The Nenana daily news., 1918-08-20
DESTRUCTION OF ARMOREO CRUISER
 NOW DESCRIBED
Sinking of the Armored Cruiser San Diego Is Graphically
 Described

as the California, was torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine off Fire Island, New York The cabled news was published in these columns at that time The following graphic account of the destruction of that fine vessel is taken from the the Official Bulletin.
 Rear Admiral Palmer, acting sec retary of the navy, authorizes the following:
 Fuller particulars received regard ing the sinking of the U. S. S. San Diego show that the explosion took place on the port side just aft of the forward port engine-room bulk head. The feed tank and circulat- ing pump were blown in, and the port engine wrecked. Full speed ahead was rung, and the starboard engine operated until it was stopped by water rising in the engine room. Machinists's Mate Hawthorne, who was at the throttle in the port en- zine room was blown four feet under the engine-room desk. He got up, closed the throttle on the engine, which had already stopped, and then escaped up the engine room ladder. Lieut.. Millen, on watch in the starboard engine room, closed the water-tight door to the engineroom, and gave the neces- sary instructions to the fireroom to protect the boilers.
 The ship listed to port heavily so that water entered the gun ports on the gun deck. The vessel listed 8 degrees quickly, then hung for seven minutes; then gradually listed, the speed increasing until 35 de- grees was reached. At this time the port quarterback was 3 feet un- der water. The ship then rapidly turned turtle and sank. Captain Christy went from the bridge down two ladders to the boat deck, slid down a line to the armor belt, then dropped down feet to the bilge keel, and thence to the docking keel, which at that time was eight feet above water. From there he jumped into the water. The ship was about five minutes in turning over after she reached 35 degrees heel
 No wake of a torpedo was seen. The first thing Capt. Christy noticed was, while standing on the wheel house, 8 feet above the forward bridge, he felt and heard dull ex- plosion. He immediately sounded submarine defense quarters and the general alarm.
 Everything went quietly and ac- cording to drill schedule. The cap tain rang full speed ahead, and sent an officer to investigate the dam age. At the same time he thought the ship would not sink. Two motor sailors were ordered rigged out, but not to be lowered until further orders.
 At the submarine defense call the men went quietly to their stations and manned the guns. They stood by the port guns until they were awash, and by the starboard guns until the list of the ship pointed them up into the air.
 When it seemed obious that the vessel would capsize, the order was given to abandon ship, except the port-side gun crew, which were to remain at their stations as long as the guns would bear. Boats were lowered, and two sailboats, one din ghy, one wherry, and two punts 1 wer launched. The life rafts were launched and the lumber pile on ! deck was loosed and set adrift. Fifty i mess tables and hundred kapok i mattresses were thrown overheard. Abandon ship was complete before he vessel began to capsize.
 Perfect order was preserved, the |