South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-01-13

Yards changed west,
creasing speed. The submarine followed keeping
up dre The fight lasted from o'clock until about
7-ee p. We hred 25 shots The submarine hred
over 50 includins shrapnel toward the emo,
exploded astern Of ship too high too do any
DAMAGE
our last two shells seem TO have hit submarine
in forward part few seconds later her bow
jumped up. and then she went down. upward
an about IS degrees The submarine did
come up again and I believe then and
there. 40 damage was done to our ship, and there
casualties
capt Charlton. the very efficient master OF the
silver shell confirms this statement in his
port and makes it convincing:
AT 1875 shells appeared hit
marine bat up that time shells had fallen short
AZ ..s0 one shot struck submarine
and appeared 10 lift bow OF the craft OF the
,.,rer rben she came hack and Immediately di-ap-
peared with the STERN elevated only after
The shot took effect The weather fine but the
rough and during the engagement kept
The steamer still within effective range of the
guns the submarine which could
other reason than sudden attack Of acute illness for
vsnishhg in this abrupt manner. 1t fairly
elusive a shell blew her partly water. and
then she lungng and laundering into the depths.
me steamer uIu io1 S'OP 20 IOI races u the
disaster but sensibly continued along her course.
Taukers filed millions gallons gasoline
not lneer n zone
This gun made a romantic voyage it. The
steamer ordered to the far and they
carried to the Dutch East indies. where strictly
forced neutrality compelled them shift ashore with
Then they loafed among the spicy islands
OIL the mysterious orient until the ship returned from
coastwise trip and picked them up again for the
long road home
The American passenger liners, maintaining their
almost regularly in time Of peace. would
naturally the gauntlet much ofener than the
number Of cargo boats They sail on an express
schedule and spend little time in 1t is
that they fast and wen armed. able whip sub
marine fight with but speed has far been
saving factor. II is what the board call
'thc sporty life" 1t be recommended to people
with nervous systems restful vocation. For ex-
ample. Of these liners, during the
of made only perfectly tame and routine
During all her other trips there were
tOrpedOeS
There is also the decoy radio message to beware of
kind of trckery which the Germans display
co great cunning. an appears in a re-
port of the naval officer commanding the gunners Of
one O these liners
About 500 p M after we had sent our radio to
report time arrival the rendezvous,
received a call from ship using secret call
and signing a friendly man-of-war. First he asked
plain language for position, but not
him ne repeated his question. this using
the merchant code without the cipher. This
also remained unanswered then called us and
said he had important message for We gave
him The word 10 go ahead with it. This
by his asking again for our position To this
paid attention.
Extracts from the navy departments reports of
these steamers may be chosen almost random
interesting reading with a thrill These fair
samples of what II means to make the Atlantic voyage
which is no LONGER commonplace, soothing ocean
The lookout in the tower crows nest, a coxswain
the naval guard picked oil slick ahead which
vered port at rght angles to the ships
Following the slick. which was about the width of a
ship h suddenly the periscOpe of a submarine
apuea. the end of 1T, about foot the
Hater Tie instantly sung out periscOpe.' and the
ucSt moment torpedo. for the submarine had been
exposed scarcely than a second when she a
torpedo The enemy then about 900 yards
the ship and threcfourths point forward of the
The torpedo was running straight, but apparently
having trouble i'm maintaining its depth. for when
about 200 yards of streak, then at a depth of
about no feet from the stern soon after heading
away from the submarine picked up abandoned
marine had apparently been vim near the Hfeboat
and seeing approach had headed off a
position attack port side, probably
ing to pick the Hfeboat and thus miss seeing
him Fortunately. however, the oil slick sighted
first
''The old hands among the paid no attention
10 the torpedo. which was coming right for them but
made every effort the the TARGET which
was the submarines periscope"
A voyage of another steamer Of this same service
varied the prosram 10y lively exchange OF shell f-e
after the following fashion;
The first report that submarine in sight
from the after of the shouting. sub
marine broad the starboard quarter, about three
miles off,. The lookout and the bridge sighted al
most the same moment The captain put his glasses
The craft and looked at it for four
Before he could feel certain that a submarine
two flashes showed at either end of it, fire
opened the ship.
Fifteen 90 seconds the shells dropped one
lust short of the ship on the starboard beam and the
other Just asteru third passed by forward
funnel the radio aerals. The captains theory
why the submarine held the perfectly
Ike this she observing the ship and
pass about miles on. As the ship zigzagging
the German commander thought he could get a better
position his torpedo, and he submerged
20 reach the chosen point ON coming 10 the surface
again he discovered that the ship not where he
expected be- far away his
pedO. $50 he let 60 with his guns.
The ship battery got into action and
identity discouraged the submarine. which be-
tween and 40 shots without hit and then van
fshej she enough while hghting enable
to distinguish the men grouped about her guns"
What might Doe called close shave befe this steam