reland. The liner carried 2,179 U.S. troops of various
divisions besides a crew of 200. The total number of persons lost was
113. The troops included engineers, members of the aero-squadron, and
regulars.

The Tuscania was the first troopship to be sunk en route to France,
though the Antilles was sunk in October, 1917. This boat, however, it
must be noted, was returning from France. At this time 70 lives were
lost. The comparatively small loss of life on the "Tuscania" was
accepted as evidence of the efficient training and bravery of American
troops under all conditions.

The Tuscania was torpedoed when entering what until that time were
considered comparatively safe waters. The ships were within sight of
land, which was just distinguishable in the dusk of evening when the
torpedo hit the Tuscania amidships. This was at about 7 o'clock.

When the crash came the khaki-clad young heroes of the American army
lined up as though on parade, and sang the "Star Spangled Banner" at the
top of their voices as the Tuscania sank by inches under them. Across
from them their British cousins of the crew came back with the echoing
"God Save the King," which too cool-headed exponents of what occurred in
a crisis of a sea disaster say accounts for the fact the Germans took
only a toll of 113 lives out of the 2,397 souls on board the Cunarder
when she met her fate.

AMERICAN COURAGE PRAISED.

If the singing man is a fighting man, he also is hopeful, and in the
combination of fight and hope there came the baffling of the German
attempt to reduce the American war forces by almost a full regiment.
Taking stock after the disaster, the officers of both the army and navy
praised the courage of the Americans as the chief reason for the saving
of more than 90 per cent of the men on board.

No submarine was seen until the torpedo struck the Tuscania fairly
amidships. A moment later another torpedo passed astern of the vessel.
There was a terrific explosion, and it is believed most of the
casualties were caused by this and by subsequent difficulties in
lowering the boats.

The vessel immediately took a heavy list and the men were called to
their lifeboat stations, but the list prevented the boats from being
properly lowered, some of the upper-deck boats falling to the lower
deck. Many of the men jumped into the water, and the difficulty in
lowering the boats was responsible for many casualties.

The survivors of the Tuscania landed at p