Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1918-02-13
TRANSPORT SUNK
WITH WISCONSIN
TROOPS ON BOARD
TuScANIA is ToRPEDOED OFF
THE IRISH COAST BY GERMAN
SUBMARINE.
NEARLY ALL ARE RESCUED
Official Report Shows 1912 of the 2,t79
Men on Board Were Landed Few
Hours After Disaster-Tuscania
Was Anchor Line Ship.

Washington, d. c., Feb. 6.--The
Cunard liner Tuscania, carrying 2.179
American soldiers, has been togpedoed
and sunk off the Irish coast, but Off
cial reports late last night said 1912
of the officers and men had been
saved, and indicated that the list Of
rescued might prove even larger.
The troops, composed chiefly of de-
tachments of Michigan and Wisconsin
National guardsmeE, were travelling on
the Tuscania, British vessel under
convoy of British warships.
ALI the soldiers are former Wiscon-
sin and Michigan guardsmen except
those in the aero squadron. who prob
ably were recruited from all parts OF
the country.
a brief dispatch to the war depart
nlent from London announced the dis
aster and reported the landing of only
100 survivors. For more than two
hours it was feared that probably 1,400
men, Including members OF the liners
crew had gone down.
Landed in ireland.
When a later message came TO the
state department from the embassy at
Londan saying 1912 of the Americans
had been accounted for. the JOY of Off
Gals almost swept away the distress
oecasioned by the earlier news. The
first 1,100 survivors were landed at
Larne and Buncrana, two widely sepa-
rated Irish ports, and this, coupled
with the evident fact that rescue ships
were at hand quickly, gave rise to the
hope that nearly everybody on board
the Tuscania. except those injured by
the explosion might have been saved.
1t was announced that the Tuscania
was manned by British sailors. with a
British naval guard and was conveyed
by British warships.
There was no American naval crew
and no naval armed guard on board.
The vessel was conveyed. but it was
dying the British flag and in charge OF
the British admiralty.
The fact that the survivors we're
taken to two points on the north coast
of Ireland is itself sufficient proof that
the Tuscania was torpedoed of the
north coast of Ireland. Evidently tne
transport was taking the north coast
Of Ireland route and was heading foc
the north channel route to the Irish
channel and Liverpool.
Units Aboard the Tuscania.
The units on board the Tuscania as
given out late last night follows:
The bau 1ftf14, ~, dof.rkvo--s
GLIDING Companies D, and F., of the
Twentieth engineers.
The One Hundred and Seventh Mill
tary police. which was made up Of
parts OF the Fourth and Sixth regi-
ments Of Wisconsin infantry.
The One Hundred and Seventh Sup
ply train, made up of parts of what
were the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Wis
consin infantry.
The One Hundred and Seventh En-
gineers train, consisting of one bat
TALON Michigan engineers and one bat
talon of Wisconsin engineers.
The One Hundredth Aero squadron.
The One Hundred and Fifty-eighth
Aero squadron.
The Two Hundred and Thirteenth
Aero squadron.
Replacement detachments Nos. and
of the Thirty-second division. COM
posed Of Wisconsin and Michigan
guardsmen.
Ftlty-one casual officers.
There is nothing in the possession
OF the war department to Indicate
what the aero squadrons on board the
Tuscania consist OF.
Opening of Big Offensive.
The sinking = accepted here 8
opening the combined sea and land of
fensive heralded the past week in the
German newspapers. That the U-boats
which are understood to have been re-
stocking and reyictualing for weeks
at the German bases intend directing
their drive against American laden
transports has been the expectation
set forth in the last several war sum-
maries of Secretary of War Baker.
Hindenburg's purpose. all recent adj
vices have shown. is TO strike with full
force before the full power of the
United States could be struck in the
war.
The Tuscania was an Anchor Line
ship under British registry She was
built in 1914 by Alexander Stephen
company, Ltd. in their shipyards on
the Clyde. She had a registered gross
tonnage Of 1882 tons. Capt J. T.
Henderson was hel commander. ac-
cordins to the latest records, when
she sank