The sun., 1918-07-06
Special Despatch 10 The Sun.

WASHINGTON, July 5.-German sub
have added another returning Ameri-
can transport to their list of victims.
The United States ship Covington,
formerly the Cincinnati of the Ham,
burg American Line, was torpedoed
last Monday night and sank at day
break the following morning She was
practically empty. there being no
army personnel or passengers aboard.
All the officers and crew except six
have been taken to French port.
The six members of the crew still
missing are:
ANDERSON. ERNEST &, fireman, Lynn.
HowDEN, JOSEPH p. seaman. Mountain
FORD. AMBROSE G., fireman, somcrvius,
Mass
IYNCH WILLIAM HENRY. Jr, fireman.
PAYNE. ALBERT s. seaman. West New
Brighton, staten Island,
SlLNERNAIL. LLOYD H., seaman. Ba!n-
bridge, y. Y.
All the victims were enrolled in the
naval service. The report of the sinking
came from Vice-Admiral Sims Several
days ago. but was not made public until
Tonight because the Navy Department
awaited the names of those missing,
which did not reach here until to-day.
The despatch from Vice Admiral Sims
says the Covington was struck by a tor
pedo at 9:I7 o'clock. The torpedo
struck just forward of the engine room
bulkheard and the engine room and fire
room were rapidly flooded
ship Rendered Helpless.
With its motor power gone the vessel
was helpless, and facing the possibility
o. the torpcdouG of another ship in the
convoy the Covington was temporarily
abandoned. This was done. Admiral
Sims reported, in excellent order and tho
officers and crew were taken on board
"A destroyer. The submarine was no,
seen.
At daNbrell the' captain ard several
officers and a number Of members of its
crew returned to supervise salvage oper-
atons. Another vessel and two tugs
took the Coyington in tow in the effort
ITO get her to port, hut she was too badly
damaged to keep ahoat and sank.
The despatch from Vice-Admral Sims
makes it clear that the Covington was
one of Il group of vessels returning from
abroad under convoy. The C-boat.
therefore, attacked regardless OF the
presence of protecting vessels Naval
officers believe that this doubtless CON
stitutes one of those rare cases where
a group OF vessels happens across a
lurking submarine and gives the U-boat
an opportunity to launch hor torpedo
without making any particular effort
to seek out her prey.
Too Dark to spot Prriscopc.
The fact the submarine attacked at
night indicates that she may have heen
on the surface recharging her batteries
when she saw the vessels approaching.
At this hour It would not be too dark
for observation, hui would make tho
spotting Of the enemy periscope difficult.
The CovnGton formerly was the Ham
burg-American liner Cincinnati, which
was laid up al Boston and taken over
when the United States entered the war.
She was COS feet long. OF ls,339 gross
tons and had "A speed OF l5ts knots an
hour
The CovuGton IS the third army
transport to be sunk ny submarines since
the war began, the Antilles and the
President Lincoln being the other VIC
Tins. The transport Finland was hit by
a torpedo but managed to return to port.
All of the transports successfully at
tackled have been homcward bound
Slxty-sevea lives were lost on the An
TILES and twenty-five on tho President
Lincoln.
It is assumed here that the CoNIng-
, ton was attacked relatively near tho
French coast. whereas the President
Lincoln was sunk 500 miles from France
and after she mad left her convoy.