Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-12
SPEED OF LEVIATHAN
Fooled KAISER'S PLAN
Big Transport Flowed Right
Ahead When Periscopes
Appeared
U.BOATS LAY IN WAITING

An NtInnttr pOr!, June IL.
American bluejackets. who watched
the recent reported attack upon the
Leviathan. formerly the Naterland. de-
clare 1t was the ships great speed that
went a long way in making it possible
for escape from the carefully planned
C-boat assault.
The Germans have learned from bit
ter experience that they cannot hope
to match their U-boats against the
great speed at which the Leviathan is
being driven across the ocean by her
American officers and crew. They tried
that, the ~bluejackets said, and failed
badly when they attacked her several
months ago some miles out of Liverpool,
and the American destroyer Tanning
accounted for one venturesome subma-
rine that undertook the job.
This time, however. the submarine did
no chasing. Apparently their officers
knew precisely when and where to ex-
pect the Leviathan, and they remained
submerged only IA few miles off the
entrance to the French port toward
which was pounding the big ship that
once was the greatest pride of the Ger
man sea lords. The Leviathan, how
ever, had been picked up far at sea by
a large convoy of d~estroyers. and she
was perhaps the most heavily guarded
troop ship of all that have gone into
that port.
Many U-Boats in Waiting
The Leviathan, the bluejackets cx-
planned, had passed the location of the
submarines. and the conveying destroy
ers which were astern of her were just
passing the same spot when a series of
periscopes appeared above the surface
of the water. They were sighted imme-
diately. Opinions vary regarding how
many U-boats were i'm the flotilla. Some
| of the officers estimated that there must
have been twenty.
Sailors who peered over the Leviath-
ans rail cut that estimate one-half. The
man who told this story said there were
no more than six.
The periscopes were sighted almost as
soon as they appeared above the water,
Instantly the engines of the Leviathan
were set awhirl again and she plunged
forward, with her convoy holding solidly
on all sides. AS the Leviathan raced, so
did the d~estroyers, and officers said they
believed this action more than anything
else helped to prevent the ship from
] being hit, because they are certain the
submarines were so deployed as to rave
made certain the launching of a torpedo
through the opening that would have
been made had any one of the destroy.
ers withdrawn to chase a submarine.
Got Three of Them
Instead of breaking the protective cor.
don the runners let &C with a rain OF
shots that spattered on every side OF
the periscope, One of the blueJackets
j declared that he heard an officer usins
I glasses report that one of the L~eviathan's
shots had carried one of the periscope.
clear away. The submarine so damaged
the bluejacket asserted, was Just risint
to the surface and she was almost awasf
when the same officer reported that
second shell from the Leviathan hit hel
and she disappeared.
The short distance into port was mad
quickly, the only torpedo known t.
have been launched having gone harm
I~lessly astern. When the Leviathan go
into port the d~estroyers turned and racet
again to sea. In less than two hour'
the bluejackets reported some OF then
came back, towing two disabled subma
rines. -.