The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1918-02-09


whole crew displayed most commemorative >liIt
during the battle
This is precisely as Il should b.. bluejackctS ana
merchant seamen standing together. hShtn- the
enemy as one intrepid American crew. and The
stars and Stripes ho>tsd ut The first Shot hy order
Of the skipper Chief Gunner Clark haI the lohor
10 report to the navy department:
.As the submarine displayed 10 flag and was
coming nearer we fired q shot. The submarine
which was then about 1000 yards away. replied
Immediately with what seemed 70 me. on account
OF the range. a sx-inch gun Her first shot len
amiishipS about 100 yards short. we chahgeu
our course due west. increasing speed. The SUP
marine follow ed u. keeping up fire. The fght
lasted from o'clock until about 80 T. NJ We
fred 25 shots. The submarine fired over ~. IN
Guiding some shrapuel toward the end. which e&-
ploded astern OF our ship too high {" do any Dam
"Our last two shells seem TO have hit the sub
marine in the forward part. A few seconds later
her bow jumped VI, and she went down stern
upward AT an angle of about A. degrees. The sub
marine did not up again, and believe Il was
sunk then and there No damage was done 10 our
ship and there were no casualties
The steamer was still within effective range OF
the big guns Of the submarine which could have
had no other reason than a sudden attack of acute
illness for vanishing in this abrupt manner. 1t
seems fairly conclusive that shell blew her part
ly out of water and then she went lunging and
laundering into the depths The steamer did not
stop TO search for traces Of the disaster but sen
sibly continued along on her course 1anherS
filled with millions of gallons OF gasoline 90 not
linger in the var zone
The American passenger liners maintaining
their service almost as regularly Us in time OF
peace would naturally run the gantet much often
or than the same number Of cargo boats. Ihey
sail on an express schedule and spend little time
IN mort 1t is no secret that they are fast and Wei
armed able TO whip submarine in night with
guns The deadly torpedo is another matter, but
speed has so far been a saving factor. 1t IS what
+ha runners on board call the sporty life nor
can il be recommended to people with nervous syS-
tens as restful vocation. For example. one OF
these liners during the first six months Of war,
made only one perfectly tame and routine voyage.
During ali other trips across there were n9htS
with submarines escapes from torpedoes.
Extracts from the navy departments reports OF
these steamers may be chosen almost az random
as interesting reading with thrill in it, These
are fair samples Of what 1t means to make the
Atlantic voyage. which is no longer common
place soothing ocean ferry.
The lookout in the lower crows nest q cox
swain Of the naval guard. picked up oil slick
ahead which veered off 10 port at right angles 10
the ships course. Following the slick, which was
about the width Of ship, he suddenly saw the
perscope of q submarine appear at the eho OF H.
about one foot out OF the water. He instantly
sung ont Perscope' and the next moment. Tor
nedo for the submarine had been exposed scarcely
more than second when she fired a torpedo Inc
enemy was then about 900 yards from the snip
ana three-fourths point forward of the BEAM
THE torpedo was running straight bur appar-
entIv having trouble in maintaining its depth Io'
vhen about 200 wards off saw streak. then a.
a depth of about five feet. 1t dfved ana pass"
under the ship about so feet from the stern soon
after heading away from the submarine we plche"
I'M an abandoned lifeboat two points on the star
hoard bow The submarine had apparently peer
living near the life boat and on seeing us approach
had headed off TO assume a position Tor attach ~
our port side probably expecting Us TO pick up 1A'
lifeboat and thus miss seeing him. Fortunately
however the oil slick sighted first
The old hands among the gunnerS pald II" III
tention to the torpedo which WAS coming IL"
for them but made every effort TO get the guns oi
the target which was the submarines perlScope
What might be called close shave befeli ahoui
er steamer on the return voyage.
There were several other ships ? the NIcinit!'
rms the report Including two talkers ana a q"
.troyer and two or three tramps. Suddenly 4 p@rl
SCOPE was sighted quarter OF Z mile away. sho"
inc nm MAINLY in the streak Of moonlight on tn
water The submarine seemed 10 De just comm
I'D and had probably ni>iudged the speed OF I'll
steamer having seen her some time earlier De
fore a torpedo could be fired or the guns manned
rhe steamer was right on top OF the submarine
which submerged The chief officer threw III
helm hard over and went straight for him, hollu