly
sung out Pert>copc,' and the next moment Tor.
pcdo, for the submarine had been exposed Scur,elv
more than second when she fired torp.lo Tho
eucmS was then about 800 yards from the shin
ana thrrTtourths point forward at the beam
The torpedo was runnlHg Struight. but appar.
cntly having trouble IN maintaining its depth for
when about go Yards nG | saw p streak then nj
a depth ~ about uvc feet. Il Owed aud passed
under IN" ship about ~ feet from the stern. soon
after heading away FROM the submarine We picked
up an abandoned lttchoat tNn points oT the star.
board bow. The submarine had apparently been
LYNX near the life hoat and uu seeing us approach
had headed oU 20 assume a position for attack ON
our port slde probably expecting us % nick IN tina
NCh"at aud thus H}>s seeing him. Fortunately
however. the oil slick was sighted first
The a,d hands among the SuunevS Maid M, M.
tenttou tn the torpedo. which was coming riEh,
Tor them, but made every effort To- get the guns ON
the target, which was the submarines rrrisrop,"
What might De- called "a close shave bsfcll anoth.
cr steamer on the return voyage
There were several other ships su the vicinity
rGuS the report Including two taukrr> and Il do
Stroycr and two or three ,amps Suddenly pcri.
scoop" was sighted quarter ot a mile away. show
ioS zap plainly In the streak of moonlight on the
water. The submarine seemed 10 he lust coming
uN and had probably misudced the speed nf the
steamer. having seen her some time earlier Ra-
fore a torpedo could Dee fired ur rh, guns mammal
the steamer was right on top OF the ~uhrrrrfn,
which submerged The chief officer fh-,v, "a.