but the reports subsequently received from the commanding officer of the K and Lieut. V are too circumstantial to permit the incident from being ignored. The commanding officer states:
"(b) The only unusual incident of the trip worth mentioning was on the 28th day of June, about 10.05 A.M., the lookouts reported something right ahead of the K. (I had the bridge at the time.) When I looked I saw what appeared to be a very small object on the water's surface, about a foot or two high, which left a small wake; on looking closer and with the aid of binoculars I could make out a shape under the water about 250 to 300 yards ahead and which was too large to be a blackfish, lying in a position about 15 degrees diagonally across the K's course.
"(b-1) I ordered the port-bow gun to open fire on the spot in the water and sounded warning siren for convoy. When judging that ship had arrived above the spot first seen I ordered right rudder in order to leave the submarine astern.
"(b-2) A minute or two later the port after gun's crew reported sighting a submarine on port quarter and opened fire at the same time. The lookouts from the top also reported seeing the submarine under the water's surface and about where the shots were landing.
"(b-3) The ship kept zigzagging and firing from after guns every time something was sighted.
"(b-4) Lieut. V, United States Navy, was in personal charge of the firing and reports that he saw, with all the gun crews and lookouts aft, the submarine fire two torpedoes toward the direction of the convoy, which sheered off from base course to right 90° when alarm was sounded.
"(b-5) All the officers and men aft had observed the torpedoes traveling through the water and cheered loudly when they saw a torpedo miss a transport. They are not certain, though, which one it was, as the ships were not in line then and more or less scattered.
"(b-6) The gunnery officer and all the men, who were aft at the firing, are certain that they saw the submarine and the torpedoes fired by same.
"(b-7) A separate report of Lieut. V, United States Navy, the gunnery officer, is herewith appended.
"(b-8) The K kept zigzagging until it was considered that40
