The Washington herald., 1918-08-22
TRAWLER WITH
HUN GUNS GETS
BANKS BOATS
Triumph, Manned from u
Boat, Raids Coast Of
Nova Scotia.
KNOWN 3 ARE SUNK
Navy Already Has Vessels
in Pursuit of the
Pirate.

\ Canadian Atlantic Port, Aug.
el.-The steam trawler Triumph.
fitted with two guns and wireless
and manned by sixteen Germans
rom the U-boat which captured
her Yesterday, is raidinG the Ash
Ing banks OF Nova Scotia. Crews
of the schoOners sunk by the III
unph have arrived here.
Vessels known to have been
sunk by the converted raider are
the Una p. Saunders, OF Lunen-
,urg; the A Piatt Andrew. OF
Gloucester. Mass: and the Fran
ns ]. O'Hara of Boston.
Capt. Wallace Bruce, master OF
the A. Piatt Andrew, said on his
arrival here that his vessel was
held up by the Triumph yesterday
-fternoon and that he and his crew
gere given ten minutes to leave
he ship. The Germans then sank
1er with bombs.
others Probably sunk.
The raider then bore down upon
he Una z. Saunders and the Francis
]. OHara and sank them likewise.
The dories carrying the crews OF
the three vessels reached here at
10 A. NJ. today. The fishermen say
that while making for this port
they heard firing and believed other
fishing vessels were. sunk by the
raider.
Capt. Myrrhe. master of the Tri-
umph. said he was told by the cap
tain of the submarine which cap
tu-ed his vessel that his was
only one OF six U-boats operating on
this coast.
We intend to destroy the fishing
deets," the German commander said
20 Capt. Myrrhe.
Navy Is Busy.
The new German scheme OF con-
verting captured small craft into
commerce raiders, reported to the
department yesterday in the case Of
the trawler Triumph. is being
promptly met by a counteroffensive
of the navy and will soon disap-
pear as q menace.
Admiral Benson, acting secretary
pf the navy. gave out the following
late:
The Navy Department is inform
ed that the master of the steam
trawIer Triumph, who was landed
with his crew at Canso, Nova Scotia,
stated that the Triumph was cap
tured by an enemy submarine 60
miles south by west Of Cranberry Is
land about noon yesterday; and that
two guns were mounted on the
Triumph, presumably for use of the
trawIer as a raider among the fish
ing feet
The navy is taking steps to pro-
tect fishing vessels and to prevent
any further damage by the alleged
raider"
Keep Details Secret.
The Navy Department is particular
" anxious that as the issue between
he converted trawleT scheme and the
,ubmarine hunters of the navy is TO
be settled very soon. none of the
,lans of the Department be published.
officials commented severely yester-
day on the publication yesterday
morning and yesterday afternoon of
what purported to be the plans Of the
navy to block the German game.
It may be said however that the
system of capture and conversion of
little ships by the Germans into war
ships cannot last long and that there
fore comparatively little damage can
be done to the fishing fleet and small
.essels plying close to shore,
One of the princial difficulties con-
fronting the German plan Is that
while the enemy may put rifles and
possibly machine guns on board the
little prize ships. it is impossible for
him to put OH guns that will be of
any effect against craft of valuable
tonnage within less than three to four
days.
This effort of the Germans to null
tipIy their force over here suggests
to officials that the admiralty has
abandoned the idea Of making any
great hauls and has given instruc-
lions to pursue the fishing feet and
the coastvise trade. The Navy De-
psrtmsnt was impressed with that
idea several days ago and had or
Tered adequate protection to the
hshing areas
1t was shown yesterday that the
navy gets almost Immediately any
L o. s. calls and sends orders i'm
nediately to go to the rescue. One
ME proper commander at sea noti-
led.