Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-09-09
j. S. U-BOAT CHASER
SAVES PASSENGER SHIP
Pirate Raincd Schrapncl on Line
But Was Forced to Dive From
Naval Craft.

account of the attack on passenger
liner bound for South American port
with $50 passengers ON board including
100 officers and men Of the United Etatca
Navy on their way Ia Join the South
Atlantic Fleet, WAS brought here yester-
day by British steamship, which touched
at " est Indian island where the pas
sengcr ship was coaing
For more than two hours the tI-boat
shclled the vessel with shrapnel M well
ns solid shot. in All effort 20 snk her before
help could arrive ma The German com
mandcr could hear tho 81 O. S calls going
out and his rinners could not shoot away
the wireless apparatus. The men, women
and children, all wearing lifebelts. stood
by the lifeboats ON the top deck until the
Hhrapnel fell 40 thckiy that the captain
ordered them to 90 below to the next
dc~k, where there was moro ahelter For
20 miles the steamship manpuvred NJ top
speed while the shells fell about her
Twenty five American soamen went be
low into the stoke hole and worked with
tho ships crew 10 get every pound ~
ateam possible When nearly all on board
had given up hope. United states
destroyer came 20 the rescue. and ihe
t-boat dived out of sight After tho cx-
fo The bridge and congratulated The cap
tain. to whose skill aud judgment they
owed their lives He replied God did II
God alone can perform such miracles
sroRr oF rHE ArrAcK
The following ia an account given nv
an American engineer. who war 0ne of
the first cabin passengers. 10 the captain
~ the vessel who brought IL here to-day
about o'clock IN the morning. when
tho chip was about 30 miles nff the Vir
ginia Capce. | was walking on tho top
dcck tn get m appetite fcr breakfast
when u,Iartcrnaster. who had j,ist
como down from the bridge. pointed tn
Tow lying craft about three miles away cm
the port side, and said 10 Won think u is
submarine Before could answer his
query the American continued there
was q ptff ~ white smoke and a solid
ehof dropped into tho smooth sen within
20 feet nf The ships side arn,dehipe Thc
captain. whn vas on the bridge thought
hat It was an American pntrol boat which
was nnt quito certain If orr nationality
and had triod 10 firr across our bows "a
warning 70 stop ~con through the glasses
IN the bright sunlight. the stranger Ind
The appearance - small DESTROYER She
had nno tall funnel and . small super
structure forward resembling a bridge
We had stopped immediately after the
shot was fired and as the stranger craft
approached uhrnpnel she'll was fred from
her bow gun. which burst right over the
bridgc
nl4c1tSV FAtrs AvAY
ht the same time her funnel and
bridge arrangement toppIed down. and
VIC could sec that she was German sub
marine disguised with canvas funnel
and superb ructuro tn resemble = patrol
noat The after gun on The deck of the
boat opened FIRE and svvcral shells
were ahmed at eur wireless apparatus 10
cripple It So that wc could not call for
help Tho Hun Eanncrs were bad shots
and nur operator N his little house an the
top deck kept sending : ID s calls Tho
shrapnci fell al about thr bridge md rig
glng uf the foremost and on tho deck like
rain from stem 70 stern Va answer ratnc
- the ralis Tor help and We I'll began 10
feel anNous ahout orr fate as he sub
u ArInc continued - frc shell after she'll
from both guns Ry lis time 'hc captain
had dcrIded that the only wav 10 ave his
ahip WINS 70 Fn ~ fi.li speed and ehan mgr
direction rs often aa possible to thwnrt
tho enemy aim With the aid of -
American salare IN the stoke hclr the
ressol got M a apccd of H. knots and
~ w, re! her hrlm Ike top IS uc were
ueginnirg 10 despair of getting any
as-I-taucc n tlmc m answer came whirh
read
THIS X = land station -Four DESTROYER
ar rushing - Sou The good news ua.
circulated rapidly among he passenger
on deck and one American woman went
into the drawing room and ratified aT q
number ot patriotic airs on the piano.
which rad 4 cheering effect on everybody
cur chief anxiety was whether we could
stay alloat utll help arrived one she'll
exploded with a nCrvc-rackIng scream night
over the deck. throwing FIVE Of he pas
scngerS flat on their faces Onc piece of
shrapucl the size Of hen s egg struck he
captain on the back as he was standing by
the steering wheel on the bridge tut did
not scratch him. We examined the piece
afterward when the excitement was over,
with other humps Of metal left on the
decks by the Huns
The passengers we're ordered to stand
by the llfeboats with their lfebeltc on and
not to take any baggage The officers
and men Of the American Navy had their
belts on too, and wore only their trousers
AIM ~ A&itl tiltA Rtllltl
be ready 10 help save the women and
children when the boats were lowered
away Everything was done quietly and in
an orderly manner The women were
calm and the children gazed in wonder at
the exploding shells Passengers who were
asleep n the time Of the attack, came on
deck with lifebelts buckled round their
bathrobes and did not go below again
Some passengers said that it would be Of
no use TO get into the boats because the
Huns were firing on helpless women and
children and would surely shell us when
VIC left the ship. especially as We had
officers and men from the navy on board
AMERICA DESTROYER ARRIVES
The shrapnel shelling became 50
heavy that we were ordered of the deck
to take shelter IN the saloons below The
gunners Anne at us frequently with solid
shot but could not hit the ship apparently
because of the zig-sagging
Two hours had passed. and all hope OF
being saved had nearly gone. when the
lookout in the crows nest yelled. Smoke
on the horizon on the starboard quarter
The captain looked through his glasses
and said he thought it must be the Ameri-