New-York tribune., 1918-07-21

All Omcsfs Accounted For
Ameng 1909 Survivors
Landed
Cause of Disaster
Remains a Mystery
Captain Christy Believes
U-Boat, Not Mine,
Sank Cruiser

The death toll OF tne OHlSeO St0CeS
cruiser San Diego, which was sent to
IN. bottom of the Atlantic by tor
nedo or mine ten miles southeast of
Fire Island Friday morning, may reach
iorty-eight This estimate was based
upon 8 rollcall of the survivors on the
United States transport piers i'll Ho-
boken yesterday, who were brought
there late Friday night by three mer-
chant vessels, who picked the men up
after they had been in the water for
more than three hours.
All officers have been saved. The
vessel carried a complement of ap-
proximately 1887 men. The steamship
Bussum brought in 710, the P. F. Jones
u and the Maiden $50. These, with
re thirty-one men who were taken
ashore at Point O Woods Friday af
ternoon. makes total Of 1909 men ac-
counted for. Not one was the worse
for the three-hour sojourn in the
water
The remainder Of the ships compile
m.nt forty-eight, chiefly firemen, who
wsre within fatal range of the ex-
plosion or who were exposed to escap-
ips steam, is unaccounted for. 1t is
believed that these men were killed in
s.antly when the San Diego was ripped
along her keel from her stern to to the
midship section.
Three Known Killed
According to advices received last
night from the Navy Department, it is
known that three men were killed by
the explosion. The names sent from
Washington are:
James T. Rochet, of engineroom
force k'ue Lake, Cal.
Frszie" 0. Thomas, machinist's mate.
Charleston, W. Va.
Thomas E. Davis, of engineroom
force, 2lS Twelfth Street, N. W., Can
ton, Ohio.
1t was explained by the naval au
thorities that it would be impossible
for some time definitely to give the
casualties, as the only muster roll in
existence is in the navy yard at Ports
mouth, N. H. The ships muster roll
went down with her fifteen minutes
after she was hit, and until copy Of
the ships complement, sent yesterday
from Portsmouth. reaches Washington,
1t will be impossible to make an accu-
rate list Of the missing.
No Submarine Sighted
Although no torpedo or the wake of
torpedo was observed strong be-
i'sf prevails in Washington that the
San Diego was sent to the bottom by
a torpedo.
no submarine was seen, and the
'hree merchantmen which went to the
rescue Of the sailormen in the water
were not molested by a submarine at
TACK. Moreover. three British steam
sn'ps steamed by a few miles to the
sousaward of the vicinity OF the sink
ing few hours later and were not
attacked by a U-boat. One Of these
saak submarine a year ago, and Ger
a'sn U-boats, it is said, have been seek
'"g to sink her for many months.
lnis, and the fact that several mines
were picked by government boats off
.ae Fire Island coast after the San
p'eeo was sunk, would tend to eliminate
we theory of destruction by an enemy
TORPEDO.
'aptain Christy Believes in Torpedo
captain Christy, commander of the
pan pan Diego. in his report to Washington
~so~ever, expressed the belief that his
sSs SSssel was torpedoed, and his view is
in NJ su py naval experts in this city and
". ~ Washington. 1t was even suggested
tSa ISa' one torpedo could not have sunk
ths. s cruiser within fifteen minutes, as
ME n".ee were recently required to sub
VIE ge the Cunarder Carpathia last
'1eA on the Irish coast.
90 sosptain Christy and the supporters
" wn,,H me torpedo theory declare that it
n .u LII haye been impossible for q mine
on rt the San Diego. 001''eO
k,o."s hs cruiser was steaming at fifteen
,,"o's = at the time of the accident. and
po', nine had been in her path she
s,sa asaia nave been ripped up forward in
,,sad nv "a OF aft. The explosion took place
vi WI the port side, just aft of the for
fs.S port engine room bulkhead. The
oa bIoa' tank and circulating pump were
sio"n 'I in and the port engine demol-
ilaed. There was nothing to indicate
~ the explosion had occurred with
80 ana such theory is secuted by the