SINKING OF THE REFUGEE STEAMER

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2293, 29 October 1914, Page 6

SINKING OF THE REFUGEE STEAMER

f STORY OP THE CHANNEL •■ \; ...-.■. .■•;■. :. ■ DISASTER ■-. % .'■..■■■' ' London! October 27. ' / ; ' 'After the explosion -which sunk the i •' - refugee steamer Admiral Ganteaume, ! the vessel commenced to settle down on i an almost even keel. The Channel ':■ ferry steamer Queen, and two French rfe torpedo-hoats sped to her assistance. p Meanwhile panic-stricken men and F•- ■~■■ women rusHed to the sides of the vessel, C ■ gesticulating and screaming for help. , ■■. ■■ As the Queen approached, a number ■ '•■ of meai and women jumped overboard. : ' Some failed to grasp the ropes and life- :. , belts, ani fifteen others wore crushed; * : . ■'■■■ between the two ships. One boat cap- ? ■':' ■ sized,.and.three persons, were drowned. !-' ■ •'■ The -weather proving too rough- to '■ : ' allow of- the boats being launched, the 1 : Queen • finally manoeuvred alongside, : , and the refugees, who are- the poorest of .•■ the poor, scrambled aboard her, tumb- ' ■ : liiig over each, other in their , fright. "-■■.-■ Despite the disorder the Queen rescued ■ over two thousand in -twenty minutes. ') ' The captain, of the Queen states, that ' the disaster was due-.to a mine; others i ;; attribute it to a boiler explosion. •'- .