Primary Source
SCHOONER SUNK BY GERMAN SUB
The first successful foray of a German submarine in Canadian waters was reported here today. Capt. Charles E. Dagwell of the British lumber schooner Dornfontein and his crew of eight men landed in their small boat on Grand Manan Island in the Bay of Fundy at 6:30 a.m. today and reported that their vessel had been held up, looted, and set on fire by a U-boat 25 miles southwest of Brier Island at 11:35 yesterday morning.
. . .
Whether the German decided it would be hopelss to try to sink the schooner by bombs, owing to the buoyant nature of her cargo of lumber, or whether he was economizing on his ammunition, is not known. But the torch was resorted to as the means of destruction.
Fires were started on various parts of the vessel, and today, 24 hours after the Dornfontein was attacked, a smudge of smoke from her hulk was visible from Grand Manan Island, indicating the craft was still afloat.
The Dornfontein was on her maiden voyage. She was of 1000 tons deadweight and was launched six weeks ago at St. John, N. B., the first ship to be sent down the way at the plant of the Marine Construction Company.
There were certain points of similarity in the actions of the submarine commander which led Naval vessels to believe that the U-boat was the same which sank four coal barges and set a tug afire off Cape Cod a week ago last Sunday, and also sent the Gloucester fishing schooner Robert and Richard to the bottom of the southeastern coast of Maine on the following Monday.
Boston Daily Globe, August 4, 1918.