The sun., 1918-07-20
Navy Departments Statement.

Navy Departments Statement.
The only information which the Nav,
had at hand until Capt Christy make.
his report was contained in the following
statement issued last night:
The Navy Department has received
reports from the Third Naval distric
that the L. S. S. San Diego was SUM
ten miles southeast Of Fire Island ligh
at II 80 o'clock this morning. One Of
ficer and two boat crews were landed
at Life Saving Station No. SO at Poin
o Woods. Long Island. Other survivors
are in boats and four steamers are
standing by.
so far as can be ascertained there
appears to have been no loss Of life
The cause OF the sinking has not vel
been determined
tank steamship arrived at Quaran.
tine late last night and reported that
she lad 800 men on board. presumably
survivors from the San Diego. They
will not be landed until this morning.
The officers and men OF the varsity
were fortunate in that the weather was
fine and no sea running when II cir SHY
went down under them. Fishermen
from Fire Island who visited the scene
of the wreck after every man visible
after the sinking had been picked UT
reported that II ere had bene no wind
worth mentioning all morning. and that
the sea was almost as smooth as an in.
land pond
Aviator Goes for Help.
For the aid which was rushed to then
ESQ promptly after the accident to theii
vessel the survivors may thank an avia'
tor from The naval air station at Bay
Shore. L. I.
Since the submarine raid on this coas,
late last May the navy has never re-
Taxed its lookout for more underses
boats. and the station at Bay Shore
has supplied the necessary patrol In the
air off that par. Of the Long Island
shore.
An airman, nameless In the des.
patches, was flying yesterday within
a mile Of the San Diego when he saw
her list sharply and knew instantly tina,
she was in difficulty.
Helpless himself 20 do anything fol
her. he turned his machine shoreward
and flew to Point o Woods. where he
landed and took possession of the loca
telegraph station. Calling the United
States wireless station on Fire Island
ne explained the situation and within a
few seconds vessels everywhere withir
o S signal with a statement OF the
San DieGo's position
Some one set going a rumor that thG
aviator had reported more than a thou.
sand men struggling in the sea. and
scores of fishing and pleasure craft were
got ready by their owners and started
for the scene Of the sinking.
But well before any of the small craft
arrived where the san Diego had beer
seven large ships had reached the scene
and had begun picking up survivors, AL
in sight were taken aboard Immediately
and then the rescuing ships began steam
ing in circles for boats which had start
ed for shore or for men swimming in
life jackets.
Among the first ships to come up had
been two merchant cargo vessels. tive
tankers and a naval submarine chaser.
There are only a very few telegraph
and telephone wires laid from the main
land to Fire Island. and because these
were taken over at once by the Coasi
Guard and the officers at the wireless
station for official business no word OF
the accident to the warship reached the
Long Island main shore for hours. Later
when word had spread among the sum
mer resorts that the San Diego had
been sunk. every hotel porch and bath
ing beach appeared to fill with persons
who either alleged that they had per
sonally seen the vessel go down with
all on board or who remembered a
series of explosions which had rocked
their neighborhoods during the morning
and which must have been the Sar
Diego's magazine and boilers going up.
Bathers Saw Boats Leaving.
Many Of these people had seen every
boat available set out from the Bay Shore
aviation training station hours before
Others had been bathing at Fire Island
and Water Island and had seen the
coast guards there run their boats into
the surf and start eastward But SC
Injured has the Long Island summer
visitor become to the expression and
impediments OF war that no special sig
nifcance was attached TO the departure
OF the Government boats until after
everybody knew that the San Diego was
resting on the floor OF the sea.
As soon as the San Diego was re-
ported over official wires to have met
with an accident host OF airplanes lief,
Bayshore, Mineola, Rockaway Point and
Sayvile. They were despatch ed not be-
cause they could be Of any assistance to
the vessel, but SO that II the ships boats
should become scattered by any sudden
change IN the weather tney cOuld mai
cate the presence of the boats by signals
Also they would ascertain quickly II a
U-boat were anywhere about.
At TIE same time that the aircraft
went on their quest naval craft of all
sorts were sent from all stations be-
tween this port and thirty miles east OF
where the San Diego went down. They
ranged in size all the way from full
powered vessels to hand propelled surf
boats manned by the Coast Guard.
AS in all disasters which have over
taken ships of the American navy, dis
cipline never faltered, The men who
came ashore at Point O. Woods chanted
THE Star Spanged Banner" as they
scrambled up the beach. and had the
ships flag, which they had saved, bent
to a piece OF driftwood set in the eyes
of their boat. One Of the men had the
left side OF his face clesnly shaved
while the other side showed a days
stubble. He was at his ablutions when
the ship was struck.
he officers, uncommunicative on
every other score. were outspoken In
their praise OF their men, and told how
lust before the ship went down two OF
her guns were let loose at a ripple on
the sea, which was imagined to bs