| Show A Y DIE AS CRUISER SAN DIEGO SINKS R e e.- e. L P z C 1 J U U U D J J U J v 72 I SA t LORS ARE REPORTED DEAD W WASHINGTON HINGTON A July 20 The The loss of life in the sinking off orf Fire Firc Island N N. Y Z yesterday of the United States armored cruiser S San n Diego and the cause of the ships ship's destruction still were undetermined ne tonight at tb the navy y department Announcement was made that 1183 men from the ship had been heen lan landed e Unofficial reports said there were 1255 men aboard and if they are correct the loss of life would not exceed 72 The names of three of those missing were announced to today ay Rear Admiral Palmer acting secretary of the navy tonight made public detailed account of the destruction and rescue but it added adde nothing to previous reports from Capt II 11 H H. Chr Christy st and other survivors as to the cause of the sinking I Edict Belief that the San Diego DIege w was s a victim victim vic vic- IcI I tim Um of ot a mine grew anion among amonS' naval of- of officials of ot- s after aCter tho the commander of ot the American patrol patrol boats hoats operating off oct fire tire Island reported his craft picked up several 1 mines of oC foreign design Among the survivors opinion seemed to be equally equall divided as to whether a submarine or a a. mine was responsible for the loss of or the cruiser Many Ian held heldI that an enemy torpedo struck the warship war war- war war- warship I ship ship shin while as ns man many subscribed to the theory that the vessel hit a mine No reference to the cause of oC the explosion which wa was heard aboard the cruiser was contained In tho the account of ot the sinking made public tonight ht b by Admiral Admiral Admiral Ad Ad- miral Palmer The statement follows Water uter Stop Stops Engines Fuller particulars received regarding regarding regard regard- ing InS the sinking of ot the U U. S. S S S. S San Diego show the explosion took place on th the port sl side 1 Just aft aCt of ot the forward port engine room bulkhead The feed foed tank and circulating pump were blown in In a d ai d tho the port port engine wre wrecked ke 1 Full Fun speed ahead was was' and the starboard starboard star star- board engine operated until It was ed b by water tho engine ln room who was at the throttle In the port engine room rom das was as blown four tour feet under the en engine lne room desk He lie got Jot up cl closed se 1 the throttle on the engine which h had hadI already ahead stopped rind rin 1 then escaped ed up UI I the engine room ladder Lieutenant Millen on watch In the starboard engine en engine en- en gine room closed the tile water tight door I t to the en engine lne room and e gave the necessary necessary sary Instructions to the tho fire room to protect the boilers Cruiser r Turns Turn Turtle The ship listed to port heavily so tho the water ent entered ed the nun gun un ports on the gun decks The vessel listed eight de degrees degrees degrees de- de grees quickly then hung for tor seven minutes then gradually listed the speed Increasing un U 11 thirty five degrees degrees de de- de- de I grees was readied reached At this time the I port quarter deck was three feet teet under under under un un- der water Then the ship rapidly turned turtle ana ano sank Captain Christy went from the bridge down two ladders to the boat deck slid down a line to the armored belt then dropped down clown four feet teet to tho the bilge le keel l. l and thence to the dock keel which ai att that time was W eight feet above e water From there he I Jumped Into the water The ship was about five lve minutes in turning over after she reached thirty five degrees keel No wake of oC a a. torpedo was eras as seen The first thi c Captain Christy noticed noticed no no- was wan while standing on the thc wheel wheelhouse wheelhouse house eight eight feet above e the forward bridge ge ho he felt an and 1 heard a dull sion Ho lie Imme Immediately sounded subi submarine submarine sub sub- i marine defense quarters as the general alarm Everything E went quietly and according according ac ac- ac- ac cording to drill schedule The captain rang full speed ahead and sent officers officers oft oft- cers to Investigate the damage dam Atthe At Atthe Atthe the time lime he thought th the ship would not sink Two motor sailors were or- or derd rigged mil gut but not to be bo lowered until further orders Cretin Guns At the submarine defense call the themen themen themen men went quietly to their station and manned the guns They stood b by the port guns uns until they were awash and h by the starboard guns until the list of oC the ship pointed them up Into up-Into into nto tho the air When It seemed obvious that the vessel would capsize the order was given gl to abandon ship except the port portside portside portside side gun un crew which were to remain at their station as 8 long as the guns would be r Boats were ordered lowered and two sail chats one dinghy one wherry and two punts were launched The Tho life rafts were launched and 0 1 the lumber pile on deck was loosened and antl set a adrift Fifty mess tables and a hun hundred kapok were thrown overboard Abandon bandon ship I was complete before the c vessel bc began an to capsize Perfect order was preserved the men cheering When hen on the rafts the they sang The Tho Star span Star spangled le 1 Banner and My I Country Country Coun Coun- try of ot Thee cheered for tor the captain cap cap- tam tain the executive officer and the ship and cheered when the Un United ted States ensign was hoisted on tho the sail sailboat boat Survivors Up Two dinghies with six officers and tw one men pulled to shore and arrived safely at p p. p m. m The steamer Malden Maiden cam came Into sight and picked up officers officer rH and men The steamer Bossom reached the scene twenty minutes minutes minutes min min- utes later latel and picked up officers and men Tho The steamship S. S P. P Jones came UI up and took tool ab aboard ard 78 men These Th se three thre steamers searched the en entire entire entire en- en tire vicinity for tor survivors until 3 p p. p m. m A fourth steamer came up later lator but so ISO far fal as known did pot not pick up any sur surI survivors I ors The three steamers took the survivors to New ew York where the they were taken on board a United States Continued on Page 2 2 I t i 72 12 SAilORS SAID TO HAVE BEEN BEEM DROWNED ContinUed from Crom Page Pago 1 J 1 ship on which eVer every provision pro had been I made for or their reception The They were given food and anni clothing American I fled Bed Cross representatives were cre on hand when tine the men arrived and distributed dis 1200 blankets comfort l kits sweaters sox pajamas and watch caps calls Arm Army embarkation officers assisted In every overy way In transferring the thc men from the lie steamer Daniels Thinks Mine I Sank Ship Norfolk Va July 20 Secretary S Secretary Daniels said here loday he lie be believed be- be a n mine and not a torpedo was waa responsible for or the sinking 0 of tIne the cruiser San Die Diego o. o He added that the f sinking of or the vessel aside from the I loss of oC life Is II of or no significance from froma a a military standpoint The Tine presence of ot German submarines on ann this side of oC the Atlantic said Mr Daniels Is more or Ic less Jess s of a menace or of course but the they will vill not avail In stopping our transports going overseas with soldiers and more moro soldiers as aR fast a us as we can send acrid them Notwithstanding the great precautions we have ha taken to lo protect our transports supply ships I arid and men I stilt still consider It marvelous that we have hae succeeded In getting more than hiatt a million troops over oer the seas without the loss of oC a life or a ship It II Is la true that we wc have lost about men during return voyages of oC transports and that Is deeply regrettable regrettable regret regret- table but we wc have still ben been b en marvelously marvelous- marvelous ly fortunate lver Every time a transport fleet and Its Us can o convoys s 's leave leac our shores knowing that It must mut run ruin the gauntlet of the U-boat U menace in iii tho the war zone zOlle I 1 am fearful for its safet safety Survivor Says lie FTc Sa Saw Periscope Nest ew lIa Haven en Conn Jul July 20 George O. George II it Garner G of this city a a. gun Jun pointer on the tine United States Siales cruiser San Diego when she was sunk slink off ore Fire Island yesterday yes yes- cs declared on his arrival home tonight that he was cas positive the vessel yes ves ad sel was wn hit b by a torpedo and also that after the San Dle Diego o had hail dropped depth bombs he saw w an oJ oily smear on Iho tho walerI water waler I am confident ho said th that t tho the boat was hit by a torpedo If ii It ha had been an nn Internal explosion we wc would have heard It distinctly As Ag It was all nil we heard was n a dull thud I am nm positive positive tive tire that I saw a periscope and after alter the boat had dropped depth bombs an anoil oil oily smear on the thc water waler Garner said he was four tour hours InI in inthe inthe I the water waler 1 17 7 U Were A Aboard board Cruiser Two Salt Lake bo boys s 's Dr Bryant ant Layer anti and James Jimes Gushing Cushing members of ot the I crew of the Ill fated ship San Diego are safely landed according to messages Inca mes mes-I mes sages a es received b by their parents last I night Bryant Layer Laver 21 1 years of ot age enlisted In Mammoth April 7 i one year ear arc ago enlisted with his friend Percy on the tho same sanne date Pal- Pal hot bol wino who who also nl also o was a member of oC the San Diego crew was on a 0 furlough when the tIne ship was wa sunk won athletic fame when ho played end for tor tho the West Side lUSh High football team two tto years cars ago Seventeen Salt Lake and anti Utah bonare bon boyr arc are believed to have inac been aboard the tine U. U S S. S S. San Diego when she was sunk off oft Fire Island near New ew York City The fine seventeen a majority of ot whom were Welo from Mammoth Utah enlisted i S bore rere In a both bod following the entrance I I of tho tine United States into the war and I all i. i wore were a assigned to the tho San Diego DIogo I Gerald Cowan brother of Miss Marv Mandl Cowan and n Mrs Irs J. J W. W Smith of Sa Salt Salt- Lake was waa among the number Ac According lag cording to a telegram received yesterday yester yester- ester lay day b by Mrs Smith he lie was among tb rescued f of oC John Johnf F F. F Homer F. F Harper son Harper formerly formed of or the Salt Lake Hardware company who enlisted set eral years ago In the tho navy Is al also believed to lo have hn been on oct tho the San Diego when she was torpedoed or mined I T |
