The sun., 1918-07-23
ASKS WHY U-RAIDER
ESCAPED AIR BOMBS
Daniels Orders Inquiry as to
Failure of Missiles in
Cape Cod Attack.
TUGBOAT TOWED TO PORT
Naval Craft on Sea and in Air
Searching Vigilantly for
German Marauder.


WASHINGTON, July 22.-Reports that
bombs which navy hydroplanes had used
against the U-boat while the latter was
attacking a tug and her barges Off Cape
Cod yesterday had failed to explode
stirred Secretary OF the Navy Daniels
to-day to order an Immediate inquiry.
He has asked the Bureau Of Ordnance
of the Navy for full report. The Navy
Department understands that two sea-
planes participated IN the attacls and
that they dropped bombs.
The wanton German attack close to
the coast and within a few miles OF the
naval aviation station at Chatham
reused the Navy Department to unusual
activity Besides ordering an inquiry
as to why the seaplanes were unable to
attack, Mr.. Daniels took other measures
to cope with the new menace. 1t is un-
derstood that naval forces and patrol
boats have been concentrated. to be on
the lookout for the raider, but no details
of these operations can. of course, be
made public.
1t was made clear that these appar-
ent efforts OF the German C-bOdt conf
manders to affect the shipment of Amer
lean troops overseas Is doomed to fall
ure. There will be no retardation Of war
activities whatever, It is explained.
bombs Are Very Complicated.
The Navy Department explained that
the bombs used by the naval aviators are
very complicated. Their manufacture
entails the double problem Of rendering
them safe for the aviator, but making
them explode readily and without fail
when dropped. The bombs are made by
contract, but are filled" at naval
station.
Both the British and French ravies
have had some trouble due to failure OF
bombs dropped by aviators to explode.
The best results obtainable give a high
percentage OF bombs which fhnctioned
perfectly. but even in these cases there
have been occasionally failure by the
bombs.
BosroS. July Gam investigation
was started to-day to determine why
bombs carried by naval aviators failed
to explode when dropped on or near the
German submarine which attacked the
tug Perth Amboy and her barges of
Cape Cod yesterday.
Experts at the headquarters OF the
First Naval district here said the bombs
were sent to the various naval districts
with explicit instructions that the
mechanism must not be overhauled or
any EFFORT made to improve II. The sup
position was that they had been officially
tested. II was reported that some OF the
aviators had said that some OF tie
bombs had failed In tests.
silent as to "Duds" Charge.
Rear Admiral Spencer s. Wood. COM
mand!ng the district refused to comment
on the report that the bombs dropped by
tho airmen yesterday were "duds." In
regard to the attack he said:
81 want to correct the impression
given currency by certain published
stories that the Chatham aircrat: were
late in getting to the scene of the attack
or were not otherwise promptly on the
Job. Such stories ! know to be a mis-
representation OF the facts. They were
there and dropped two bombs. the ex-
plosion OF either one of which might
have been effective in destroying the
hostile craft
THE whole occurrence from n stra-