The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-08-17
FRIGHIFuLNEss ON COAST.
NORTH CAROLINA LIGHT HOUSE
ATTACKED BY POISON GAS.
Submarine Supposed to Have Released
Mixture in Expectation That Tide
Would Carry it in But Hope Was
Not Realized.

Would Carry 1t in But hope was
Not Realized.
Washington, Aug. 12.-Gas from
oil discharged on the water by the
German submarine operating OH the
Middle Atlantic coast overcame six
men in the coast guard station and
lighthouse on Smiths Island, n. c.,
Saturday evening, the navy depart
nent was advised today by the COM
uandant Of the Sixth naval district
If the gas attack was deliberate, as
most officials believe, it constituted a
new and ingenious form Of 'frlghtful-
ness" and, so far as has been reported,
was the first direct effort of the Ger
man raiders to harm persons or prop
erty on the American shores.
The gas was said by the comman-
dant of the coast guard station 70
have much the same effect as the
mustard gas used by the Germans on
the Western front The men were
laid out for more than half an hour.
but apparently suffered no serious at
ter effects.
The dispatch relating the gas at
tack was one of a series concerning
German submarine warfare off the At
lantic coast received during the day
by the navy department. One told OF
an attack on submarine loo miles
east Of the Virginia coast by an
American destroyer which discharged
II depth charges where the raider
was seen to submerge. The result OF
the attack was not determined, but
after oil had appeared on the surface
two bombs were dropped on the spot
and the submarine was not seen
again.
Sinking of the British steamer Peni-
stone of 4,139 gross tons and the
Swedish steamer Sydland Of 3.o31
gross tons in New England waters
near where ten fishing smacks were
destroyed Sunday, was also reported
to the navy department during the
day. The former was torpedoed Sun
day with the fate Of r er crew still un-
determined, while the latter was de-
stroyed by bombs, August 8, and her
crew later rescued by passing ships.
Still another dispatch said four
survivors of the fishing schooner Ka-
tie Palmer landed at New Bedford.
Mass, reported they had been taken
aboard the submarine, the command
ler of which boasted that he was
equipped to remain in American wa
ters for six months if he desired.
The submarine was described by
the men as being about 800 feet long
with coming tower Is feet high and
mounting one gun. The raider car
ried a crew of so men, according to
the survivors who were held aboard
the submarine for time and later
set adrift in a ,dory.
While the reports from the com
mandants of the Smiths Island coast
guard station and sixth naval district
clearly indicated their firm belief the
gas attack ON the island was de3lber-
ate, some officers: tonight thought
there was a possibility submarines
had discharged the Oil and gas after
being wrecked on reef.
Attention was called to the fact
that the action of salt water on elec-
tric battries used by submarines gen.
crates chlorine gas which is similar
to mustard gas in its effects and is
deadly if encountered in closed
space. IF the submarine were wreck
ed, it was said, this gas would be gen.
Grated and would come to the sur
face with the Oil which would be
freed.
No such possibility, however, was
mentioned in the navy department S
announcement which said:
The navy department has received
a dispatch from the commandant OF
the sixth naval district, Charleston,
S. c., stating that an attack with gas
was attempted on the North Carolina
coast about o'clock Saturday after
noon with the result Of temporarily
putting out Of business the coast
guard station and light house person
nel.''
The report goes on to say:
About 40 minutes after the at
tack three large Oil spots each over
one acre in extent were observed
passing by Smiths island to the north
This Oil from which the gas was no
doubt generated must have been re-
leased from submarine in the vicin-
ity Of the entrance to the channel
with the hope tn; t it would come in
with the tide, but the tide fortunate
ly set along the island.
Report was made to Col. Arthur
W. Chase, coast artillery corps. Fort
Caswell, by Captain Willard Of the
Smith Island coast guard after the
effects Of the gas were noted. Six
men were gassed. No deaths. The
gas had the effect of mustard gas and
was effective about 36 or 40 minutes.
Color Of the gas has not yet been as
certained and its effect on trees and
schrubbery not yet determined. The
entire matter will be investigated and
report made
1.-THE incident was reported by
Colonel Chase to the naval district
comandant, Smiths Island is off the
mouth of the Cape Fear River near
the entrance of the channel to VIII
mington, N. G.
Assuming that the attack on the