The sun., 1918-09-24
SHIP, ONCE GERMAN,
SINKS SEA RAIDER
Big Freighter Pennsylvania,
Now Nansemond, Exchanges
Shots With Raider.
HIT SUBMARINE FAIRLY
Gun Crew and Debris Seen to
Fly High in Air
After Shot.

With the ensign OF the United States
Shipping Board flying from her mast
head the good ship Nansemond, once the
German freishter Pennsylvania, raced
into an Atlantic port yesterday, the first
OF the German ships seized when this
country entered the war, to report that
one of her American guns had sent
German U-boat TO the bottom OF the
Atlantic.
Apparently the undeasea raiders crew
went down with their submarine, for as
the crew OF the Nansemond stood shout
ing at her rails a shell from the naval
gun aft on the freighter went true to
its mark and hit the forward gun plat
form aboard the submersible. Into the
air went a stream OF black smoke and
debris. in which the Nansemond's crew
are certain were mingled the bodies OF
six German gunners who had fred nearly
200 shots at the Nansemond. hitting the
American chip eleven times but failing
to catch her in a vital spot. Immedi
ately after the submarine gun and gun
crew were blown to bits the undersea
raider was seen BY the Nansemond's
crew to list sharply and then sink out
of sight.
Just Misses Tonpedo.
Only the periscope of the U-boat
stuck out of the water when the lookout
aboard the Nansemond signalled that
he had seen the wake of a torpedo that
was speeding toward the hurrying
freighter. Capt. William Mcleod got
the lookout's warning In time. however,
the ships course was changed abruptly
and she WAS swung about just far
enough so that the torpedo sailed harm
lessly by and went ioundering about
far out of the Nansemonds range.
When the periscope was sighted"
Capt. Mcleod said. the submarine was
turning about TO get into position to
launch a torpedo for a broadside target.
| ! Immediately ordered full speed ahead
and changed my course head on into
him. which caused the submarine to shift
again SO as to get out OF our way. Fire
was opened with our forward guns, but
the range was beyond them and we
then turned about to bring the s inch
guns aft into action.
AS the Nansemond came about the
aft gunners let go. one of the shells
striking so close that n cloud of black
be seen splinters arose sixty feet in
the air. Ny men at once set up cheer
and yelled. We got him. dead centre"
1.-The submarine. of which we had
. only seen the per!scope bobbed to the
| surface Immediately. It was plainly
In distress. and I believe the shot. even
IL IT did not penetrate the hull. burst
one or more OF its water ballast tanks"
NansemOnd Badly battered.
Although Capt. Mcleod and the naval
gunners who did the firing modestly
declined to discuss those details others
Of the Nansemond's crew said that after
the submarine rose TO the surface her
guns played a stream of shells all about
the Nansemond. One OF these nit her
on the port bow, ripping big hole
just above the water line. Another
! smashed two OF her lifeboats A third
| scraped along her port bridge and still
! another Clipped away her stern flag
| stan at the same moment the Nanse-
mond's wireless aerials were carried
away.
With debris sent flying by these shots
falling all about them the crew of the
Nansemond stuck to their positions at
the rails watching the fighting. and
every man escaped even the slightest
| injury
AZ the last shot from the Nausemoud
fund It's mark forward on the suoma-
| rins Capt Mcleod again ordered full
speed ahead and the Nansemond lit
out. with practically the whole crew in
| the fire room. and attained a speed two
and half knots greater than abe ever
had achieved before She still was unde.
forced draught when she reached the
Atlantic port yesterday with the story
| Of her thrilling experience