THE ATTACK ON TRANSPORTS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14354, 20 July 1917, Page 3

THE ATTACK ON TRANSPORTS.

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) ■ (Received July 20, 8M a^m.) WASHINGTON, July 19. Seriatqr Lewis asserted that' the Government had definite information that Germany' learned of the departure of the transports to Europe; because a. message was picked; -up by Mexican "wireless and relayed to Germany. The Paris correspondent of the New York Times sent a thrilling narrative of the encounters the American transports had with U-boats. The first attack by U-boats was so swiftly made that everything was over bef ore ' anyone, save the -crews and officers of the warships, were aware of peril. Phosphorus on the water enabled the look-out on a b"ig< warship to discern the foaming wake of a submersible's periscope. At the same moment an alarm was given. The U-boat launched a torpedo m the direction of a big transport m which a thousand soldiers were sleeping. The correspondent interviewed a participant m the action, who said: "Hell broke loose. On our ship— a big warship-r-the helm jammed when we were firing eyery available gun. We swung m a wide circle from the line, and a smaller ship took our place. I believe one of her shells . landed directly above the submersible. The latter show-, ed only a. periscope. The U-boat fired' either three or four torpedoes, towards, the fleet of transports. By the mercy of God alone all missed. One ; ' passed near our stem. If the helmVhad not providentially been jammed, it might, have got us. The helm jamming caused our -ship to drive directly towards' the TJ-boatTThe submersible, disappeared; possibly hit, or possibly it fled, s fearing it would - be rammed. A young Yankee calmly timed; the battle, which lasted about a minute and a-half. A second attack was made next morning. Every ,soul had been thrilled by the news of the • night -encounter. The decks of all the Warships, and transports were . crowded, the' l weather being Ano and the sea calm, when at 10.30 a.m. a wild yell from the leading transport announced a line of bubbles. The periscope was invisible. Again fortune favored us. The U-boat being directly ahead, the commander ordered the gunners to fire where he judged the submersible was hidden. A column of smoke and foam shot 100 feet upwards. Soldiers on the nearest transport clearly distinguished pieces of wood and steel, also dark blue fragments, which a moment previous had been living Germans. It was impossible there was any mistake. All the' transports steamed through floating oil and wreckage."