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About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 1918)
THE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE, NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA. 4 EQPLE Boats Revealed by Records of the Navy Department By RALPH D. PAINE. ARK Aiiu'ticim armed merchant ships renlly sinking nny German subtunrlnes? If you care to believe the wutorslde rumors nnd fo'castlo yarns, one of those "VflMlHI IIIUIIIUUVIO in lUllllllUU 111 IHUWll up on every voyage across the Atlantic. In saloons wliero incrcliunt Hcumcn seek haven und pound tho bur with hairy lints strong liquors tnngnlfy the tales, und one concludes that tho kais er's undersea tleet must be wiped out by 'now. Tho navy's records nro less fanciful, strictly 'adhering to tho motto of the man from Missouri. Her Is the account of nn action fought by n cargo steamer which leaves no room for dniilit that ono very busy U-boat was suddenly removed from tho nctlvo list of tho imperial German navy. It Is advisable to omit tho numo of the chief boat swnln'H mato who commanded tho gun crows. He was promoted to warrant rank us a rewurd for jtho feat and Is now stationed ashore, but ho may go to sea again In charge of another lot of gun mors, and if ho should bo taken prisoner tho enemy would not lovo him for what ho did to a missing submarine In his oflklal report ho states: "Weather hazy. Saw a submarlno firing on n topsail schooner, which shortlv nftnr IiIaiv iiii hSR2.i course to bring tho submarine on our starboard beam about G.000 yards distant und lost sight of her in haze. Continued on this course for two- hours und then resumed our original course. At 2:05 p. m. tho submarlno appeared out of the haeo at 2.G00 yards on our starboard beam. Sho Immediately opened flro. Wo changed course to bring her three points on tho starboard quarter and returned tho fire. "Tho engagement lasted 05 minutes, durlnc which time tho. submarine flrcd about 40 shots, scoring ono hit under our port counter a foot from tho water, and cuuslng a leuk. Wo flrcd 2T shots. The twenty-sixth shot was seen to hit hor Just forward of tho forward gun, and a cloud of flame und dark gray smoko burst from tho hatches. The jcrow of tho Bubmarlno left tho gun and ran aft. Almost Instantly tho submarlno sank, bow first, tho stern lifting high out of tho water, so that the propellers could bo seen revolving. Tho steamer was leaking and temporary repairs were mudi by the crow." When tho ship reached her foreign port of des- tlnntlon and reported tho victory an official in quiry was ordered by tho French government. A navnl lieutenant conducted it with great care and confirmed tho verdict of tho American gunners. iTho steamer fought with tho American flag flying, ,ho stilted In his written opinion, firing 27 shots In half an hour. Tho dlstanco increased about 100 meters for each shot. The twenty-sixth shot ex ploded, producing u thick black smoke, which was prlBtblo to all on shipboard. Such an explosion jmust have been produced In tho suhmurlno Itself. 'He mid, In summing up tho evidence : "Tho result of tho inquiry is that the fight has been very welt conducted and that tho men havo shown a very flno spirit, doing honor to tho Amer ican navy, Tho conclusion may bo drawn that tho tflubmnrlno was hit nnd probably sunk." This was first-class shooting, the submarine isteadlly drawing away until whon struck sho was 16,000 yards, nnd more, or three" laud tulles from tho steamer. Binoculars and telescope sights en cabled tho gunners to distinguish her with clear uess and to note the effects of the shell which ndcd her wretched career. It was her command er's Intention to move beyond rango and continue tho uction on tho chanco that ho had tho bigger .guns, but he miscalculated, nnd paid the price, f Tt seemed a cruol slant of fortune that this American steamer, which so brllllnntly bagged a Hubmnrlue, should huvo accidentally burned at seu ,ou her next voyage. There was no time to stivtch hoso or muster the crow. Ablnzo in nn instant, sho was ono vast furnace whllo tho men raced for Iho boats with death at their heols. All hunds got away, including the navy gunners, and their crulso In open boats was mude without severe suffering. It was all In the day's work. Very Hlintlnr to this successful encounter was Oio ndventure of tho steamur Sliver Shell. In this tastnnco ulso the French ministry of marlno added Its opinion that the submarlno had probably been lilt and Hunlc. The chief gunner won promotion nbortly after this statement was Issued by Secre tary Daniels: "William J. Clurk of New York, chief turret cap tain and commander of tho naval gun crew of tho Silver Shell, Is deserving of promotion, which we nro now considering. All tho other members of tho crow, as well, and what they havo done, deserve great credit and distinction. Tho chief turret cap tain is n very capable man. He Is on enlUted man who hns scon nearly 12 yours of servlco in the navy and has won successive promotions by proven capuclty. For Mb work ho deserves tho very best that can be done for him." .... Here was u man fit and ready for his Job, unC ho know how to put his own spirit and experience Into the tram piny of his gunners. An American aavnl officer of high rank detailed on spcclul duty nt a French post conducted an Inquiry and found nicasuro In writing to Washington that "tho man, tor of the Sllyer Shell was particularly enthusiastic over tho splendid work of tho turret captain and the catlra naval tun crow; he also states that his fo ram him. Jlut no- snocic was- icii win:., mw ship passed over, the spot, so in an proonmuiy me submarine wasjlihli lodlycdeep, enough to-psenpo iioincr nit. ' i i,V TheWwji precious Jltye room, tpiarc In this fWK 4 W uifventuro, list UvJifirpassedbftSlnerfor, '0$k :.$? . Vt.rlflnnd,iivernuch-urired,subu . . , S, VffW torpelo n a VlUrfiurr.Car the stenmer's side wtth wholo crew d splayed a most ou.nmcndnlTle spirit .;;utI-WDodln; K- A foment', later '.the submarine during tho bnttlo." .. . J? " ,... 1 .iinini, olm tim ht her' This Is precisely as It should be, bluejacket atd4 f, ,,.' rZt Xf.nJ nfVrWsAallors. and Ktm- scumen standing together.!flghtlng,thuS A ?. ,-'!.t'rV. .ii.-f, .,ifnn.i iiltorod the my ns one Intrepid Amerlcnn crew, aTidthejfc'.. . ... rnSa ..f .iio Thev would and Stripes hoisted at the first shot by order? liAmhft tn rtron flllllif flimiw.i- ninrlf liiwl li.f1iniinf"" merchant one Stars of tho skinner. to report to the navy department in thrj Au ttin ciillifiinrltin tllcitilft rei nn ilufy iinil wria .. mi i !. li lower, which was then about Immediately with what ot the range, a six-Inch amidships about 100 ynrds short our course due west, Increasing marine followed us, keeping I rtmfonhrnnce: Cfrlm.v stokers poked their heads pugn tnoopen porjn rimu hi .v"'i vcr, or fiasMonutely scrambled .for lumps of coal WILL SPEED UP SHIPBUILDING M 4 rp w iiii irtiui u p .. .j?L m4tf 4 m . -I . T) tTnNfto a HIV IWUIUUOi (VJ .' ' ni..lt T... Xt . - . T) trnwrto . - ... . t .T1.. . . cniex oi uiqoureau oiyurus nnu uocks,,-- v has been dSsIgnaTolllbyarrcstdent Wlly sorfl'ta 'Sliced WnRlilrigton W. Cappst chief navnl on&trtictor.itngpresident," of the idinerphcFhjettcornpratlon.OV :, . .Cjlvll Engineer rfarflsAorly-twp.. years; oiu;nnu -vasnppQimctj.ioin. navy tfrom -New YodC'ntcf.Tanuifry. n, 'Oon;f lie Js n thfratbVolVSt6Vc8Jr m ence Hurley, board. suggestion -of Mr. DanlcK;scre-V.. botween. jur. uanioid anu.'iu.jN.,i' Institute. ,vils equIvuIenCrnnk.Jlii.tthe ysA navy ,W'tluit'6f rear ndmrrul. Wiri:3 The appointment " was tninuo;:.at. tho tnryof veen.iur. uunieis uiiu.tj.- ..t't w nli,.lri.Min ' fit inn lilhnlni .....a. ...U.- - .a. . Maa.j.. -aCV . t t W Immediately before the. election of Charles Piez' of Chicago- us vice prcslrV'V, Uon changes were mauo in tho by-laws-vy. the powers nnd duties formerly exer-1 cisod nnd performed by the president were transferred to a general, muhager. " Mr. tlez was elected to that office at the sume tlmo he was elected vlco.prcsl- ;, dent, nnd he will exercise nbsoluto supervision of tho construction of tho steel ships being built by tho fleet corporation. , , TO DIRECT ALL RAILROADS V,! ffiotfel '' ff For hard lighting rindhg dogged courage that " " - wa -rii'iifi v nnri-mp hi iiif men ui inu iwufi iuiih rent nnd Chief retty om cbnimandlng tho aniied short.- We changed Avgrlhtly nBCf ne. ,lq pie m$ sing speed. The snihe ctory;bC jbe Morcnl i UP. lk.t ,1,U "Wcer'Andrfw'CopassakuVcbmr tasicu iron o oc ock until anout i;w p. m. ,ve Jfj m o tl,oSO; which shines, undlmmcd in flrcd 25 shots. Tho submarine fired over Uxgg' cfcn1Genuii salfors cheered hhn and. his men eluding some shrapnel toward the end, whlch.ex- fronfSfiLdeceotn submarine wlien-he finished ploded astern of our ship too high to do uuy tfiim. wlth.hS7bltii flre nndcTirEo of 'casollno nl)6ut "Our last twoshclls seem to havo hit the sub marine in tho forward part. A few seconds later her bow Jumped up, nnd she went downSstern upwnrd nt an angle of about 45 degrees. Thqsub-J marine did not come up again, nnd I believe ItAvusw sunk then nnd thore. No damage wus done to our f. ship, and thero were no casualties." to blow him to klngdbm"cdme.flle was'jiiiiide a war rant officer for, ilevotlon to duty and determination tdflght as long as, sh floated. - A summary ot his report to tho navy depnftnient was ;given 'out short ly ifterltvaB . received. . - , . IrwapJo'n. brutality; there Is the-'report the' loss of tthol,'AiricrIcnn' schooner Chllde Ilarofd.off .the Frenqh.'coast Unodorned.vtho episode1 Is. tljus Tho steamor was still wlthlrrcffectlvc range ofei iB-iK,ivVfij',V.' . . ."V.V ' ho big guns of the submarine, which could have t .daybreak anifobjecfjreported by the mate had no other reason than n sudden attack of acute Ts. ifelleved.to bthc 'square salhi of a Ship hull illness for vanishing in this nbrup manner.lt - ThoJg,nB8c3 Hllowed ,Uo bo tho superstruc seems fairly conclusive that a shell Hlew her vartfMxd ot a submarlno or,plle away, (The OhUde ly out of water, and then sho went lunging and Hl,roId was :unaried.0v,The . submarirte -opened foundering Into the depths. The steamer did not. , mi .th 0 ifihell8.r ppVd.thiough th(, schooners atop to search for traces of tho disaster, but HenVlull ffnd nlla. The mastcr orderedho crew Into s bly continued along on hor course .Tankers a tldrmotrrlnunch vnndlowrcd 'uwhy: ThW was lied with millions of gallons of gasoline dtftaoUft pllllnly vlHlDle to tll0 Buhmaria Whlch had. come linger In tho war zone. iVVfe much nearer.'. She continued o Arc. however, evl- Tho American passenger liners, maintaining tftfJt..i.. ...i.ii. . .,.. their servlco almost as regularly as In'tlmo of ,-, llK T,,v .,,,., nn(, urnw rv n(w;i mitCll OftCll nhnnl lt anhmnrlnn 'nttrl .-n4tVoi1 Hio'tr Vu rtT er than tho same number of cargo boats. They :J ih snl,nr hftro thh .rT,n. ,, hedulo and spend little tlmo fU-17.WTw0 of.tho officers spoko excellent English, 3t that they are fast and well Vfiid'CiSbtalii "Byrno of th schboner 'lnformed them n submarine in a Jlght wlth thatthulflrIuK was totally; unnecessary und 'thut he'lmdilot expected such dttstardlytceatment from nny white men. - 'TJ;iQqonversati6h' developed'' th"fnct that the commander of tho submarine knew the date of sail ing ofthe Chlldo Harold from itn Amerlcan port pence, would naturally run the guntlet much of tell er than tho same number of cargo boats. They sail on nn express schedule nnd spend little time In port. It Is no secret armed, nblo to whip guns. Tlio deadly torpedo Is another niutter.jbut speed has so far been n saving factor. It is what tho gunners on board call "the sporty llfc.' nor can It be recommended to people with nervousys terns as n restful vocation. For example, ono ot uiu.io iiiiura, uunng uie ursi simouins oi war, - lin,i wiis ftii tho tnnknnl- for hpr: . H hn,l nlun mndo only ono perfectly tnmo and routine voyage, celvcd Information of, the departuro of the four During nil ner other trips across thero were Oghtn master Alicia B. Crosby and tho tlivee-hiaster A. V. with submarines or escapes from torpedoes. -Shcnnanii ho snrao, date; all threo. vessels inv, Extracts from tho nnvy department's reports of, nR pnssejl out 'to sen together lie wanted to inese steamers may Do cliosen almost awanuoms know where, the other, schooners were. According as interesting reauing witn a inriii in it. Atlantic voynge, which Is no longer a cgmmon- .fj "Tho". Germans looted the Chllde Harold and pluce, soothing "ocean ferry." r, ; y, "seeing 'cry." hungry. ' They had only cgfTee arid "The lookout in the lower crow's nest; a coxv;V dry?; bread for, breakfast aboard the submarine, swoln of tho naval guard, picked up an oil slick "'After fetching' nil thestorei ItrthoMhiunch, they ahead, which veered oft to port at right angles to;.;; put. tho captnlnunil his crov liirthe; jipnt again. tho ship's course. Following tho slick, which was" ' which'' wns1 stovo and half full, Of-water.- Tho about tho width of n ship, he suddenly saw tho' , schooner was action fire. Her people rwerd res- perlscopo of n submarine appear atvthe end ot)t,' cued by "a steamer, v Captain Byrrie'ls hnxlous to about ono foot out of the water. - Ho Instantly. "'try lCugiiln."; ' ' ' ' . ' sung out, 'rerlscope,' nnd tho next'-moment.-iTor-, .'-'A-robust' American shipmaster, this skipper "of pedo,' for tho submarlno had been exposed scarcely . , thaT.Chl.de Harold, .who told the Cermaus to-their moro than a second when sho fired a torpedo. -The s. Jfaces whtjt h6 'thought oi hem and .was eager to enruiy wu.i inuii iiihiul iivai jiiiiih irtiiiiine 'siupt,-,- njive iiih'I'ht. lung av HI In It. Thesj 'o hi? sditHjulo they should havo Sh6vn up by thin toiiiako5 the stime.fi: ' ;., t , '-.-..r - nnd three-fourths point forward ofttho bcnm,4-: r-r. .. .. ATOM A SMALL. WORLD. US oil l nw u sireiiK, iiicinu.irinii u iiiiiicr vum;i;iuiif; .luncuons 01 Uie vo feet. It dived nnd passed ?;njlnuteelectrlcal-chafgqi, in. tlu chemical.. combl t 80 feet from tho stern. rSoou ",u nation 'ofTntoms. delivered bv- lrof Wllllnm Al. .. .... -1..C.1 i .tf T.f!';. .... ... . mo 8uumnnne wo picKuu 4 nerv.iMieq. oi; iiie.vnivcrsuy or Illinois, oeioro t two points oft thejfttnr. 'iho National' academy at Washington, lio saldf that rlne had apparentlyVben ?.for"n .''century thu.'atoui was. the ultlmn thule of ' Control of the nation's railroads to. bring about uniform operation for - tho wnr has been assumed by tho gov ernment, with Secretary McAdoo, still retaining his cabinet post, in chargo na director, general of railroads. ThlB decision, tho government's solution for4 tile difficulties of the pres ent, transportation .situation, was an nounced In a proclamation by Presi dent Wilson, effective at noon Friday, December 28, rind tnking over every railroad engaged In' general- transpor tation in continental United States, with its appurtenances, Including stcnmshlp lines, All lines will bo op erated ati a single system under Direc tor McAdoo. . In a stalementr issued with the formal proclamation President "Wilson declared he . would ask. congress as coon ns it reassembled. for legislation' guaranteeing: .. "First, that the, railroad proper- tles will be maintained, during tho period of federal control in ns good repair nnd as complete equipment as when taken, over by tho government; nnd, flec- pnd, that the roads, shall recelvo a net operating Income equal in' each case to the average net Income of. tile threo years preceding Juno 80, 1017." Government backing also will be given new issues of railroad securities eo that n market 'will be rendllyJIouud. Railroad officials will retain direct, management of the roads and the rail road; wnr board, composed of five railroad heads, will continue, rictunl opera-' tlon, under Director McAdOo's supervision. RIGHT MAN IN BIG POSITION If It should fall to tho lot of Brig. Gen. Trn A. Hnynes, in command of tho flpld artillery of the National nnny at Camp Jackson, S. C, fo be com pelled to perform duties other than those of u military charncter it. fs . probablp he will bo found equal .to the taskrfor this, expert rfl'tilleryman was onco in..co"hmand at Fortress Monroe,rf Vn.t and the army thinks that aiiybody who successfully, has commanded at; this post can meet any duty require ments that cither civil or military life Is likely to Impose. , Other officers thnn Ira A. Haynes baye been commandants nt.tho bl(j,' post at tho mouth of Chesapeako bay, l and It is probable that tho rest, llko him, cab qualify for n mayoralty job, a railroad or u steamship director's' job, or that of arbiter of tho "elogan- ' cles".at any Kiiraraer or winter resort In tho "United States. The commanding officer nt Fortress Monroo la, the. .principal of the, big artillery school which-Is attended tcon etantly by some 800 officers of the service. JJo tenches,' he command8 thQ artillery regiment, ho is port master, ho Is the general supervisor ;of opera tions of the street railroad which trespasses on government property and ho Is tho regulator of tho conduct of residents and of strangers at tho post. It Is related that at Fortress Monroe not long ago a board of officers presided . over by the post commander gavo final Judgment ns to Just what" kind of dances tho young people should bo allowed to Indulge In, RANKS HIGH IN GERMANY "Tho torpedo was running straight; but nppar-;'.'j, ;v;.'AN ently having troublo In maintaining Its depth,. for - . , . when about 200 yards oft I saw a streak, thCn,at(.(i'4e'!.lFi n f paper conecjrnlng tjie. functions of the a depth of anout nv under tho ship about after heading awny from up an abandoned lifeboat board bow. Tho submarine lying near tho life boat, nnd on seeing us approach ,;, smnllnesSv for. scientists. Now they know that had headed off to nssumo a position for attack on-. .each" a.toin. Is .a; complex system similar to our our port side, probably expecting us to pick upthe." sun audits planets, that Iff, with n central body lifeboat and thus miss seeing nun. rortunateiyj- ,anirirom,,one. to a nuntiren smaller nouies revolv however, tho oil slick was sighted flrst. hig,f around1 It. The,' differences between hydro- "Tho old hands among tho gunners pnlti no nt- . gen. oxygen,;iron,;go..d, radium, etc., aro all In tho tcutlon to tho torpedo, which was coming light, ejectrlcaj 'charge of'tho central nucleus and in the for them, but mndo every effort to get tho guns onfe number, und arrangement of thee little satellites tho target, which was the submarine's perlNCopo."of''thelr;utoinH. ' What might bo called a close shave befell atwth- ' : v-' t - er steamer on tho return voyage. ' UNACCOMMODATINQ WELL8. "There were several other ships in the vicinity,' ' ' 1.'- "",' runs tho report, "Including two tankers nnd irde- In thi'-desert of:jwcsteyn Australia there are itroycr and two or threo tramps. Suddenly a peri- wells which; yield water only" nt '.jxIrM. , ' Before scope was sighted a quarter of a mllo away, show- thtyvateiheglna,t'''flov';' velrd hissing nnd tho wa er. Tho sutunar no secmeil to uo just omiiig M nome ui) nnd had nrobably mlsJudEedthe speed of tho wform steanier, having seen her some tlmo earlier. Be fore a torpedo could be fired or tho guns manned, tho steamer was right on top of tho submarine, which submerged. Tho chief officer threw tho helm hard over and went straight for him, hoping non iSfiiieiioycu jo iicrnuo io a.cnnnce in tho of UjtrrpckychanneOthrpugh which"3 tlutAva? Stond.to thottreniechangeAlnitteiupera- 'snn.Uils ter flows, turc netweeniuny utKi'uignt wnicn'occm region. Tho hissing Is due to tho escape of alrbe fore tho ndvanctwof thowate". PopularSclenco Monthly. a w -A Ono of tho most Important wheels In tho German -war machine Is Au gust Thysscn,- In antebellum days' a coal and steel magnate of tho first rank, but now, In view of tho indus trialization of war, general field mar shal of tho Industrial army. and col laborator and confidant of Hlndenburg. He la small and frail, but powerful as un Industrial leader. Notwithstanding the tremendous scope of his work, he clings stubbornly to old-fnshioncd methods where ho himself Is concerned. Ho will not tolerato a stenogra pher for his personnl use, but writes all his letters by hand. Ills correspond ence Is large, much larger than he can attend to, along with hla other duties at his office. So ho takes what Is left over home with hlra to his only luxury, his castle homo, nenr ICottwIg, and nf ter dinner finishes It JC It take-? until the wco small hours of tho morning, Despite.. his enormous Wealth, ho has never personally owned an nutomoblie, nor will ho rldo in ono to Bnva ins, own time, uo goes una comes irom ws tiome to his office on foot or in a . .1 i. -. i .... i Btrcct car.. Hoivwears n modest, dark-colored business suit Instead of tho. -formal , "morning sult'Vso generally affected in Germany, and" looks less lUco-n'l vj jmaitimniionairo iunn uo nveraco cieric.- - l-fg roih thevtrybutlibt! otihls -climb ;frpm comparative poverrv ;.tol irreatXff.. riches, and.rabovo all.' to vcryrcrentrcnown ha 'nnTanflnafrioi!..!.,.. iZJi'i i. r Thynsen has st'eadffiHtly refused tiUoa.of all kinds'. a
