The Washington herald., 1918-07-22
GERMAN U-BOATS
SINK CRAFT OFF
CHATHAM, CAPE COD
CONTINUED FROM PAGE oNn.

the hope that suficient American
naval forces will be withdrawn
from more vital regions and thus
expose these to other U-boats.
Upon the last visit of enemy sub
marines to American waters
though It was never determined
whether there was more than one
boat operating-American captives
were told by the German comman-
der. I'VE will return in force in
July" And it was Secretary Ian
sing who made public an extract
from a German newspaper shortly
after the initial raid. which declar-
ed ''the new campaign in July,
would be accompanied by. such
frightful incidents as to freeze the
marrow in the bones of President
Wilson
Makes Navy Angry.
1t is the sheer devilishness of the
enemy in the Cape Cod attack that
has gotten under the skin of navy
officials. Fragmentary reports por-
tray this situation:
A tug. unarmed. was towing three
barges, the latter. of course. unarmed
The pigmy caravan was only a short
distance from shore-possibly not
more than two miles.
The first knowledge of the undersea
boat was the first shell fired Then
on 1t rained shells at the unprotected
vessels. The coast guard station .No.
40, at Orleans, Mass, received word
Of the attack.
BY this time. however. the tug and
its lighters were in flames. Small
craft went to the rescue. though, and
the survivors saw hope, but q short
time after the tiny craft were in
flames when a giant seaplane scared
over the waters. The U-boat had
sensed danger and submerged, but the
seaplane dropped depth bombs In the
vicinity where it had carried on its
destruction.
Tug Crew Saved.
The oficial report of the Navy
Department, issued last night by
Rear Admiral Palmer, acting Sec
retary, is as follows:
The Navy Department this after
noon received a dispatch stating that
the tug and barges shelled by a sub
marine OF the Massachusetts coast
were sunk. All the crew Of the tug
were rescued, one man being injured
by shell fire. The men were taken
to Coast Guard Station No. 40 at
Orleans. Mass"
The first report of the U-boat was
received yesterday morning while 1t
was shelling its victims. and incidently
giving America a touch of Scar
borough" frightfulness.
The appearance Of the submersible
practically confirms the belief that
the San Diego was sunk by aiU-
hna af-U hat har hxyN
ship Is unknown. The Navy DEPART
ment is without knowledge that
would indicate whether the San Diego
was sent down by a torpedo or a
mine planted by an enemy submarine.
Urge U. s. Buy Canals.
The exposure OF coastwise shipping
out OF Boston and New York to sub
marine attack has renewed the agita-
tion that the government take over
and perfect the entire system Of in
Uacostal waterways from Boston to
Beaufort
Tremendous pressure is to be put
on Congress during the coming weeks
to effect such action. Gen. william
NJ. Black. chief of engineers, in a
report made public today. recon-
mends that the entire system of in
AoiN 1e44oAo OC pldCcu Dy TkdllTOduI
Administration under the direction of
an administrator who shall operate
them as the railroads are now oper-
ated.
The destruction of the II, I,401-ton
cruiser San Diego of Fire Island
Friday, by either a mine or a SUBJ
marine. would have been avoided had
the inner canals been perfected by
the government, friends Of this move
ment point out.
The entire value of the shipping
destroyed by the U-boat raiders last
spring is greater than the cost of the
Cape Cod Canal and the cost of deep
ening and widening it according to
the navy recommendations to make
1t available to sea-going ships and
warships.
Public Hearings.
The Army Board of Engineers for
Rivers and HarbOrs will hold a pub
lie hearing on Tuesday and We'd
nesday of this week to consider
the value of these canals to the
military defense of the country,
Their naval defense value will also
be considered at this time. The
board is acting under instruction
in the rivers and harbors bill sign
ed by President Wilson Friday, and
will report to the Secretaries of
War. Navy and Commerce.
The hearing will be directed par
ticularly towards government ac-
QUESTION of the Cape Cod Canal,
all the other links in the chain now
being at one stage or another of
government ownership or operation.
II built the Neuse River Canal, in
North Carolina, opening the inland
route from Beaufort to Norfolk,
through the Pamlico and Albemarle
sounds and the Chesapeake and AL
bemarle Canal. 1t bought the C,
& A. Canal and Is now broadening
and deepening it. 1t has started
proceedings to acquire and improve
the Chesapeake and Delaware Ca
nal, and has recently taken over
the Delaware and Raritan Canal
under the Railroad Administration.
Money has been appropriated to
deepen Hellgate. This provides the
inland passageway from Beaufort
to New York.
Cape Cod Canal Not In.
The only link from New York to
Boston. the Cape Cod Canal, is alone
out Of government control, and n is
the key to the commerce and defense
OF Boston. which aside from Atlantic
City is the most exposed on our east
coast to attack by a foreign fleet,
Had this been taken over and put
In shape for ocean commerce the j.
boat attacks Of last spring would
have been impossible and the San
Diego would have been afioat today,
the Engineering Board will be told.
Its deepening and widening have been