TRAGEDY OF HAYTIAN RT

Gisborne Times, Volume VIII, Issue 683, 1 December 1902, Page 2

TRAGEDY OF HAYTIAN RT

BLEW UP HIS SHIP THAN SURRENDER

Readers of tho Tunes nre nr. with tho main details ui the sinking

Haytinn gunboat by the German ci Panther off Oounives, Hayti, on Sr, iviiibv. G.

Xiic mail bring* fuller particulars, which gi\ e a dramatic much tv tne whole tiling, and shows mat Auuurai Killick preferred Ueaih lo suirtitut-i. Tin- Admual s (atbtr a s an Eiigiisimmii, nis mother a Haynan. Hu nud with bun, too, three English officers.

The Daily Mail correspondent at Porl-iU-Prinee tells the story of the end oi »h II luted gunboat, oil the luloiiuation of hi: jfiicer wUo escaped. This is the story rom tliti lips ol the mturuiant relarred o :

" On September 2 Die Crete-a-Pierrol slopped tne German steamer Markomuunia, and seized the arms and ammunition that she was carrying to Cape Haytian for General Nord Alexi's army, but beyond taking these arms the Crele-a Pierrot did not molest tho German steamer. Tho English officers oil hoard the Crete a-Pie-rrot drew Admiral Killick'* attention to the fact that, as lie bud not complied with international law as regards making tho blockade of the Cape constant and effective, lie had no right to lutertere with foreign commerce, but he replied that he ‘ knew Ins business.' "Thu Crete-u Pierrot then proceeded to Gonaives, arriving there on September 4, and having been running constantly for over three months. As the boilers bad to be examined, the tires wero put out. On the morning of September 0 Admiral Killick invited us to breakfast at his house. Ho bad no idea that the ship would bo interfered with ; m fact, ho received that very morning a message to tho effect that both Germany and the United States would remain neutral. On receiving this cheering nows, the Admiral said to us : • This is excellent news ; we will have a grog on tho strength of it' TUK PANTHER ARRIVES. “ We were all ashore when tho German cruiser Piuitbor tired the first gun at! i. 30 a.m., having entered the port with uo ffag dying, only noisting hor colors when close m the Crete a Pierrot, simultaneously with two signals winch the pooplo aboard tho Crcte-a Pierrot could not road, there being no codo-book ou board.

'• Everyone hurried to return to the Crcte-a Pierrot, and Admiral Killick immediately sent an officer to tho Pauthor to learn tho captain’s intentions. The officer returned m a few minutes, and reported that tho German cupluin refused to hold any conversation, but that ho gave tho crew fivo minutes to übaudou uud suirender tho ship. At this tune tile Dumber was abreast of and about 50j d» distant from the Crole u-Pierrot, and all Her guns were manned and trained on tho Creto-a fierrot. On first receiving tho message, Admiral Killick gavo orders to charge all the guns aud preparo to iighl tho ship, for which everyone on board was roady, but before these orders could be executed Killick changed his mind. “Ho wus ovidontly torn by conflicting emotions. Ho did not caro one iota for saving his life, but lie thought if ho fought tho German ship ho would probably endanger tho independence of bis country oy calling down the wrath ui the inigUiy German Empire. Yet liaii lie bail stLurn up and luugui he cuuid have given u good account ut Uiiusoli, since the Greto-u-i loriul was lar inure puwerluily urmed than Die Panther. FIItINO THE SHIP, " So, with men carrying barrels of paraffin, bo descended the forward batch and poured the inflammable oil over everyimug, and set fire to it. Tlic crew then became demoralised. ‘Do not burn ua, Admiral,’ they cried; ‘ let us fight, but don’t ask us to bo burned to duutb.' Admiral Killick then gavo ordors for the orew to abandon tho ship. Fortunately, there was a lighter alongside, into wiiich tho majority ol tne rnon embarked, otherwise there would have boon great loss of life, as thoro were only three small buats to take tbc crew, consisting of 442 souls, ushoro.

“ All endeavors to persuade the Admiral also to leave were m vain. He would never bo taken by tho Germane, ho eaid. He stood on the deck ul the burning gunboat, revolver iu hand, and waruod us to get away. “As the last boat pushed off, an explosion occurred aft, and blow up the poop, at tho same time suiting fire to the ship, This explosion was undoubtedly caused by Admiral Kilhck firing his revolver into a charge of guupowder in his own cabin, where he had placed a number of kegs of powder in readiness lor an emergency of tliis kind. He had frequently declared his intention of blowing up tho Bhtp rather than surrender.

“ The Pauther immediately opened firs with her big guns, and also with her Vickera-iMttXuus, buboes from which sputtered the water round the boats pulling tor tbo shoro, tho crews throwing themselves into tho bottom of the boats until the firing relaxed, wtien all hands landed. “ After tho boat blow up, tho Panther ceased firing, and immediately aiterwarda left the port. It was fortunato that she did not curry out her plans a day or two earlier. Had sho dono so, there would have been great loss of life. Tbe gunboat bad just landed a largo number of prisoners and also tho English commander. Tho crew escaped only with their lives and what they stood up in.”