BRITISH CRUISER SUNK.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 108, 28 April 1908, Page 2

BRITISH CRUISER SUNK.

RUN DOWN BY AMERICAN LINER. SEVERAL LIVES LOST. SPLENDID NAVAL DISCM'LINT. Loudon, April 2d. When the blizzard was at its lieiglu uu Saturday atternoon the American liner Saint Paul, steaming outward irom Southampton, crushed in the port sue b .if the cruiser Gladiator, off Yarmouth, in the Isle of Wight. i The Gladiator heeled over and was driven on to the beach in about 20 } minutes. The Admiralty reports that the crew landed with the exception of three men who were drowned, and a lieutenant who is missing. The Saint l'aul suffered little damage. Her bow plates were buckled. She returned to Southampton. Captain Luinsdeu w the hist to leave the tiladiator. There was splendid discipline »n hoard. The men stood at their quarters, and only leapt overboard when the sea threatened to engulf them. When the vessel capsized, all hands climbed to the bottom, which was out of the water. A passenger on the St. Paul reports that he heard the sailors on the overturned keel singing " Sons of the Brave." DETAILS OF THE DISASTER. SIX DEAD ACCOUNTED FOH. '_' ONE OFFICER AND 30 MEN MISSING ,!l Received 27th, 11.58 p.m. '• London, April 27. ; ' The tiladiator was returning from 0 Portland to Spithcad in a blinding & snowstorm.

WJien steaming past Port Victoria, well inside First Point, at a speed of 10 knots, the look-out sighted the St. I'll ill approaching raUier faster, about' 2(1(1 yards away. The liner gave the order to reverse the engine full speed astern, but the collision was unavoidable. The liner's bow crushed into the Gladiators' starboard side nearly amidships, cutting into her up to her centre line, into the engine room. The liner went astern, while the cruiser began to list heavily. The Gladiator immediately steamed for the beach, taking the ground about 400 yards from the shore. She then turned completely on her starboard Side.

When she heeled, a number of the crew jumped into the water, while others Were thrown into the water anil tried to swim ashore. The rest of the crew clambered over to the port side, which was standing well out "i the water, and remained there until re-

seued by boats. An inrush of the sea to the b

room followed the liner's backing out, and, some say, caused the boiler to explode, scalding and injuring many. The closing of the watertight doors prevented the cruiser foundering, and with the fore boilers and engines working at high pressure, she got close inshore before she became unmanageable. A stoker who was below at th' 1 time states that the fir.it warning was the crash of the liner's bow into the messroom, killing one man on the spot. The crew: displayed perfect discipline, quietly awaiting their turn to be taken ashore. The liner's fore bulkhead averted very serious damage, though the St. Paul's stern (sic) was injured both over and below the water. It is known that six of the Gladiator's crew were drowned or died from injuries, while six more were injured and are in hospital. Lieut. Graves and 30 hands arc missing. The St: Paul had 500 passengers on board. The Gladi,ator is on a soft bottom, in a sheltered position, and it is expected that salvage operations will be successful. The crew numbered 300. It is feared the missing men have perished. The Gladiator, built in 1890, is a se-cond-class cruiser attached to the Home Fleet. The vcsßol carries 10 guns, and develops a speed of 19 knots, the horse power, being 10,0(>0,