Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-25
u. s. SUBMARINE
Il HIT BY MISTAKE
Allied Ship Fires as Under.
sea Boat Appears on
Surface
NO" CASUALTIES RESULT
Captain Thought American
Vessel Was Enemy Prepar.
ing to Attack Him
NO CASUALTIES RESULT
BY the Associated Press
Washington, July 25,


Mistaken evidently for the German n
submersible which has been operating off
the North Atlantic coast. an American
submarine of the latest type was fired
upon and Slightly damaged by an armed
vessel in the New England waters last
Tuesday. No one aboard the submarine
was injured and the craft has reached
pert safely.
The Navy Departments announce
ment today did not reveal the identity
or nationality of the armed vessel, but
1t was understood that it was an Allied
transport. Unofficial reports were that
the submarine had been running SUBJ
merged and came to the surface near
the armed ship. The latter opened fire
and had scored one hit before the Amer
lean craft made known its identity. The
shell penetrated the outer hull of the
submersible, but did not explode.
Navy Department Statement
The only official details were con-
tained in this statement by the Navy
Department:
"The Navy Department is informed
that United States submarine was
fired on by mistake by an armed mer-
chant vesseld on July 90 off the Amer-
can coast. One shell penetrated the
outer hull of the submarine, but did not
explode. No material injury was done,
only a small section of shell plating
being damaged. No one aboard was in
jured and the submarine proceeded to
her base under her own power"
Had the shell exploded after entering
the outer hull..it was said. the submarine
probably would have been destroyed. AS
it was the inner hull evidently was not
damaged and the submarine will be
ready for service again as soon as the
damaged outer hull plates can be re-
placed.
Previous Incident Recalled
This was the first incident of its kind
to occur in American waters, so far as
has been announced. but it is not the
first since the United States entered the
war. Last October the American gum
boat Nashville while on patrol duty in
the Mediterranean fired upon an Italian
submarine which failed to promptly an
swer signals for identification One man
aboard the submarine was killed. but
the vessel reached port.
Lieutenant Commander Ernest Fried
rick commanding the Nashville, was
ordered reduced thirty numbers in grade
by the naval court which tried him and
the sentence was approved by Secretary
. Daniels, despite the fact that the Italian
Government officially interceded in be-
half of the officer and the court recon-
mended clemency ana also that the Of
hcer be commended for his zeal
BY the Associated Press
Boston, July 25.-The unknown armed
ship sighted off Nantucket Sunday morn
ing by Captain William Price. of the
schooner Elizabeth King, of Gloucester.
was looked upon with suspicion today
by naval officials some of whom believed
It might be mother ship for German
submarines operating off the New Eng
land coast. The mysterious ship was
seen two hours before a U-boat attacked
the tug Perth Amboy and her tow off
Orleans.
The strange vessel, with guns fore
and aft, was reported to be in the line
Of transatlantic travel about twenty
miles southeast of Nantucket South
Shoal lightship. A full description Of
the boat which displayed neither flag
nor name and carried heavy wireless
equipment. was in the hands of the Off
GERS of the first naval district today and
steps We're under way to intercept the
craft and determine her status.
Captain Price upon reaching Glouces-
ter last night reported that the ship
came within 100 feet of the Elizabeth
King and trained it's guns upon the
schooner but did not hail her. When
Captain Price spoke to the ship an Of
hcer replied in a foreign tongue.