SUNK BY SUBMARINE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1615, 26 September 1916, Page 4

SUNK BY SUBMARINE.

LOSS OF THE ENGLISHMAN. A THRILLING STORY. An, interesting story concerning the sinking of the steamer Englishman, a 5,000-ton liner of the Dominion Line, by a German submarine, on March 2-ttli last, is given by Captain AY. A. Morehouse, of the Delphic, which is at present, in Auckland, says the Herald. At the time of the sinking of the Englishman, Captain Morehouse was in command.

“Yes," said Captain Morehouse, in answer to a query, “1 was in command of the Englishman when it was sunk. AA’e were on our way back to America, and were rounding the north coast of Ireland when the look-out sighted the submarine. It was then four miles away, and, upon directing - my glasses upon it 1 noticed that a string of (lags wen l Hying. At that distance, however, I could not decipher the signal, and immediately ordered ‘Full speed ahead,’ with the object of escaping. “We iiad not gone far, however, when the submarine, which was a fairly large vessel, tired a shot from one of the guns which -she had mounted. It went clean over the ship, and plunged into the sea ahead. AA'e held to our course, despite the shells, which were pitching all around us by this time, hut 1 could see that it was only a question of time, when (he ■submarine would eripplo, and eventually sink, ns. “TAKE TO THE BOATS!" “Fortunately, in addition to the erew of (iti men, we hail only Id horsemen on hoard, (he latter returning to America. I gave the order to the horsemen to get into the boats, and he prepared to cast off. This order was hardly completed when a shot struck one of the starhoard boats, precipitating its occupants into the water. Almost immediately afterwards the other starboard boat was struck, with the same result. “Seeing escape to he impossible — the submarine now having approached to within a mile of the Englishman —and with a view to saving the unfortunate horsemen, I gave the order to heave-to When this was done (he submarine also slopped, and we prepared to abandon the ship, using the boats on the port side.

CAPTAIN’S NARROW ESCAPE

“When (he work of disembarkation had been almost completed 1 went to the starboard side in order to ascertain that no men were disabled there. After my survey of the deck I returned to (he purl side and found that the boats had put off, each crew in turn thinking that I was in the other boat. I immediately fastened on a lifebelt and jumped into the water. All (his time the crew of the submarine remained inactive, no shot having been fired from tin* time we hove-10.

“After being in the water for some time the crews of the boats discovered that 1 was missing, and, a search being instituted, I was picked up some 20 minutes after jumping into the watei —which was bitterl.v cold —none the worse for mv immersion.

“We. immediately pulled away, and before we bad gone far the submarine discharged two torpedoes, both striking the Englishman amidships, and tearing a great bole in her side. In a very few minutes all that was left of the ship was a very ruffled water surface, some boats with dejected occupants, and a retreating submarine. TEN LIVES LOST. “No,” said Captain Morehouse, in answer 1 to a query, “we did not escape without loss of life. After reckoning up the total in the boats we discovered that ten horsemen were missing. Whether they were killed by gunfire or drowned it is difficult to say. Unfortunately, they lost their lives. Luckily, the crew of the submarine did not attempt to molest us either while wc were disembarking or after the sinking of ihe Englishman.’’ “Did you discover the moaning of the (lags Hying on the submarine?” asked the interviewer.

“Yes, we subsequently discovered (hat they meant ‘Abandon your ship at once!’ ” “Shortly afterwards,” concluded Captain Morehouse, “we were picked up by a trawler and landed safely ”

“That, was my first, and, I hope, my last, experience of a German submarine.”