ANOTHER NAVAL DISASTER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 110, 30 April 1908, Page 2

ANOTHER NAVAL DISASTER.

DESTROYER SUNK DURING MANOEUVRES. London, April 28. The scout ship Attentive 'rammed the destroyer Gala during night manoeuvres off the Kentish Knock Sandbank. The Gala was cut in halves, and one part sank. Engineer-Lieutenant Drought was killed in his berth. Fifteen destroyers were accompanying the Attentive. She struck the Gala abaft the engine-room. The fore-part sank, but the after-part, with the crew on board, was towed to shallow water. A destroyer then went in and rescued the- men. There was another mishap. Tne scout Adventure damaged the de*lroy-# er Riddle, which returned' to ness. FURTHER DETAILS.

ACCIDENT ON A BATTLESHIP". Received 29th, 11.30 pjn. London; April 20. The Admiralty state that Lieut. Hotelier, and not Lieut. Drought, is ingThe Gala, with fifteen destroyer*, attacked the Attentive and the Adventure, manoeuvring with masked light? in a very rough sea. Following the Ettrick's successful attack on the Adventure, the Gala, Ripple, and Teviot, at a speed of twfive knots, attacked the Attentive , which", seeing that a collision was inevitable, I turned on the searchlight. The Attentive struck the Gala on I the port side, cutting her completely in two. The fore-part soon sank, and the stern-part floated away and subsequently sank. The crew were rescued, except Lieut. Fletcher, who was supposed to. have been killed while asleep in Ws cabin. The Attentive, after getting clear of the Gala, struck the Ripple, knocking a large hole in her side and flooding two compartments. The battleship Britannia, voyaging from Queen's Ferry to Portsmouth, burst a boiler tube, seriously injuring five of the men.