AN AMAZING BATTLE

Evening Post, Volume XCIV, Issue 60, 8 September 1917, Page 7

AN AMAZING BATTLE

1 MERCHANTMEN AND U-BOATS | THREE SUBMARINES DESTROYED Ifoe of the steamers sunk I .■'..■ V- '(It TBLHWAPH.—UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION—OOMRIQHT.)' * (AUSTRALIAN-NEW ZEALAND CABLE ASSOCIATION.) 3 NEW YORK, 7th September. „' The New York Tribune reports that four merchant ships and three U-boats > were sunk in a battle between twenty-two merchantmen and seven U-boats, ■* (Received September 8, 11 a.m.) '■'. NEW YORK, 7th September. C The Tribune cays that four of the merchantmen which participated in the i battle with the submarines have arrived at an Atlantic port. * The officers state that a fleet of twenty-two Allied merchantmen sailed for t American ports, and were attacked. The weather was clear, and suddenly two I periscopes were sighted, one on each side of the fleet. '• The U-boats immediately launched torpedoes, and one struck the merchant ~ flagship, which sunk within an hour. Another hit the stern of the second >■ . 'merchantman, and she sank in half an hour. i The other merchantman opened fire, and quickly sank both the submarines. ■ : whereupon five other submarines emerged and launched torpedoes, quickly submerging again as the merchantmen fired at them. %, The officers say that one of these U-boats was positively sunk. Two addi- ■' tional merchantmen were struck and sunk. ■'! Wireless calls brought destroyers to the scene, and the merchantmen ;were :. convoyed back to port. Later they, sailed for America singly.