Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 June 1918 — SUBS SINK NINE U. S. BOATS [ARTICLE]

SUBS SINK NINE U. S. BOATS

Off Coast of New Jersey, But Most Were Small Craft. Nine American vessels have been sunk off the north Atlantic coast by submarines since May 25. The largest to fall prey to the raiders, which are seeking to prevent the sailing of transports with troops for the battlefields of France, was the New York and Porto Rico liner Carolina of B,ooti tons, which was attacked Sunday night about 125 miles southeast of Sandy Hook. The fate of her 220 passengers and crew of 130, who took to the boats . when shells began to fall about the vessel, was unknown late yesterday, but there was hope they had been picked up by some passing ship or would reach shore safely in the small craft. Not a life was lost in the sinking of the other according to late reports. Navy officials see a frantic admission from Berlin that the submarine has failed. American armed power is rolling overseas in ever increasing force, despite the utmost exertions of the undersea pirates off the coasts of Europe. Now . the raiders have crossed the seas and lurked for days near America’s greatest ports. They no doubt were sent to sink transports, but here again they failed. Blocked off the troop Ships by convoy craft, they have turned in fury against defenseless coasters. In all the record of destruction they have written, the raiding party has struck at no vessel bound overseas and therefore armed for a fight. Only ships that conld not hit back have been .attacked. The only one of half a score of vessels probably sent to the bottom that had any real military value in ship or cargo was an oil tanker.