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18573492
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Letter from Aboard the S.S. Espagne
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document
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id
18573492
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document
title
Letter from Aboard the S.S. Espagne
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Eleanor Lansing Dulles Papers
Personal Correspondence and Memorabilia Files
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18573492
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16
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1917-06-16
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6
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1917
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470bb8feff2880af
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4)
S.S. Espagne
Saturday, June 16th
This afternoon as I was sitting on the deck reading some people
by the rail pointed out something. I looked up to see the' ship' and the person
next me (Mlle.
) said it is not a boat it is a peice of wreckage - it
looks just like a peri scopes I looked but could not see it though most of the
people on the deck were looking at it. Just then I heard an explosion; although
it was not a heavy noise I thought it was a torpedd. I went down to the cabine
and go out the life preservers and we (Miss Ely had come down from the writing
room) went up on deck. There we could still see the periscope and heard the
second and third shots fired by the rear gun. I do not think the gun in front
was shot off at all. We were taking a zigzag course to avoid the aim. and We
were al standing by the rail watching and most people thought that the second
one hit, they saw difrent the explosion, they say; at any rate it disappeared.
We continued our crooked course for a few minutes and then everything went on
as usual, though it was nearly half past four before the groups about the deck
dispersed.
It was probably more than five minutes that the thing was in sight. The
front gun was not fired (?) and no gun was fired till almost every one had
remarked it. There was no panic, some people were almost indifferent but most
took a sensible, prepared attitude. Some said that it was practise, a very foolis-
h thing to say as there was no doubt about it either in our minds, those of us
who were on deck nor in the minds of those who were in command.
As far as we know no torpedo was fired. We can not tell why. Perhaps it
was too far away. The sea was quite smooth.
Soon after we had had our tea and settled down more or less peaceably,
Miss Ely and I talking to some of the men, there was a loud report and every
one dashed for their life belts. There was some excitement for about a minute
and we saw a second shot fired and hit the object which rose in the air
slightly and sank. In side of three minutes we knew that it was a floating
peice of wreckage or a barrel but most of us thought it was the real thing
at first. It was quite dlose to the boat. It was not as exciting as the first
time of course but was sufficiently isconcerting.
The boats are now swung out but not lowered. I guess the men are keeping
a good watch in the crow's nest. There is a gun in front and one behind which
I suppose are always ready though I can not see the men.
The captain admits that the first was a submarine and supposes that it
was side on and instead of front on and could not turn in the short time
before it had drifted astern. It was probably almost half a mile away.