The New York herald., 1921-06-22

nOfna came second tnen lhe NeNdt1i,
with the Henderson, the Pennsylvania.
the Delaware, the Florida and the North
Dakota close behind. They glistened
spick and span--this strong arm OF
American defence-as they ploughed
along with the sea. which was almost as
placid as q mill stream. They blinked
signals back and forth and now and
then seaman up by the bridge sema-
phored with red and yellow and blue
flags; the big guns hung ominously out
of the turrets into quiet, peaceful at
mosphere. The battleships made grace
full turns, now and then, drawing up,
finally when they arrived at the scene
of the tests.
BattIeships in Formation.
The battleships got into formation on
q line about 1000 yards from the U-1l1.
while the Henderson took more for-
ward position, approximately 5000
yards from the submarine. On every
side at stated positions were destroyers
TO serve as guide posts for the aircraft
assigned to participate in the tests.
The aircraft in the tests was entirely
that of the navy, operating from the
navy air station at Hampton Roads.
The arrangements provided for the use
of eight divisions-seven from the navy
proper and one from the Marine Corps.
There were to be three divisions OF
F-5-L flying boat type of aircraft, each
division to consist of three ships; one
division of Martin bombers. consisting of
four airpianes, one division of the NC
type of navy flying boat capable or
carrying fifty men in the crew. and
division of five airplanes of the D-H-4
type, from the Marine Corps.
II these divisions failed to sink the
submarine a radio call was to be sent
to Langley Field, about eighty miles
away, so that Brig.-Gen. william
Mitchell. assistant chief of the army air
service, might fly over with the army
bombing forces and finish the job.
AS it was, however. only two of the
divisions put in an appearance and only
one did any bombing. This was in charge
of Lieut. Deles Thomas. the bombcrs
being Lieuts. Keene. Rummill and Gar
vey. The fourth division came up over
the horizon, but left soon after when II
was learned that the submarine hau
been sunk by the first group of fliers.
The bombing started at 1924. after
much manouvring in the air. Several
airplanes were operating independently
and three army dirigibles were flying
about. In one seaplane on observation
duty was Capt. Moffett, chief OF the
air service of the navy.
These airplanes and dirigibles put IN
an appearance soon after the Henderson,
with the battleships. came to stop.
Two army dirgibles, the O-4 and the
D-4, containing Government motion PIC
ture operators and some observers, came
close to the water and once or twice as
they passed over the ships 1t seemed
that they might be caught in the masts.
There was much shouting back ana
forth.
1t was just turning 10 o'clock when
the first division of bombing seaplanes
was sighted. The machines drove on
line toward the submarine, guided by
signals from the two dirigibles on each
side of the. target.
TIE faint roar of the motors, each
equipped with two Liberties. was dis
tinguishable as they came within dis
tance to prepare to drop the bombs.
They flew straight over the target.
Out from below shot one bomb, a
second and a third. THE NEW YORK
HERALD correspondent with the others
aboard the Henderson could follow them
as they dropped. They looked much
like wooden pegs sharp at the end, head
ed for the submarine.
Since the bombs did not hit the tar
get directly there were three distinct
marine.
Even aboard the Henderson, approx
nately a mile and a half away, the
detonation could be heard. 1t shook the
ship slightly, too, which later caused
considerable comment among both navy
officers and observers. 1t merely was
evidence OF the force of the explosive
that was ascd in the bombs, which, as
bombs go in the army and the navy.
were light affairs. They weighed only
16s pounds inside the casing. The
amount of INT in each was III pounds.
second snIvo Dropped.
The submarine settled in the after
part and then swung around 1t was
evident that some damage had been
done. The water was still running high
in the vicinity when two observation
airplanes flow over, to perhaps 800 feet
from the surface. to give their occupants
a good look at what had happened.
Meantime the bombing division had
circled to the right and was coming
around again. It was sctly 10 :32
o'clock when the group dropped the sec
ond salvo, this time, to the surprise OF
everybody, all the bombs they had left.
a total of nine There Is equipment on
each seaplane to carry four bombs.
These nine bombs chased one another
down to the submarine. The official
observers said they figured it took eight
seconds for the bombs TO drop from the
1.1OO foot altitude. Each bomb was
adjusted to detonate on contract or
beneath the water.
AS the nine bombs hit there was a
series of muffled roars, perceptible
vibration and mighty connnotion in
+ba vicinity of the submarine The
water shot up perhaps hundred feet,
this time mingling with heavy black
smoke.
There was no question that the sub
marine was sinking. There was q
great raclxing to and fro and in an
uproar in the water were swells as
much as ten or twelve fec in height.
Within four minutes the bow of the
submarine had submerged. Fifteen sec
onds later the coming tower was under
water. Then the submarine disappeared
1t required fifteen minutes and forty
FIVE seconds to sink the submarine from
the time the first bomb was fired. That