Second Edition. On the Sea

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 94, 21 August 1915, Page 6

Second Edition. On the Sea

——— THE LOSS OF THE ARABIC. CAPTAIN FINCH’S STORY. ENCINE-ROOM HEROES, DASTARD GERMAN WORK. [I'NVJICr PRESS Assjciation. 1 (Received 12.35 p.m.) London. August 20. Captain Finch says the torpedoes teVrific explosion shook the vessel from stem to stern;’and a column of water shot up, the largest Jiiehoat being blown to fragments. All the lifeboats had previously been swung'out, the liferafts got ready, and the lifeholts distributed on the deck. Fourteen lifeboats were launched and two capsized, but this was unavoidable because the Arabic rose almost perpendicularly before sinking by the stern.

'Captain Finch said he remained on the bridge and was carried down by the suction, returning to the surface midst the wreckage. He was severely injured on the leg. but with the assistance of the firemen he helped several passengers, including a woman with a baby, who was struggling in the water, into the lifeboats.

Captain Finch was so exhausted that he had to wait until the rising of the swell made it easier to scramble on the raft. He was twenty minutes in the water and two and a-half hours on the raft.

When the vessel was struck, which was without warning, he telegraphed the engine-room to “make their way out.” and his orders were carried out. Twenty Victoria Crosses, he said, ought to be given to the engine-room heroes.

The third engineer ami assistant electrician, remaining on duty in the engine-room, perished tvhen the steamer foundered. Two warships rescued the survivors after two hours. All their belongings were lost. Miss Stella tiarol cheered up’ the other women in the lifeboat by singing “Tipperary.” Some passengers declare they were breakfasting when the boilers explod' ed. Many landed with their clothes torn and were a pitiful sight, one woman Heing in a naval officer's overcoat. Sixteen were sent to the hospital in Queenstowuf being mostly members of the crew.