Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1918-07-26
GIANT LINER SUNK;
FIGHTS "a HOURS
White Star Steamer JuStiCia Sent
Down Off Coast of Ireland.
TEN ToRpEDoES ARE FIRED
Ten of Crew KiIled--Ship Bound for
U. S. After Delivering Large Con-
tingent of American Troops
Big as Lusitania.

An Irish Port. July 25.-ThG giant
White Star liner Justicia has been
torpedoed and sunk.
The Justicia was formerly the Dutch
steamer Statendam. which was TAX
en- over by the British government on
the stocks at, Belfast when it was
nearing completion. 1t was vessel
of 32,234 tons, gross.
Four hundred of the crew of the tor
pedoed liner Justicia have been landed
here. They report that the liner was
sunk after a 24-hour fight with sub
marine.
No passengers were lost and only
ten of the crew were killed.
The first torpedo struck the engine
room and the ship then stopped. Sew
eral other torpedoes were fred, but
only two of the missiles were effec-
tive.
The story of the fight between the
German submarine and the Justicia, If
it could be told, would make one of the
finest stories In the annals of antisub-
marine warfare.
Nothing which has occurred in con-
nection with the sinking of the former
White Star liner gives navy men any
cause for misgivings over the subma-
rlne war. The defensive measures and
methods showed up to excellent adj
vantage and indicate that the entente
naval forces can always be counted on
to make the enemy pay dearly for ev-
cry attempt he makes.
Says Ten Torpedoes Were Fired.
London. July 25.-The news &C the
sinking of the Justicia was announced
by the Belfast Evening Telegraph.
The liner was torpedoed, the newspa-
ned states. One of the crew of the
Jusiicia is quoted by the newspaper
as asserting that ten torpedoes were
discharged at the Justicia. Four OF
the approaching missiles, he added.
were exploded by gunf1re from the
ship.
The Belfast newspaper says that
land had just been lost sight of when
n terrific explosion shook the Justicia.
The crew was speedily mustered on
deck. but ii was soon ascertained that
the damage was so trivial that me
liner would remain afloat for sniff
cient period to enable 1t TO be t3wed to
port.
A tug pulled along the liner for this
purpose. when two more torpedoes
were fred by a submarine which had
not been sighted. These missiles
missed the target, passing between the
liner and the tug.
Further attempts we're made by the
submarine to torpedo the Justicia dur
ing Friday night. but all failed, and 1t
was not until Saturday morning and
after the submarine had expended nu-
merous torpedoes that the destruction
of the ship was accomplished.
The final attempt was made at eight
o'clock on Saturday morning, when
two torpedoes hit the ship. One
struck the engine room. causing vio-
lent explosion. and the other penetrat-
ed a forehold.
The liner was in tow at the time,
and as 1t did not sink until two O'Clock
in the afternoon there was plenty of
time TO transfer the crew to rescuing
ships.
Was Returning to America.
New York, July 25.-The Justicia,
reported sunk apparently somewhere
off the coast Of Ireland was returning
to an American port after delivering
large contingent of American troops,
II was learned here, On its last trip
it carried nearly 10000 troops