Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-05-25
MANY LOCAL FIGHTS
IN SOMME SECTION
OF WESTERN FRONT
Heavy Artillery Fighting in
KENNEL Region and on
Both Sides Of Lys.
AIR COMBATS AND BOMBING
CONTINUE ON LARGE SCALE
German Troops Facing U. S.
Soldiers in Toul Area
Replaced.
TEUTONS ARE NEARING KURSK
Republic of white Russia" Re-
ported 10 Have Been Proclaimed
With Assent of Germany.
AIR COMBATS AND BOMBING
CONTINUE ON LARGE SCALE
TEUToNs ARE NEARING KURsK

The British mercantile cruiser Mcl-
davia. carrying American troops from
America 20 Europe. has been torpedoed.
and tfty-siX American soldiers are re-
ported missing. The liner was sunk
Thursday morning. according to an Of
fetal statement by tie British Ad-
miralty.
Fifty-siN American troops on the
British steamship Moldavia have been
unaccounted for. says an Official state
ment issued last evening by the Brit
ish Admiralty The text of the Ad-
miralty statement follows:
The armed mercantile cruiser Mol
davia was torpedoed and sunk yester-
day morning.
There were no casualties among the
crew. but of the American troops on
board. fifty-siX UP TO the present have
not been accounted for. 1t is feared
they were killed in one compartment
by the explosion"
The Moidavia was torpedoed with
out warning. II was a moonlight
night and. although a good lookout
was kept. the attacking submarine was
not sighted before the torpedo struck.
Most of the men aboard were in
their hammocks when the explosion
occurred amidships. The sailors and
soldiers alike showed no panic.
They fell calmly into line and
awaited orders, When IT was seen
that the ModIvia Was settling down
all on board were taken off by the
escortinE ships.
The men lost all Ct their belongings,
but were supplied with new clothing
at the different naval ports where they
were taken.
The Moldavia IL OF $500 tons gross
and owned by the reninsular and Or,-
entail Steam Navigation Company. She
was built at Greer octi in 1903, and was
30 feet long.
The Mo!dava IS the third transport
carrying American tronns TO be tor
pcdoed and the fifteenth troopship
Surk by the Germans. OF the vessels
carrying Americans the Antilles was
he first 10 met with destruction by
U-h.at She was sunk October II
last Whcm returning to his country
from Eur're aud seventy lives were
lost. The second was the Tuscania.
which was son: to the bottom off the
north OF ireland. February 5. with a
loss OF life to,alinc lOl
The only other serious attack made
on American transports occurred last
June. when vessels carrying some OF
the first eNpeditionary units. under a
CONVOY commanded by Hcar-Admiral
ileaNrs narrowly escaped disaster in
The Atlantic.
STEAMER INHISCtHEt
"IN< OEt' IKISH COAST
THat German submarines are oper-
9iimE OFF the south coast or Ireland
* cri!erced ny the sin>ing of tie
steamer inniScirra of Cork with loss
of life
David Liovd Geors,. speaking at Ed.
;rhursh. has said that the submarine
* still; unconruerrd. but that il is no
longer vital menace 10 the entnnta
allies. lie said that the u-hoats IRE de-
str"y"d faster than they can be bui,t
by Germany. while the allies are bu,ls.
inS ships faster than the submarines
are sinking them
GERMANS RAID BRIT,SH
LINES AND TAKE PRISONERS
In :he battle zones in France. there
have been numerous local enrar.mer,e
particularly in the Somme sector TIE
'iermans. under cover OF a heavy .r
iill"ry fsrragc. made raid on The
ifiiiSh lines al i:ucquoy. on the line
TO fhn southwest OF Arras. and c,n.
tureh prisoners
~ t'e *cmmel region. md on Soth
S'd"" Of tie I.ys TiVrr ~ the FiandarS
hatti" ''rld, th"re has been heavy ar
'lncry firing. While ON the Scarps Riye-
~ III" rsGi'n OF Arras and south o.,
"" Somme, between Moreuil and Mont
d'di"r. the b,g guns have been in ac-
''on according to the Official state
rent.
AERIAL ACTIVITY elbows
No SIGNS OF LET-UP
Inc remarkahle aerial activity along
the western battle front continues
with both sides participating In air
hshtinS and bombing operations. II
the Germans repeat their attempts TO
lombard Paris from the air. Americans
VIII feel keen interes, in the ~
tacks. because American aviators nov
are aiding in the defense OF the French
capital.
The German troops that faced the
Americans along the lines Of tho Toui
sector have been replaced For some
time the Teutons there were unitx
which had been withdrawn from Rus-
sta. These now have been replaced