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ton. 8UMTER WATCHMAN, Established April, 1850. "Be J>oM and Fear not?Set all the end* Tbou Alma't at be thy Country'*. Thy Ootr? mmA Xr?tl?'?." Oonflolidated Aur. 3,1881. SUMTER, S. C, SATURDAY, APRIL 28. 1917. THE) TRI E SOUTHRON, Establtohed Jua% I Vol. XLIV. No. 21 WO SINKS SUBMARINE. ?TOOT Orx FIRED BY AMERICAN HI WAR FINDS ITS MARK. U-Boat Goes Down When Hit by Shot ?Vom the Mongolia, Armed Mer? chant Ship?Cape Rico Tolle of Ex? pect to Associated Press at London. London, April 25.?Capt. Rice of the American steamship Mongolia which has arrived st a British port, tOld ths Associated Press today tbat the Mongol ta had rtred the first gun of ths war for ths United States and sunk a German submaiins. The periscope was sighted dead ahead on the last afternoon of the voyage. Ths captain gave ths order for full speed ahsad with tha inten? tion of ramming the submarine. Ths perincope disappeared and a few minutes later reappeared on the ship ? broadslds. The gunners fired, hitting the periscope squarely and throwing up a mountain of water. Even more pertinent a fact, as re? gards the i Ulmets fate of the sub marine, wa.' that ths shsll disap? peared Immediately after* ths hit was made. The csptaln stated that a Shell always ricochets In the water and can be seen again unless It finds the mark. Oil also was seen on the water after ths submarine disap? peared. The Mongolia was g >ing at full Speed end wss a long distance away when tha spray and foam subsided, Pat from the bridge ths officers ob? served the spot through their glasse s and they ar? confident the subma? rine was sunk. Capt Rice outlined the incident With modesty but could not quite con? ceal the pride he felt In the achieve meat of his ship. He paid a high tribute to the gunners and especially the manner In which they were led by the officer who directed the ?ring of the telling sbot. "*ot five days and night." said Oapt. Rice, "I hadn't had my oiothes eg? asm at kept a big force of look dnt* en duty all the tlms. It was I:It o'clock In the afternon of the Itth that we sighted the submarine. The officer commanding the gunners wee with me on the bridge where In fact we had been the most of the time throughout the voyage. There was c base on the sea at the time. We had Just taken a sounding for we were getting near shallow water and wo were looking st the lead when the first mate cried: " There's a submarine off the port bow!' "Ths submarine was close to ua, too close In fact for her purposes and she was submerging again In order to manoeuvre Into a better position for torpedoing us when we sighted her. We saw the periscope go down and ths swirl of the water. I quickly or? dered a man st the wheel to put It to starboard, and we sung the nose of the ship toward the spot whero the submarine had been seen. "We were going full speed alvad and two minutes nfter we ilrst sighted t'ns u-boat It emerged again about 1,000 yards off. Its Intention prob? ably had been to catch us broads'de on. but when It appeared ,we had the stern gun trained full on It. ?The lieutenant gave the command and the big gun boomed. We saw the periscope shnttered and the shell and the submarine disappeared. "I can't speak too highly of the cool manner In which the lleutemnt handled his crew of gunners. It v as a fins exhibition of the efficiency of American naval men. The lieutenant knew before the shell struck tho sub? marine that Its aim was accunte. There Is no guesswork about it, but a cass of pure mathematics. Taking the speed st which the Mongolia was traveling st the time and the speed which tho submarine undouMe ||y would make and computing these fig aeso with the distances we were from the submarine when it wns first sight-1 ed and when it appeared tho second time, it can bo shown that the lieu tenant bnd his gun sighted to the Inch And it must be rOseomhored Jj^hat ths whole affair took only two minutes. WL "I assure you we did not stop to reoiinolter nftor , the incident Ml! Stemmed away at full speed, for *t wss not Improbable that thero wns aaother submarine about. The one I got undoubtedly had hi?en lying on the hot Hem at this spot waiting for tr tali end enme up wM n it heard propeller*. I immediately st-nt :l Wireless me<MMge st ring that n s - mar Ins had been seen. "That's about all the story, except? ing this: The (runner* hnd umnod tho guns on board the Mongolia and one which got the submsrlne wss railed Theodore Roosevelt), so Teddy fired BIG WEEK FOB SUBMARINES. FORTY VESSELS OF OVR 1,600 TONS SENT DOWN. Fifteen Mercliant Craft Under 1,6(M) Tons and Nine- Fishing Boats De? stroyed. London, April 25.?The weekly statement of vessels sunk as made public this evening shows that 40 ves? sels of over 1,600 tons each were sent to the bottom by mines or subma? rines. ?'Weekly shipping returns: Arrivals 2,r>86. sailings 2,261. "Sinkings! by mine or submarine over 1,600 tons, 40, including two sunk in the weel. ending April 15; usder 1,600 tons, 1G. Including ono sunk in the week ending April t. "Vessels unsuccessfully attacked 27, including one attacked the week ending April 8. "Fishing vessels sun nine, in? cluding one sunt: the week ending April 16." The report shows the greatest num? ber of merchant, vessels reported sunk by mine or submarine in both categories?1,600 tons and over and under 1,600 tons by the British gov? ernment since it has issued its weekly statement of shipping lost. The previous reports were as fol? io v/s: / Over Under Date. 1,600 tons. 1,600 tons. February 28 ....16 6 I March 7.14 9 1 March 21.16 8 March 28.18 7 April 4?.18 13 April 11.17 2 April 18 .... ..19 9 The report also shows that more versels were successful in evading at? tack, the figures being 27 as aga'.nst 19, the previous high figures during any week. The arrivals and depar? tures of steamers from British ports average fairly well with those of the preceding weeks. PEASANTS SEIZING LAND. Revolutionary Spirit Spreading in Ru? ral Sections of Russia. London, April 21.?Petrograd dis? patches report that the revolutionary spirit is manifesting itself in the ru-1 ral districts of Rus sia, bringing the long standing Agrarian troubles to a bead. Despite the efforts of the food committees which are seeking to show the peasants that the land question [cannot be settled, pending an election (of u constittient assembly, the peat ants, especially in Sarutov and Tain ', bov, are forcibly taking land from us owners. the first gun of the war aftor all. Capt. Rice recalled that he came from Allston, Mass., and that the encounter with .he submarine oc? curred on the date when the Bay State was celebrating the anniversary of the battle of Lexington. A RIG SHIP. Mongolia Ono of Largest Under American Flag. New York, April 25.-#-The Ameri? can steamer Mongolia, a vessel of 13,638 tons, owned by the Interna? tional Mercantile Marino company, left an American port for England on April 7 on her second trip since Ger? many's submarine declaration of Feb? ruary 1. The Mongolia carried a crew of i Cnlted States navy gunners In ohargC of a lieutenant. She Is one of the largest vessels under the American flag. The Mongolia was built nt Cam don, N. J. In 1904 for the Pacific Mall Steamship company and for I nuin I her of years was engaged in the Cali? fornia-Oriental trade. She was pur? chased by the International Moreen* 'tile Marine In 1915. The Korea and the Siberia were resold to a Japanese lino and the Mongolia and Mnm hu I riR, brought to the Atlantic, entered' the service of tho Atlintio Transport line, a subsidiary of the International Mercantile Marine, and have been carrying freight only. April 19, the day on w hich the Mnn- \ golia fired the first shot of the war. is the anniversary of the battle of i L*?\ington, when the first shot was , fired in the American Revolution. MAKES HO STATEMENT. Americn Policy to Sny Nothing of Sinking. Wnshlngton, April :'S?The polity of the government Is to make no an? nouncement or comment upon the' destruction of a German submarine by the steamer Mongolia, at this time. ALLIES TRUST AMERICA. Entente Powers Do Not Expect The United States to Enter Entangling Alliances. Balfour Says That No Effort Will Be Made to Prevent Amer? ica Making Separate Peace, as Allies Realize That light They Are Making is One For Democracy and Destruction of Prussian Militarism. ? Washington, April 26.?Complete, understanding of America's attitude in the war?unreserved cooperation in the light for democracy against the German military menace without en? tangling- political alliances?wasj ex? pressed by Foreign Minister Ballour. head of the British war commission, in a statement today to new.spc.pcr correspondents. "I am told," said Mr. Balfour, "that there are some doubting critics who seem to think that the object of the i missions of Great Britain and Franco I is to inveigle the United States out of its traditional policy and to entangle it in a formal alliance, secret or pub? lic, with European powers. I can not imagine any rumor with less founda? tion, nor can I Imagine any polity so i utterly unnecessary. Our confidence In the assistance which we are going to get from this community Is not based upon such considerations as those which arise out of formal treaties." i The foreign minister's statement was officially said to have been made I as a result of his conferences during ; the past few days with President MTil i son and Secretary Lansing: it (was j generally regarded as disposing flnal ; ly of suggestions in some quarters that the United States might bo poked I to sign a treaty not to make a Sepa? rate peace. \ This was an eventful day the, British commissioners, marked by a hearty welcome to France's illustrious war commission and the delivery to Ambassador Spring-Bice of America's first loan to the allies, $200,000,000. Mr. Bulfour lunched today with the Italian ambassador, spent part of j the afternoon at the treasury depart ; ment with Secretary McAdoo and was ! entertained at dinner at the British ! embassy where a reception attended j by the diplomatic corps and high American officials followed, j The foreign minister received the newspaper men during the day at the ( residence where he is entertained as j the guest of the nation. When the newspaper correspond | ents had been presented Mr. Balfour said: j "Gentlemen: I am very much j obliged to you for coming here today and giving me the opportunity of ex? pressing to you personally, and through you to the great American public, how very deeply wc, who be? long to this mission sent from Britain, value the kindness, the enthusiasm, the warmth of welcome which we have received in this capital city of the United States. All our hearts are gratified and touched personally. We are even more deeply touched by It as being the outward and visible manifestation of sympathetic emo? tion in carrying out and responding to a great call, which is the real security for our sii?cess. "No man who had has the oppor? tunity which I have enjoyed in the lust few days of weeing, hearing and talking to leading members of your state can for one moment doubt the ? full determination of the American ' people to throw themselves into the greatest conflict which has ever been I waged in this world. "I do not suppose that it is possible for you?I am sure it would not be possible for me were I In your shoes? to realize In detail, in concrete de , tail, all that that war means to those 1 who have been engaged In it for now two years and a half. That is a feel? ing which comes and can only come by actual experience. We on the other side of the Atlantic have bean living in an atmosphere of war since August. 1914, and you can not move about the streets, you can not go about your daily business, even if your affairs be disassociated with the war itself, without having evidences of the wiir brought to your notice every moment. "I arrived here on Sunday after? noon and went out in the evening Mi? ter dark, and I was struck by a somo? what unusual feeling which at the first moment 1 did not analyse, and j suddenly It came upon me that this! was the first time for two years inwl ! a half or more In which I hud sef n I a properly lighted street. There is not a street in London, there is not a street in any city of the United King? dom, in which after dark the whole community is not wrapped in a gloom exceeding that which must have ex? isted before the Invention of gas or electric lighting. "But that is a small matter and I j only mention it because It happened I to strike me as one of my earliest experiences in this city. "Of course, the more tragic side of war is never and can not ever be ab? sent from our minds. I saw with re? gret thiB morning In the newspaper that the son of Mr. Bonar Law, our chancellor of the exchequer, was j wounded and missing in some of the ] operations now going on in Palestine; , and I Instinctively cast my mind hack 1 to the losses of this war in all circles; ! but as an illustration it seems to me ! impressive. I went over tho Diolan i cholly list, and, if my memory serves i me right, out of the small number of i cabinet ministers, men of cabinet 't rank, who were serving the state , when the war broke out in August, 1914, one has been killed in action, four at least have lost sons, and now Mr. Bonar Law's son is wounded and missing?not. I hope, lost to us, but still in a position from which he may not return to his friends. I I "That is the sort of things that ' have happened in quite a small and I narrowly restricted class of men, but it is characteristic of what is happen ing throughout the whole communi I ty. I "The condition of France in thnt j respect is evidently even more full of sorrow and tragedy than our own, be? cause we had not a great army, we had But a small army when war broke out, whereas the French army was of the great continental typo, was on a war footing and was, from the very inception of military operations. ? a gaged in sanguinary conulot with the common enemy. "We have today coming amoni st us a mission from France. I doubt not ?indeed I am fuly convinced?that they will receive a welcome not les:< warm, not less heartfelt than that which you have so generously am' encouragingly extended to us. That was and certainly will be increased by the reflection that one member of the mission is Marshall Joffre, who will go down through all time as the general in command of the allied forces, tin* successful general of the allied forces, at one of the most critical moments in the world's history. "I remember when I was here there was a book which was given out in the schools called 'The Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World.' I do not know whether they all quite de? serve that title, but there can be no doubt or question whatever that among the decisive battles of the world the battle of the Marne was most decisive. It was a turning point In the history j of mankind and I rejoice that th ? i hero of that event is today coming ! among us and will join us, the British Inrtlon, in laying before the people of j J the United States our gratitude for the ; sympathy which they have shown and ' are showing, and our warm confidence I ... I in the value of the assistance which they are affording the allied cause. "Gentlemen, I do not believe that , the magnitude of that assistance can by any possibility be exaggerated. T nm told that there are some doul <;nn ! critics who seem to think that the ob- ' I ' jeet of the mission of France and Great Britain to tills country is to inveiylo the United States out of la traditional policy and to entangle it in formal alliances, secret or public, with European powers. I can not imagine any rumor with less founds t!on. nor can I imagine a polit y so utterly unnecessary. "Our confidence in this assistance] which we are going to get from this community Is not based upon ruehj considerations as those which arise out of formal treaties Xo tv could increase the undoubted confi? dence with which we look to the United States, who, having come into the war, are going to see the wa ?* through. If there is any certainty In | BATTLE FRONT QUIETER. fighting ox auras front not as fierce today. Germans Sacrifice Thousands of Live* Trying to Retake Village of Gravillc ?Advance in Mesopotamia Con? tinues-?Xo Xews from Russian Army in East. I London, April 26.?A striking ex | ample of the German censorship is afforded by the news that German I newspapers are not allowed to leave the country without being passed by , government officers. i Wire fences, charged with electric? ity have been erected on the German Swiss frontier. Every precaution is being ta <en to prevent what is trans? piring in the central powers getting out. Except on the French front there are reported few developments of im- j portance in the war theatres The British continue their ad - I I Vance in Mesopotamia, but there is! a curious silence regarding the move? ment of the Russian armies in Meso? potamia. j The fighting last night in the Ar? ras region seems to have been chiefiy ! in connection with the renewed Ger I man attempt to recapture the Village | ! of Gavrelle from the British. There I (the Germans sacrificed thousands of lives in vain. The Germans also at? tacked the French on the Aisne. The i I French said these attacks failed witl heavy German losses. Germany an? nounced that their forces reached I the eastern bound ry of Gavrelle. PUBLIC FOOTS BILL. ; Price of Coal to Advance Sixty Cents a Ton to Paj Minore. I New York, April 26.?Coal men es? timate that wage increase granted last night to the one hundred and seven? ty-five thousand miners in the anthra? cite fields will raise the retail price of hard coal on an average of sixty con is a ton. - MILLIONS HAVE VOTE. I - Many Women in United States En? franchised. _ I New York, April 24.?With No? hra ska added to the suffrage column, it w;ik announced here tonight by the Leslie Woman Suffrage commission that the total voting strength of n*o men in the Fnited Slates now is S, 667,308, "Of the 41 legislatures that hi convened, or are scheduled to con? vent in 1917," a statement said, "ihir ! teen have already taken favorable I ? jtion; seven have passed presidential j suffrage: five have passed suffrage; ! six have passed constitutional amen 1 I ment measures." ! human affairs, that is certain. j "Two years and a half have gone since the war began, and the groat! ! public on this side of the Atlantic has I been watching, with deepening inter? est, the Mood stained drama going on across the ocean and I am v eil convinced that as each month hat passed, so has the conviction grown I j among you that after all it is no j i small or petty interest that is involved 1 j in this war it is no struggle lor so i many square miles of territory, for some acquisition, some satisfaction of small national ambition. It was nothing short of the full conscious- I ncss that the liberties of mankind j are really involved in the issue of this j struggle that was animating the al | lied countries. j ' With such a cause the Amern an ? public has always been In full sym? pathy and now. after watching it! 1 through all these months, you have found yourselves impelled to Join in the great conflict. I feel perfectly certain that you will throw Into it all your unequaled resources, all your powers of invention, of production, all your man power, all the resources of that country which has greatc re? sources than any other count.. In the world, and already having com? to that decision, nothing will torn you from it but success crowning our |oln1 efforts. i "This expresses the sentiment with Which 1 have bei n animated ever since I came to this city?my sent I-j ment of gratitude, my sontlmenet of hope, l <b> not know that I have anything of value to add. "Allow me to thank you most heartily again f<?r hnvtng come horel for this brief Interview, and to ex? press my gratitude for what you hi < done, ami my Arm confidence that all of you will. Wielding the great power you do. exercise it In the convincing rouse of justice, truth and peace." SPAIN ISSUES SHARP WARNIKB SAW THAT TEUTONIC METHOD OF WARFARE INJURES FRIED? ET NEUTRALS. Patience is Now Almost at Breaking Point Because of Restrictions Made on Spanish Trade by German Government, and Unless Different Course is Adopted, Spain Will Take Steps to Defend Herself. Amsterdam (via London), April 25. ?Spain's note to Germany, as given in a Berlin dispatch, while conveying a grave warning that the end of Spanish patience is in sight, also con? tains a suggestion that a crisis may be averted through negotiation. The note says: "All the repeated attempts of the Spanish government undertaken with the intention of safeguarding its sea traffic and the lives of its sail? ors have failed in the face of the imperturbable resolution of the im? perial government to employ unusual and violent war measures. It is as? serted that these measures render im? possible the economic existence of the I imperial government's enemies but simultanously they expose to groat dangers the existence of friendly neu? tral powers." The note then complains of the se ries of restrictions Germany has im? posed on Spanish shipping and of the j sinking of Spanish ships without ! warning. It declares that these meth? ods render the economic existence of Spain almost impossible. The note continues: YAH these prove that German intentions neither aim at acknowledging our rights, as we have demanded repeatedly and ' with justice, nor take into account, I as they would, the requests of a coun i try whose friendship, until today, was I unabated and whose neutrality was ; preserved without wavering. "If the imperial government per? sists in declaring that it adheres to its determination In order to defend its life it must not be astonished If Spain, for the same reason, must em? phasize her right to defend her own /life. Despite negative replies to its previous note the Spanish government I still trusts that the German govern? ment will earnestly .ppreciate the* sense and significance of this note and that in future its measures whi be guided by regard for the lives of our seamen and the safety of her ships. The Spanish government also hopes ; that the imperial government, fully ' appreciating the difficult economic situation in Spain, will enter into a discussion with the Spanish govfrn i ment regarding measures which may be taken within the limits of mil'tary necessities for the mitigation of diffi? culties which have arisen in Spain." RAILROAD EXPENSES INCREASE. Cost of Operating Railroads Grows Faster Than Income. Washington. April IB.?The operat? ing income of the railroads decreased approximately twenty-two million, three hundred and thirty-five thous? and during February despite an in? crease of two and half million in the total operating revenues, according to the monthly summary of reports by the Interstate Commerce Commission. On their face the reports tend to sup? port the railroad arguments that their expenses have recently increased in a greater proportion than their oper? ating revenues. Rates Increased. Washington. April IB.?The Inter State Commerce Commission has per? mitted the railroads to (lie supplemen? tal tariffs covering fifteen per cent, rate advances. The new tariffs are subject to Investigation, correction, suspension, tiling only preliminary consideration of cases, the commis? sion announced. HR; STRIKE IX BERUM. Retried Officially That Quarter >UI lion laborers Quit Work in EfTort to Kovurr Peace. Washington, April It.?Reports to the State department through official channels tell oC the strike of a quar? ter million laborers in Berlin. The department s;i>s this illustrates the growth of a desire for peace among the workmen. IMKRICAK KCHOOXRR SUNK. Washington, April 26. -Destruction Without warning by submarine gas> !":?? of the American schooner Percy nirdsall has been reported to the Btsts department. The time and place are not announced. A Brl' patrol boat rescued the surviv