Licking Valley courier., 1918-06-13
FOIL ATTACKS !
4 ON TaOOpSHlP
Conveys Battle Described by
Priest, Who Praises Nerve
of American Soldiers.
SAYS NERVES LIKE Steel
At Least Two Hun Divers Tried to
Sink the U. S. Transport-Not
Known Whether They Were
Destroyed-They Disappear.

An Atlantic Port, June 10.-An Amer
lean steamer loaded with foodstuffs
put back to port here and reported
1t had been chased by submarine.
The ships captain was said to have
requested the naval authorities to arm
his. vessel that he might proceed
again. The captain is said tc have told
naval officers that the submarine was
sighted off the Virginia capes.
London, June 10.-German subma-
rlnes were fOiled in their attempts
against convoy which included ships
carrying American troops and Amerl.
can Red Cross workers, according to
Rev. Father Joseph Wareing of Balti-
more, one of the Red Cross party who
arrived In London. The protecting de-
stroyers got into action quickly on
two occasions, but Reverend Warelng
did not know whether any submarines
Ind been sunk.
Reverend Father Warelng, who had
trying experience following the tor
pedoing Of the British steamer Laco-
MA In February, 1917, said:
Soon after we reached the danger
zone our convoy was attacked by Ger
man submarines and for few min
utes thought / was in for another
experience Of the same kind as I had
on the Laconia. The exact number
Of the enemy U-boats was not deter
mined, but at least two were seen.
Many American Troops Aboard.
I'VE had a lively escort Of British
destroyers, however, and they were on
khe trail of the periscOpes like a fash.
Guns and depth charges began pop
ping like giant -.firecrackers on the
Fourth Of July. Fifteen depth charges
we're dropped into the nest of German
Annai ilsee lsi my snpsssTrres
were sunk cannot say, for we were
on fast ship and enveloped in smoke,
but l know we did not lose single
ship. Our convoy carried large
z number Of American troops-G cannot
tell you how many
"When the first alarm was sounded
for the passengers to 20 TO their life
boat stations late on Sunday afternoon,
I was In my staterOOm. Word was
passed around that enemy submarines
had been sighted. had no sooner
reached my station than depth charges
began to explode, shaking our ship.
After q few minutes of anxious wait
ing at the lifeboat station we received
the signal: The enemy mas been
beaten off
Soldiers Nerves Like Steel.
discipline on board was superb
The troops behaved as II submarine
attack was part of the everyday rou'
tine and there was not the slightest
furry anywhere on board. For cool
ness In time Of emergency ! do moi
think you can beat these young Ameri
cans. Their nerves are like steel
"TwO hours later on the same day
while I was preparing for dinner, an
other alarm was sounded, and almOS
simultaneously the destroyers begar
dropping depth charges, One landed
within about 800 yards of our ship an'
gave II a good shaking.
AT no time during either attack die
see perlscope or the track Of {
torpedo.
"When the first alarm was sounded
have TO admit I felt a certain nerv
BUSINESS, for the alarm bell brough
back to my mind with great vlvldnes
my Laconla experience, when | suffer
ed considerably from exposure As
hurried on deck think almost ever
detail of those awful hours which 70
lowed the Laconia sinking came bac
to my mind like a moving picture, an
II was several minutes before 20
complete command of myself"