On the Sea

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIII, Issue 23, 25 September 1915, Page 5

On the Sea

CHASED FOR HOURS. EXCITING INCIDENT IN CONNECTION WITH THE HESPERIAN. WOULD-BE RESCUERS ESCAPE. United Press Association. (Received 9 a.m.) New York, September 24. The captain of the steamer Crosby ■saw the Hesperian torpedoed, and thinking she had been mined, started to the rescue. When the Crosby changed her course, the submarine rose and approached. He full-speeded and 'zig-zagged 1 , the submarine chasing for hours. The Crosby escaped in the darkness. THE CROSBY’S EXPERIENCE. 1 ANOTHER BERLIN STATEMENT JETTISONED. , (K eceived '8.55 a.m.) • New York, September 24. Captain Smellie; of the British steamer Crosby has filed with the British Consul a statement to the effect that he witnessed the sinking of the Allen liner Hesperian owing to a torpedo being fired by a German submarine. Ho says the submarine chased the Crosby, and only by putting on full steam and steering a zig-zag course in the darkness was he able to escape. The statement will be sent to the Admiralty to refute the claim by Berlin that the Hesperian was sunk by a floating mine. Captain Smellie states that he sighted the Hesperian on September 4 and ■saw her give a sudden jerk and then start to sink by the head. He started to her assistance and had hardly got the boat round when he discovered a submarine making for him. He forced the vessel round as lie rung for fullspeed, and kept the vessel stern towards the submarine ,and escaped in tlie darkness.

SUBMARINES AND MINES. London, September 23.' The Swedish steamer Forsvik lias been sunk. The crew were saved. , r Tho Britisly steamer Eronnigen was Jblqfij up, and one person perished, soy era! being wounded. i, (Rexteived 8.20 .a.m.) , , r . J! jti icjiidon, , 24,! f , ’pie steamer Chancellor was sunk. Part, of the icvew were rescued. . n; rn 1 ■ (Recoiyed 11 a.m.) ''' ! ‘ The remainder- .of..the. .CffiaACOitelA, crew! were rescued. MINE-LAYING IN THE BALTIC. SWEDISH FISHERMEN’S LOSSES v (Received 9.15 a.m.) • jfT j j Stockholm, September .24 , The Gpi-qian niine-]qying lii tlie Baltic 4ms- caused jieavy Josses, to Swedish fishermen and , ( the Government 'now seeks ■compensation.,, , J EXPLOSION AT SEA. dej^iyian cruiser destro yt fa. '7 Copenhagen, September 24. Fishermen;'at Holtug observed a German cruiser, off Folstorho, disappear in a column of water after an explosion. It is believed that she was torpedoed.