The sun., 1918-08-21
U-BOAT RAMMED BY
AMERICAN VESSEL
Submarine Is Hit as She APP
pears Above Water OFF
Virginia Coast.
GERMANS BEG FOR AID
Steamship With Damaged Bow
in Port-Tanker's Vic
tory Described.

At least two Of the raiding German
J-.boats which have been operating on
tho Atlantic coast are thought to be at
the bottom OF the ocean. one the victim
of the pointed nose OF an American
steamship OF Winter Quarter Shoal and
the other shattered by gunfire from
British tanker which put into an Ameri-
can port Monday.
The Navy Department has virtually
accepted as certain the destruction OF
ths submarineA which the American
steamships crew reported ramming. Re
ports of similar nature have reached the
navy authorities since the raiders APP
peared in American waters. but the tales
generally were discounted. This time,
however, the steamship which did the
lramming limped into port with a badly
damaged bow and with large quantity
of water in her hold as a result of the
encounter.
The report OF the American crews
battle with the submersible was made by
the captain OF the liner, whose name has
not been revealed, and the circumstantial
recital deeply impressed those who heard
II. The encounter took place Saturday
morning at . 80. when the steamship
was off the Virginia coast. The captain
sent his ship straight at the submarine
the moment the undersea boat appeared
and while she still was awash. 81.
struck ON Port Bow.
The submarine was struck on her port
bow, bringing her alongside the attack
ing American craft. The submersibles
crew became panicstricken as the steam
ship backed away, rushed on deck and
hailed the Americans. shouting In
strong German accents that they were
friends" ."
You are no friends Of mine replied
the captain Of the American snip as he
ordered his engines speeded up and bis
ship resumed her course.
The submarine still was noundering
about in the water the last the Ameri-
cans saw Of her but the captain says
he is certain she sank with all on board
The tangible evidence Of the damaged
bow of the steamship did much tc
convince the navy officers of the truth
Of the captains report.
The tale Of the second submarine be-
leved TO have been sunk was brought
10 an Atlantic port by the crew of the
British tanker that shelled the submersi.
Bile. John Crosby. chief mate of the
tanker. told the details of the battle
FROM his cot In hospital where he was
taken yesterday following his collapse
from shock after his own ship hat
reached port.
Chief Mates story.
Crosby described the submarine as Of
the cruiser type. THE second mate wa.
on the bridge about o'clock Frids,
afternoon" he said. There was neve,
. sign OF any craft around. but he caugh
the streak made by a torpedo comm,
toward the tanker He yelled and tn,
chip was thrown out Of her course. TIL
torpedo missed by a few feet. Ever,
one was on deck by that time but VI
saw nothing OF the C-boat that startes
the thing toward US.
"What we did see was another tor
pedo. We zigzagged. lodging the mis-
eile just as prettily as could be. The,
the submarine came out Of the waite
with her guns ready. She was all Of 40
feet long and could make seventeen
knots. Our boat was good for eieve,
and half knots, but We began to &C
with the C-boat giving chase. Sh
opened UP with her guns and the figh
started.
Il was acting as spotter for the gun
rer, calling the shells as they kicke,
UP the water about the C-boat Gu
twenty-sixth shot took the submarin
right. She did rot blow up with q bans
What she did was to swing around slowl
and drift broadside on. We did not sloy
down, bur made for port as swiftly a
We could travel. ! am sure our shot de
stroyed the enemy craft"