Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1920-03-08
Huns Offered Great
Reward For Sinking
Of Giant Leuiathan

A reward Of 100000 marks was of.
fered TO the German submarine com.
mander who succeeded in sinking the
United States army transport Levia-
than. giant Of the seas, by the Imper-
ial German government, according
to Commander ]. H. Blackburn, u
s. N, who Monday noon addressed
the business men at their luncheon
in the Commercial club. Commander
Blackburn was in command OF navi-
cation of the huge transport during
the war.
How American Ingenuity frustrated
Teutonic cunning when a plan was
shaped BY the enemy to sink the Le-
yiathan was told in detail by Com
marder Blackburn. When all was
ready for the departure of the Levia-
than from Hoboken with 500 soldiers
aboard, voice from Berlin was in
1ercepted on the ships wireless tele-
phone. It said:
Zach. chas. Dot Is the Faderlund"
From this meager conversation,
conducted between Germans in New
York, through Mexico and Spain,
enough was deducted to warn the
commandant of the ship, that its
course was changed from due east
across the Atlantic, north through the
Arctic sea. BY this route submarines
that had been detailed to the task
OF sinking the monster transport
with its cargo Of human souls was
evaded. Commander Blackburn said.
Only three Hun submarines were
encountered by the Leviathan in its
numerous trips across the sea, he
said. The transport was able to keep
ahead Of the torpedoes aimed at its
hull by reason Of the ships great
speed.
Great credit Is due Admiral Sims
chief Of the Atlantic fleet, for the
safe transport of the million or more
soldiers across the ocean, Command
er Blackburn declared The many pre-
cautions ordered taken aboard ships,
from the extingushing of all lights
at night, to the prevention Of throw
ing any flotsam overheard, are the
result of instructions from the adj
miral, and are attributed to have
saved, scores OF times, destroYers and
transports plying between the United
States and Europe, Commander
Blackburn told the business men.
Former Hun Ship
The I.avlafhan peiar ~ ite aa,,.
ure by the United States, was the
German ship Fatherland. 1t is the
greatest ship afloat, and it took
months Of arduous labor on the part
OF the brainiest men In Europe to
construct 1t. the naval officer said.
So elaborate was the ship when
in German hands, Mr.. Blackburn
said, that passage on the vessel in
what was known as the Kaiser's
Suite cost $4,000 exclusive of ticket
and meals. In this suite there were
six fireplnces and three bathrooms.
The Leviathan is 964 feet long, 100
feet beam, draws AZ feet when load
ed and dlsplaces $4,000 tons. Its
maximum speed is "a knots. In its
hull there are 46 boilers and two IT,
tanic shafts comprising the most
powerful engines and machinery
afloat.
When, In November 1917, tho Le-
viathan made Its maiden voyage af-
ter being renovated and made to ac-
commodate soldiers, 1t ran its nose
into the mud in Guantanimo bay,
where, Commander Blackburn de-
clared. four OF the fleets largest bat
tleships could enter abreast.
Damage Is Found
When the Germans turned the ves-
sci over to the Yankees much dam
age had been done to tubing thru
out the vessel. Its operation might
have been impossible only for the for
tunate failure of the German first en-
gineer to leave small note book in
his cabin, bearing diagrams of all
defective pipes, which, when followed.
enabled the Americans to locate the
trouble and to make repairs.
When the Levlathan was changed to
accommodate troops sufficient food
was nlaced In the storerooms. to feed
$4,000 people for five months, Com
mander Blackburn said. The ballroom
was changed into hospital with 110
beds in It. and the stage became an
operating room.
Many Soldiers Carried.
The Leyiathan carried on an average
OF ii,S5S soldiers to Europe on each
trip. During the war 1t carried a to-
tal OF $4,000 men across. The feeding
of these men aboard ship was gigan-
tie problem that was so thoroughly
solved, Commander Blackburn said,
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