NAVAL DISASTER.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1692, 7 March 1913, Page 5

NAVAL DISASTER.

RAMMED BY A CRUISER. GERMAN NAVAL MANOEUVRES. DARK NIGHT AND HIGH SEAS. SIXTY-EIGHT LIVES LOST. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Berlin, March 5. For several days the North Sea fleet has been manoeuvring near Heligoland. Tho Kaiser on Monday inspected torpedoer Sl7B at Wilhelmshaven. He boarded a battleship to watch thp manoeuvres, and returned shortly before the catastrophe. Tho torpedoer left 'Wilhelmshaven yesterday to join the manoeuvres. She was cut in halves at midnight, and sank like a stone. Tho warships immediately sent up flares and turned their searchlights on to enable tho undamaged Torek in her rescue work. Sixty-seven men were drowned, including tho commander and the navigating officer:

DETAILS OF THE ACCIDENT. (Rec. March 7, 0.10 a.m.) Berlin, March G. Details of the torpedo disaster are meagre. A very high sea was running, the night was dark, and it is believed the torpedoers and destroyers attempted to break the line of battleships and cruisers. When the operation ended, the destroyer Sl7B, with lights masked, came behind the Heligoland Dune. The Yorck rammed her behind and aft the funnel. The destroyer heeled over, and sank in two minutes. ' Mest of the crew wxjre below when the accident.occurred. The Yorck rescued the doctor, the engineer, and fifteen others with great difficulty, owing to the storm. Two officers and G8 petty officers and men were drowned. Tho commander, was on leave, and was not aboard.