Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-06-04
U-BOAT OFF LEWES
SINKS TANKER;
ST|RS OLD TOWN
Pursued British Boat, But 1t
Speeded Out of Danger
Zone
U. S. CRAFT PURSUE SUB

Delaware Breakwater, Lewes, June :
Seven miles off these shores. between
IcweS and Rehoboth, naval scout vessels
and German C-boat this evening had
the first sea fight in American waters
The rorar of the guns was heard by those
who were thronging the shores
This sea fight started nj E o'clock last
night, when the word was flashed 10 the
Breakwater that the Hun undersca
invader had sunk the tanker Herbert
l.. Pratt at o'clock, as the tanker was on
its way to Philadelphia l03 miles up the
coast, bound from Mexico with cargo
of oil. After sinking the Pratt and chas-
ing its sister tanker, the Arco, until
that craft escaped, the submarine turned
and dashed for the open sea again.
QUICKLY GAVE CHASE,
Two warships and t1otilla of smaller
vessels found the wake of the U-hoat
and gave chase. Seven miles away they
began firing violently, the thunder of guns
coming plainly to the people of Lewes.
Up 10 late hour the pursuit was still
on
While the attack on the Pratt was not
accomplished until the middle of the
afternoon, there were signs all day that
sonnet hing amiss was happening along the
SDtIIS Ql titt iftldNaAt i W. HUNS
before noon sounds OF firing could be
heard along the sand dunes. and this
information was brought ashore by bay
men,
However. the same skcpticism pre-
vailed here as marked the stories brought
ashore last week that submarines were
operating in these waters, and that at
least one vessel had been chased into the
BreakwatCr by J-boat. 1t was not
until hours later that the tanker Pratt
was seen making her way between Cape
Nav and Cape HCnlopen. She was
steamIng along. when apparently some
thing mysterious began to happen Ii
appeared. these watchers said as If there
had been an explosion aboard and the
vessel was seen To be drifting along in q
sinking condIt on.
Those ashore saw the boats lowered and
rowed away from the abandoned vessel
but no sight of the submarine could be
caught by those on the sands
Great excitement prevailed among the
people OF Lewes. many OF whom remained
up the entire night.
LEwEs BoMBARDED II 1918.
Lewes in the past has been the scene
OF many thrilling war incidents As
early as 1918, april 81 three british war
ships bore down upon the town OF Lewes
and began firing q number OF 32-pound
shot at the town This was followed by
a flag Of truce shown by the commander
of the British ship Belvidera, the largest
OF the three He renewed n demand.
made upon March Is previously that the
town send him twenty live bullock and
"a proportlonate quantity OF hay Tor the
use of his Brittanic maiestys squadron,
then at anchorage, TO be paid for il
Philadelphia
5 b. Davis. the colonel commanding
81 Lewes said that the requests could not
be complied with The British captain
then resumed the bombardment which
began At night and was continued until
10 o clock
Colonel Davis returned the fire and
disabled one of the enemys most danger
Gus boats He sent word 10 Dover for
assistance and Governor Hazlet started
TO organize the militia, Powder was sent
al once bv the du Point from Wilmington
and the Lewes defenders dug the british
shot from the and and fred them back
The bombardment continued for nearly
twentv-four hours, the British firing
nearly eight hundred % and lS-pound
shots into the town. in addition TO shells
and rockets 4 few houses were damaged
but nobody was injured