Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-03

of the crew of the schooner Cole after
she had been sunk, said he heard
seven distinct commandments before
happening on the castaways in their
| lifeboat.
After he had picked up the men,
he said. a submarine approached his
ship; it's coming tower plainly
visible, but it turned aside without
attacking him. He attributed this
to the fact that large awning for
ward on his ship gave it the appear
ance of carrying heavy guns.
Reports from New England coast
cities were rather vague, but indi-
Gated that there were other sub
marines. 1t is estimated this after
noon that the U-boat fleet probably
consisted of from four to six submer-
sibles. They were reported seventy
five miles off Jersey at p. m. yes
terday, $50 miles off the coast at
7 p. n1., and at the same time were
| reported operating in the vicinity of
Nantucket.
The distance from the nearest
submarine bases in Belgium and
Germany to the Jersey coast is
about 1000 miles, air line, but the
course U-boat would have to
take would be not less than 5000
miles. At an average surface speed
of fifteen miles an hour a submarine
would require over two weeks for
such a voyage.
Sailors of the Cole had no oppor-
tunity to talk to the Germans, but
they declared the U-bosts were very
bold, that they carried guns forward
and remained on the surface of the
water to get greater speed.
Survivors of Cole
Besides Captain Newcombe, the
survivors of the Cole disaster
brought here were:
Robert Lathigges, first officer, of
East Boston, Mass.
William Jones, second mate, of
Everett, Mass.
D. Giro, cook, of Portland. Maine.
W. J. Harker, engineer, of Camden,
NJ.
Carl W. Toikka, seaman, New
York city.
John Kunnister, seaman, of New
York city.
Otto j. Laitinen, John Olsen. E.
P. Samuelson and Earl V. Karlsson,
all of New York city.
Captain Newcomb and the mem.
bers of his crew are being closely
questioned by naval authorities this
afternoon and have been instructed
not to discuss their experience with
the U-boats with outsiders. As a
result, it has been impossible to OBJ.
obtain any idea as to the size of the
suhmersibles operating in American
waters.
Port of New York Closed
Officials of the port of New York
ordered all ships to remain in har-
Dor. The submarine net was swung
across the harbor entrance. This
followed receipt of information that
a number of other ships had beer
destroyed.
The chief of staff f the thirc
naval district and the commandan,
of the Brooklyn Navy Yard said they
had received only vague reports Of
the alleged submarine operations
Some of these, the..' said, placed the
toll of victims a high as fifteer
ships. The chief of staff said ne
submarine chasers had been sent our
from New York, so far as he knew
aside from those which are con
stantly patrollirg the coast.
The Ward liner Esperanza ar
rived here today without having seer
submarines. The captain said HI
was detained at Havana fifteen days
on account of submarines being re-
ported nearby.
The news that U-boats were ac,
tive in nearby waters caused big
sensation in shipping circles ant
steps were Immediately taken tc
warn all outgoing and incoming
vessels.
Coast guard cutters, it was learned
today, were hurriedly dispatched
down the coast last night, when il
was first reported that vessel an
swering the Coles description hae
been sunk of the Atlantic High
lands.
IL y y "a