Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-07-20
CAPTAIN THINKS
Continued from page one)


pedo struck his ship and sent it to the
bottom, no one saw a submarine, a
periseope or a wake, it was said.
Furthermore, three vessels standing
by were not attacked
No internal explosion occurred, off.
eials are positive.
The extent Of the loss is undetermined
pending checking up survivors with the
moster roll
The San Diego was going at the rate
of fifteen knots and sunk n 10 minutes
Admiral Palmer said.
The sea was smooth and the weather
fine.
The rescued of the crew were trans.
ferred to the U. s. Magi.
All reports say the San Diego men
handled themselves splendidIy, taking
their stations as though only going
through daily drill,
The pine theory was discounted by
reason of the location of the explosion
as mine ordinarily explodes forward.
In this case there was single explO-
sion aft. No magazines blew up and
everything pointed to absence of a
mine. There was a suggestion in some
quarters, however, that mine loossd
by the first U-boat raiders had strangely
exploded aft.
The best available information places
the ship s complement at $50.
The department. messages indicated
a small loss of life. Some are believed
to have psrished in the explosion.
American naval vessels last night
found and destroyed five or six mines
in the same vicinity in which the San
Diego was sunk, the navy department.
announced today.
The department had been striving
since yesterday to clear up the mystery
surrounding her destruction, seeking es.
peeially to. learn whether submarine
was responsible.
Many naval Officers have had the idea
Germany would resume her U-boat war.
fare off the American coast. Rumors
say that a submarine was responsible
but that theory is unconfiTmed.
The last information made public was
announcement that 1855 Officers and
men had been landed from the vessel, in
addition to 80 previously reported.
If U-boat is responsible, the racr is
particularly significant, because Fire
Island light is at the very gateway
to New York. Hence, it would mean
that operations are directed against ira
fife out of that port.
AS against the submarine theory,
there were the theories that either
mine or an internal explosion had caus.
ed the disaster.
No further reports have been recsivsO
+of any submarine having been sighted OF
of any further U-boat activities in mat
region. - asss1
"Reports received by the navy de.
partment indicate that when the armor-
ed cruiser San Diego was sunk the con-
duct of Officers and men was in accord
ance with the best traditions of the
navy" Rear Admiral Palmer, acting
secretary of the navy, stated today.
"Captain H. II. Christy, the eomman
der, was the last to leave the ship. As
the ship was turning over he made his
way over the side. to the top of the al
NOR belt, thence to the bilge keel and
jumped overheard. AS the captain left
the ship the crew cheered him and the
executive officer. They eheered the
shin as il went down. As the flag was
raised on the launch the men in the
boat sang the Star SpangLed Banner.
AS the vessel was struck officers
and men instantly obeyed orders, going
Immediately to their stations and re-
naming at their posts until the orGar
was given, "all hands abandon ship"
The ship was abandoned in good order,
the men taking to the boats as direc
ted.D