Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-07
British Ship
Victim of U-BOdt

tCttUt W C-DOUS
Continued from Page One
was made when the base of the scout
patrol fleet in these waters was trans
ferred elsewhere. This left Lewes and
it's splendid harbor without adequate
protection from possible U.boat de-
predations. personally feel certain
that the Government Is doing every
thing possible to remedy this mistake,
if | may call it that, but we would
like to know just what we may expect
from the raiders and prepare for 1t.
We would like to be assured by the
Navy Department that as long as en-.
emy submarines are operating within
striking distance, Lewes will have
means of defense" Mayor Thompson
is serving his thirteenth term as
mayor.
A submarine or seaplane attack
upon the old Dominion liner James.
town seemed to have been expected
late yesterday by warships inside the
breakwater. Destroyers circled about
the liner for nearly an hour, throw
ing a heavy smoke screen, while fast
scout patrols darted hither and thither
in the vicinity. The jamestown has
been at anchor since Wednesday In
deep water about four miles out from
shore.
Suspect Aids OH Shore
That the U.boats have had help In
information from shore is becoming
men. Reports of a signaler disCov-
cred at Cape May, n. j.. may prove
significant. 1t is known that Captain
Wells's intelligence men have been on
some trails for several days, and that
they are working day and night to
run down any aids from shore.
The present whereabouts of the raid
ers is still mystery. All along the
coast they are being hunted vigilantly
by armed vessels of every description
at the command of the Navy Depart
ment. All the destroyers in home
waters and the "fringes of the fleet"
consisting of numerous converted
yachts, are cruising night and day In
search of the undersea pirates.
Not an incoming vessel reported
any sign of the raiders. The theory
generally accredited in official circles
is that they are headed south for their
secret base. The fact that both u
boats are able to listenin on radio
conversation hampers communication
of details of the position Of the pur
suing craft.
Search for Floating Base
Aside from the effort to locate and
destroy the submarines, the navy Is
using every means to determine
! whether they have a floating base ol
supplies. Every vessel in coastal oI
nearby waters is being overhaulet
and Investigated by the submarine pa
trols. Patrol craft are continuing the
search for mines strewn off the Della
ware Capes.
Captain Ray, of the American
! schooner Joel Cook, said that on MAY
| 25 he was off Fenwick Island Light
| Virginia Capes. when he sighted TIVE
submarines trailing a steamship. H
! thought the submarines were Ameri
! can vessels on trial cruises. Later tn,
steamship dropped astern Of the Joe
! COX and was lost sight Of. Since h.
heard of the presence Of German U
| boats in these waters, Captain Ra.
believes the steamship was acting a
mother ship.
An armed American merchantmen
that reached an Atlantic port yester
day with more than 100 soldier
among her passengers came over tn
same spot where the Norwegia
steamship Eldsvold was sunk. n
sign of a U-boat was seen.
Doubt U-BOat's Identity
Navy officials expressed doubt yes
terday that the identity of the tw
U-boats had been established def
nitely. Reports of some of the sur
vivors of vessels destroyed had ind
Gated the raiders to be the U.l51 an
U-37.
According to naval authorities, tn
fact that German mines have bee
found gives support to the belief the
, the so-called U-l51 is probably til
, UC-51. No evidence has ever bee
,, obtained by the Allies to prove ths
/ the Germans have built ISL subm
rines. It is known they have passe
, the 100 mark, but that was less tina
: six months ago.
The exact design of the UC-51
i not known, but 1t is assumed that
' is similar to the UC-56. now inferno
at Santander, Spain. This vessel ha
5 six mine-dropping tubes, each tui
having six mines. Another type
J. U-boat, also a mine-layer, carri
4 thirty-six mines, but has only 70,
3 mine dropping tubes. In addition,
carries two torpedoes to be used fro
its two tubes. The largest subm
rine mine-laysr ever built was Il
Russian Krab, which carried six