The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1918-07-26
U. S. CRUISER
SAN DIEGO SUNK
Many in Engine Room May Have
Lost Lives.
CAUSED BY TORPEDO OR NINE
Thirty-five officers And Men Put
Ashore At Point o'Woods, N. W.
Uncertain Whether Torpedo Or
Mine Sent Cruiser Down.

Point O'Woods, N.-Y.-Survivors OF
the United States cruiser San Diego,
sunk 10 miles off Fire Island, declared
that many members of the engine
room crew must have been killed by
the explosion which wrecked the war
ship. They were uncertain whether
the vessel was sunk by torpedo from
a submarine or by mine. The cruiser
remained afioat So minutes after she
was struck.
The torpedo or mine struck the
ship just aft of amidship, blowing up
the boilers. One of the sailors de-
clared the guns of the cruiser were
fred at what appeared to be perls'
cope. The survivors who landed here
numbered IS, including officers. The
captain and first officer of the San
Diego were the last to leave the sink
ing cruiser.
Heavy explosions heard here were
believed to indicate that some of the
patrol boats which dashed to the aid
of the cruiser had met German sub
marine and were giving battle.
Several barrels of crude oil, one OF
them badly charred, foated ashore
near here, and this was believed to
indicate the possibility that tank
steamship also had been sunk.
Washington.-Th Navy Department
received information that two steam
ships which are proceeding to an un-
named port have aboard 1,156 officers
and men of the United States cruiser
San Diego. These are in addition to
the one officer and 80 men previously
reported landed.
The men are said to be in good con-
dition and, So far as known, none was
injured.
Announcement that the cruiser had
been sunk indicated that German sub
marines may again be operating in
American waters.
The vessel itself was not regarded
as a serious military loss. If she was
victim of enemy submarines, how
ever, it is obvious that the U-boats
are in the transport lanes and close to
the entrance of New York harbor, for
the San Diego went down 10 miles
southeast of Fire Island.
Until the statement of survivors
definitely establish that the vessel was
sunk by torpedo there will be pos.
Ci hot CHI ctr dryp do
Tense mine or was sent down by &C.
cidental internal explosion or other
wise.
The statement issued by the depart
ment was based on first reports. 1t
follows:
1.-THE Navy Department has received
reports from the Third Naval District
stating that the U. S. S. San Diego
was sunk 10 miles southeast of Fire
Island Light. One officer and two
boats crews were landed at Life Saw.
ing Station No. 81, on Long Island.
Other survivors are in boats and four
steamers are standing by.
$50 far as can be ascertained there
T..
The cause of sinking has not yet been
determined. The San Diego was an
armored cruiser of 1850 tons dis
placement and carried a complement
of lila officers and men"
The Navy Department would add
nothing to this statement, and officers
professed to have no information as to
the cause of the loss or the number of
survivors. 1t was apparent. however,
that officials were prepared to hear
that some lives were lost despite the
optimistic tone of the initial dis
patches
The return of the underseas raiders
was not to be unexpected, since the
sinkings of May and June had shown
that the German Admiralty was cap
able of carrying submarine warfare to
the very doors of America The San
Diego was the first major warship to
be lost since the country entered the
war. None but commercial coastwise
ships fell prey to the submersibles on
the first raid, and in the war zone
none but destroyers, transports and
small patrol boats has been attacked
Despite reports of attacks on other
ships and that warnings had been sent
to oastwise shipping to keep close to
the coasts, naval officials steadfastly
maintained they had no information
on which to believe that the sub.
marines had come again.