The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1918-06-13
VICTIMS OF SUBMARINES.

ing Adrift for Hours.
| Nineteen survivors and the crew
of the submarined steamship Caro-
lima were landed at Lewes, Del,
Tuesday and brought narrowing
tale of the seas, the news of the loss
of sixteen of their number and q re-
markable rescue of girl while they
drifted helpless on the ocean during
severe thunder storm Sunday
night.
Ten boats left the Carolina before
she was sunk by the German sub
marine U-37. All passed through the
same storm and the survivors at Lew
es said they felt sure all were lost
They expressed great joy when in
formed that most of the Carolina's
company had been saved.
The 19 persons landed at Lewes
were brought in by q British vessel
that picked them up more than 25
miles off the Delaware capes.
According to the survivors the Car
olina was warned late Sunday after
noon by wireless to look out for sub
marines. The steamer was advised
that a three-masted schooner had
just been sunk and was cautioned
not to show lights. At o'clock Sum
day evening a submarine appeared
lima. She was about $50 feet long,
survivors said and later was identi-
fled as the U-37.
The submarine signaled something
which our captain could not make
out" said the survivor, "and then the
U-boat raised the German flag. We
were ordered to heave to and the
captain fearing that the submarine
would shell the steamer If he did not
obey the order, signaled the engineer
to reverse the engines and stop.
"A German officer with an armed
guard came alongside and gave or
ders to our captain to lower all boats
and leave the ship in twenty. minutes.
OF course it would be useless to say
that none of us was frightened, for
there were more than 800 on a ship
about to be sunk there must be
some timid ones Good order was
maintained, however. The sea was
smooth and there appeared to be no
Nobody thought of storm and
the German officer appeared to show
consideration to the passengers as
they hurried to leave the steamer. In
going through the steamer the Ger
mans found a fireman who had been
! left behind and he ordered a lifeboat
to return for him.
When this last boat was clear
the Germans shelled the Carolina
seven times. The she burst into
flames, sinking slowly.
After we had drifted for l do not
know how long there were faint
flashes of lightning on the horizon
and later when the puffy wind began
to strengthen we instictively knew
there was trouble ahead.
THE storm came quicker than we
expected it. The wind blew like a
gale and picked up nasty sea. The
boats pitched and soon became separ-
ated. We, who were in a motor
launch, seemed to be alone in the
storm. Rougher and rougher became
the water and the boat rolled and
pitched. Finally she capsiZed and all
! of the thirty-five in her were thrown
into the sea. She was righted and
capsized again while we clung to
her. This occurred several times. The
storm passed and the sea began to
calm. 1t was pitch dark.
Finally we kept the launch right
ed but she was full of water. We
clung to her and bailed out the wat
er with our hands. Some could not
stand the strain, became exhausted,
let go their hold and sank. 1t was
terrible. We bailed out enough water
to let one of us in. Then he bailed
furiously and enough water was
scooped out to permit a second to
get into the launch. We kept on bail