New-York tribune., 1918-07-20

lnlrd District for information were
all referred to Washington.
measures to deal with new U-boat
rssla were said to have been taken
pm'om9ppuy ~ by naval and military officers.
flotillas of Gestroyers AMI ratroL boats
were reported to be securing the waters
n the vicinity of New York Harbor.
L'ter In the day arplanes Joined in
the extending search.
Airmen Hunt for U-Boats
When the first news of the disaster
reached the aviation field at Hemp
stead, the student fliers stampeded for
the hangers. Every available machine
was manned, and the squadron pro
cceded across Long Island and turned
out to sea In hunt both for survivors
and lurking submarines.
thick mist hung over the ocean ali
day, adding to the difficulties of the
rescuers.
The members of all the boat crews at
the Fire Island and Oak Island coast
guard stations put to sea early in the
afternoon, and none had returned at a
late hour last night. The men were
sald to be assisting in the transfer and
rescue of sailors from the sunken ship.
1T was reported in marine circles
that wireless calls for help had been
picked up by coastwise steamers, and
all within radius proceeded at full
speed toward the point where the vcs-
sci sunk, which was located definitely
a short distance off Cherry Grove.
Hundreds Rescued
The crews of incoming vessels de-
clared later in the day that they had
passed rescue ships at sea with hun
dreds of survivors aboard. Several
tankers and one naval vessel were de-
tn Ii,
f1otilla. One tanker reached Quaran-
tine late last night, but the survivors
were not landed.
A return of the undersea raiders
has not been unexpected. The sink
ings in May and June had forewarncd
the navy against the possibility of fr~
ture attacks. The sinking of war
vessel. however, had not been antici-
pated.
The San Diego is the first major
naval vessel the nation has lost since
the beginning of the war. Nothing but
coastwlse vessels were victims of the
submarine hotilla that visited Amer-
can waters earlier in the year, and only
destroyers and Submarines have been
successfully attacked in the war zones.
The vessel itself is not regarded as
serious military loss, and naval Of
iicers were more concerned about the
pfODaDle casualty llSt.
Preparations have been made at the
United States Base Hospital at Fox
Hills. Staten Island, to receive wounded
men. The authorities there were not
certain whether these belonged TO the
crew Of the San Diego, although it was
considered highly probable.
Firing Preceded Explosions
In celebrating on the story OF the
firing they had heard off shore resi-
dents of Bay Shore stated that there
had been few shots at first, and later
Il series of heavy explosions, as though
a vessel were blowing up. There was
silence for several hours, and then the
firing broke out again. This continued
all of the afternoon and into the
evening, and indicated that patrol
boats may have brought submarine
to bay.
Outside of the firing veil of mys-
terry concealed the events that were
taking place at sea. The story told
the villagers by the aviator who flew
over the scene of the sinking, how
ever, was reported by credible wit
nesses.
The aviator was flying along the
coast when his attention was attract
ed by the report of guns. He turned
off his course in the direction of the
sounds and few miles off shore found
himself lowering over a naval YES
sci which was awash with the waves
and on the point of settling.
He wheeled above in the air for
while in an effort to make out some
point Of land through the fog that
would help him in marking down the
exact location of the sinking ship. n
the meanwhile the vessel went under,
and the aviator later described the
scene below him-of sailors founder
ing in the water and clinging to boats
and life RATS.
He turned back to shore and came
down in an open field in the outskirts
of the village Of Point O Woods. AS
soon as he had telegraphed his news to
the nearby wireless station he left the
village and his identity was not ascer
tanned.
Several residents declared the avia-
tor had told them of sighting a sub
marine on his return trip to land.
The San Diego served for many years
as the flagship of the Pacific fleet She
used in convoy work, although classi-
fled as of no service in fleet manmuvres.
She carried an armored belt fore and
aft extending above and below the
water line. This belt was five inches
thick. The armament consisted Of four
8-lnch guns, fourteen 6-inch guns and
eighteen 3-inch rapid firers. Her cost
is estimated at $5,341 ,754.
Uboats appeared east of Cape Race
a week ago, sank the schooner Manx-
man and unsuccessfully attacked other
vessels. 1t is believed that these sub
marines continue to lurk in American
waters.
The San Diego was southwark bound
from the Portsmouth On. H.) Navy
Yard when she was sunk, running her
course in near the shore. She was
commanded by Captain H. H. Christy
and had a compliment of 81 officers,
l,O3O enlisted men and SO marines. The
vessel formerly was the California, but
was rechristened when the dread
nought of that name was launched.
She was an old type vessel. laid down
IN 1902, and was not equipped with the
newer devices of protection against
submarines. Her speed was twenty-five
knots.