SINKING OF THE P. & 0. LINER PERSIA

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2662, 6 January 1916, Page 5

SINKING OF THE P. & 0. LINER PERSIA

AMERICAN ACTION IDENTICAL NOTE SENT TO GERMANY, AUSTRIA, TURKEY AND BULGARIA By Telesrajh—PreEß Association—Copyright Washington, January 4. The State Department has drafted; an identical Note, addressed to Germany, Austria, Turkey, and Bulgaria, asking whether they stand together on the Austrian assurances of safeguarding American lives. THE SINKING OF THE VESSEL WILL STEEL-THE HEARTS I OF BRITONS. ("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.) London, January 4, The "Daily Mail" says the loss of the Persia- has stirred the nation to its depths. It is certain that the German submarine's cowardly sinking of the vessel will steel the hearts of Britons, and prompt them to action and make them enlist. The most effective method of punishing the Germans would be to impose a fine from the three hundred millions' worth of German property in the Empire for each non-combatant killed. THRILLING ACCOUNTS BY SOME OF THE SURVIVORS MOTHERS RUSHED TO THEIR CABINS TO SEEK THEIR CHILDREN BUT NEVER RETURNED. Alexandria, January 4. The survivors of the Persia-are mostly suffering from sliock after their hardships. Many are bruised and bandaged. One woman is in hospital with a broken leg. The - tragedy was so sudden that the survivors are scarcely able to give a connected account of it. Tlioy dwell upon the rude change from the gay luncheon table, where tliey sat in the jolliest moods, to the ship's boats. ' In less than five minutes the luxurious liner wns swallowed up by the waves. The passengers had just begun' lunch when there was a terrific explosion. The ship shook from stem to stern, and lurched heavily to port. Only those who quitted the tables instantly or who happenod to be on the decks had any liopo of escape. Many seemed paralysed, and sat as if glued to their seats. Their indecision was fatal, for the water poured into the saloons the next moment. Some reached the sloping deck, and slipped into the sea ; others were swept off by the waves. . Tlio survivors are loud in tlieir praise of the promptitudo and coolness of the crcw. It was a brilliant feat to lower even four boats from tlie heavily listing and swiftly sinking ship. The crow worked smartly but silently. There was not the least sign of panic. One young lady states that she jumped up from the table the instant she heard the explosion, and ran to her cabin for a lifebelt. She was twice thrown down by the rocking of the ship before she gained the deck. She had the utmost difficulty in keening her footing, and was thrown down repeatedly, and severely shaken and bruised. She jumped overboard, and was picked up afcer fifteen minutes. Others tell similar stories of how they promptly rushed ori deck and dived'into the sea. Mothers rushed to their cabins to seek their children, but never returned. Only two children were saved. Tlio chief officer, who was sitting in his cabin on the bridge dock, helped with tlxe boats, and went down with the ship, but was picked out of tlio water. lie did not see the captain, and believes ho was sucked down, though some passengers think they saw, him swimming. Many of the passengers state that there were six boats afloat.' The chief officer doubts the accuracy of the statement, but says that two may have broken loose. Other officers are convinced that anyhow there was no one' iii them. The survivors lost everything. They spent a most miserable thirty hours in the boats. They were wot and cold, but had ample water and provisions. Router's agent interviewed Mr. Grant', an American survivor. ''While I was at dinner," lie said, "the explosion filled the saloon with smoke and steam and broken, glass. I fastened the captain's belt round him, and then slid into the sea, and was sucked down. I was caught by a rope, but cot clear, and reached some wreckage, and was picked, up by a- boat at 4 o'clock, ' when I saw five row-boats searching for other survivors, s'omo of whom were still overboard. _ _ "Four of tho boats .were- tied together by their painters. At 3.30 my boat separated from the others, and we rowed for three hours and were rescued by a cruiser, wliich picked'up tho other boats at 7 o'clock. "Tho end of tho Persia was most affecting. People were screaming, others saying good-bye, while one boat-load sang hymns." WHERE THE PERSIA WAS HIT. (Rec. January 5, 11.10 p.m.) London, January 5. The torpedo struck the Persia in the vicinity of tlie boilers.