Evening journal., 1918-08-20
ATLANTIC CABLE
CUT BY U-BOAT
Officer of German Sub
marine Seen Here by Sur
vivor of Sunken Schooner
TWO WITNESSES
SUBMIT PROOF

WASHINGTON. Aug. 20.-Oflcers and
crews OF German submarines operating
off the American coast are believed
to be coming ashore and visiting New
York and other cities.
1t was learned here yesterday there
is strong ground for this belief, and
that naval authorities hold IL to be
entirely possible. The strongest evil
dence Of the reported fact has been
given by the captain and first officer
OF vessel which was sunk by a sub
marine In the recent operations
The captain and FIRST officer were
taken aboard the submarine and there
saw a number Of the officers and men
OF the U-boat crew.
A day or two later the two Amerl-
cans were in a saloon in New York
and the first officer saw a man whom
he believed 10 be an officer OF the sub
marine that had sunk his ship. This
sailor was quite positive OF the re-
cognitlon. The German officer caught
his eye and acted In a way that in
dicated he also was aware Of the re-
cogntion. The American turned to his
companion to call attention TO the
Germans presence, but when both
again looked around the German had
disappeared No trace was found Of
him.
This fact was learned in connection
with developments In the submarine
operations on the Atlantic coast, which,
u was stated. were cOpducted by three
U-boats. Only one Of the three sub
marines is believed TO be operating
now, nothing having been heard from
two OF them for several days. OF the
three U-boats one was a cable cutter,
and Il has been successful In cutting
two southern cables, one OF them being
the French cable TO the West Indies. |
When discovered an American cable |
boat accompanied by an escort, sue
ceeded within a short time In locating
the breaks and repaired the cables.
Some officials are inclined 10 believe
that attacks on Americas cable com
municati0n with Europe may be eX-
pected from the submarines, and steps
have been taken 10 repair, within the
shortest possible time. any damage OF
this nature.
An unofficial estimate, obtained, cred
tied Germany with now having In oper-
alton approximately 100 submarines, al
though the total may be as high as $50.
illt cidAfNltnN VI iAAbeh pRNA 90 htAHN AtN
IJ-boats have been sunk by the Allies {
comedies with information in Washing
ton. hut the point was made that num- [
ber represents only the slnkings Of
which there cannot he any doubt what
ever. There are in addition about nifty
svery probable" sinkings, which were
not included in the British premier's
calculation. Naval officers here were
inclined to accept as fairly accurate
the estimate Of 250 made by naval
authority writing in the London Sunday
Observer.
Although the growing belief in naval
circles OF the possibility that officers
Of U-boats operating In American
waters have been able 10 visit coas
cities has gained its greatest strength
from the statement OF the first ofllce
Of one Of the recent victims, II was
recalled today that In the previous
raids off the Atlantic coast crews Of
lost vessels, taken aboard the sub
marines, made similar statements. In
one instance the submarine commander
was reported to have been reading
New York papers only two or three
DAYS old, and made no effort 10 conceal
them. In another case, 10 was reported, |
an officer OF a submarine had displayed
seat check ends OF tickets TO a Broad
way theatre bearing date Of few nights
previous.
There Is reason 20 believe that the
German officers may be in communica-
tion with spies and other agents OF
their government In American cities.
Equipped with addresses Of trusted
agents in the coast cities, Il would be
possible for them TO obtain informa-
tion on the movement OF ships. 10
would be possible also for them to OBJ