Evening star., 1918-03-28

(Correspondence Of The Evening Star
and Chicago Daily NevSs.)
WITH THE AMERICAN FLEET IN
FRENCH WATERS, February 1o-Full
stories have been published Of the
torpedoing Of the Antilles, the Finland,
the Rochester. the Alcedo and other
American patrol ships and merchant
vessels in which American gun crews
and sailors lost their lives. No one,
however. has told the tale OF the
Rehoboth, the first American auxiliary
warship to be lost In European waters.
Only. the bafe fact that the Rehoboth
foundered has been mentioned.
The Rehoboth was Capt Bills hshS
ing steamer, With which he used to
seine for porgfes off the American
Atlantic coast Modified with his
ship, Capt. Bill sailed her across the
Atlantic, leaving Boston SO loaded
with supplies that the Rehoboth had
a bare .foot pf freeboard at the waist.
Ensign ICY" Barnes: former execu-
how the American ship found its watery
grave.
Escort for Convoy.
"We were escorting the convoy
said Ensign Barnes. when a strong
norther caught US off a. certain island.
Charts name 1T. The tide running
against the wind made short sea.
which kept US continually awash. Al
every plunge. the ship seemed 70
Of the guns and their ffenntihgs. we
pounded away all night When morn-
ing broke the waves seemed to be run
ming higher. The wind was hovling
like at enfaged beast
both started to make water Her seams
were opening.
Capt Bin had been up all night. iike
nearly all Of ue- Things looked rather
black. He decided that there was ne
chance of saving his vessel. since we
were helpless on a lee shore. So Capt
Bill gave the order to abandon ship
Just then a British trawler appeared or
top of a big wave.
with the last few pounds Of steam
that remained in the boilers, Capt Bill
turned his ship SO that we ran with the
waves. In this position we were able
to launch the boats, but not without
difficulty.
Captain Wants to Save Ship.
'fwhen Capt Bill saw the trawlet
hope returned to him. He thought he
might yet save his ship. So he returned
to the Rehoboth and alone tried to get
waves were too high and the ship was
too waterlogged. Capt. Bill jumped
back into the small boat when a wave
brought it near the rail
'sThe transfer to the trawler was as
difficult as the departure from the Re
hoboth. The British tars received US
kindly and made us as comfortable as
possible. though theirs was a very
small vessel and they did not have too
much for themselves.
.Thefe was an Interesting discussion
between the skipper Of the trawler and
Capt Bill regarding the fate OF the Re
hobeth.
She is a derelict,' said the Briisher
and II you don't sink her l will have
to- Those are: my orders
EGO Ahead and sink her, then said
Capt. Bill.
American Sinks Own Ship.
s"rhe British gun crew opened Are or
the unfortunate Rehoboth, but so lively
did she bob around in the choppy seas
that the projectiles fell too short or toe
long. Finally an American gunpointel
took Z shot at his own ship. It was {
wild scene. the British trawler jumping
so that her own sailors would exclaim
Roll. you bloody rascal. Whsn are 70,
going to turn over?
"The fire reached the magazine, whicl
exploded. in a final fitting salute to th'
sinking of the Rehoboth. Some naine
also exploded and caused the trawle
to tremble. A few minutes later tn,
Rehoboth sank"
When the work Of the American feet
Is summed up it will be found that tn,
fishing steamers, the converted yachts
and the destroyers of the first con
tingent filled breach which, untitled
might have had a serious effect upol
the -Outc0me of the war