Omaha daily bee., 1918-07-06

'OdTQ.
The men missing are:
Ernest c. Anderson, fireman, Lynn,
Mass.
Joseph P. Bowden, seaman. Noun
tain Lake, N. ].
Ambrose c. Ford, fireman, Somer-
vile, Mass.
William Henry Lynch, jr, fireman,
Manchester, N. H.,
Albert S. Payne, seaman, West
New Brighten, Staten Island, N. Y.
Lloyd II. Silvernail, seaman, Bain-
bridge, N. Y.
No Submarine Sighted.
In announcing tonight the sinking
OF the Covington, formerly the Ham
burg-American liner Cincinnati, the
Navy department said that the SUBJ
marine which sent torpedo crash
ing into the ships side Just forward
OF the engine room at 9.l7 o'clock ii
night, was not sighted.
Vice Admiral Sims message did
not go into details, but officers believe
the submarine was on the, surface re~.
charging its batteries when the con-
voy came along and that II sub
merged Immediately after discharg-
ing the torpedo without attempting
further attack.
The theory that the submarine
made off in haste is borne out BY the
fact that the crew was transferred tol
a destroyer without incident. Some
surprise was occasioned BY the fact
that the submarine did not return
and undertake to finish the sinking.
First Sunkin Convoy.
The Covington was the first
American transport TO. be sunk wliiIe 4
in convoy, the former Hamburg
American liner President Lincoln and
the former Morgan liner Antilles, the
only other American transports sunk,
having been destroyed when return.
ing home without the protection Of
war craft.
Few details were given in the
Navy departments announcement
and there was no explanation OF Ad-
miral Sims report that none Of those
from the. Covington who were landed
at French port was seriously in
jured." Apparently some of them
were hurt. probably in being. trans
fcrred to the destroyer in choppy
sea, but evidently Admiral Sims did
not give the number.
Official Statement.
The torpedo struck just forward
of the engine room bulkhead, said
the Navy departments announce
ment, "and the engine room and fire
room were rapidly flooded. With its
motive power gone, the vessel was
helpless and facing the. possibility nf
the torpedoing of another ship in the
convoy, the Covington was tempo
rarily abandoned. This was done IN
excellent order and the officers and
crew were taken on board destroyer.
The submarine was not seen.
AT daybreak the captain, seven Of
hcers and a number Of members Of
the crew returned to supervise sal
vaging operations. Another vessel
and two tugs took the Covington in ]
tow in the effort to get her to port,
but she was too badly damaged to
keep ahoat and sank.
Vessels have been searching for
the missing men and the Navy de-
partment awaited the report of the
names of those missing, which was
not received until today, before an-
nouncing the sinking Of the vessel.
The Covington was 60S feet long,
of 1859 gross tonnage and had q
speed of 151a knots an hour.
Circumstances surrounding the !
sinking of the Covington evidently
were similar to those when the Brit
ish liner Tuscania was sent down of !!
the north coast of Ireland, while
carrying some 200 American troops
to England. The vessel was with a
feet Of ships conveyed by destroyers
and was attacked early in the night,
the subamine either having lain in
wait or else stumbled upon the con-
voy accidentally.