North Sea Disaster

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 104, 25 September 1914, Page 5

North Sea Disaster

THB SINKING OF OUR CRUISERS. A SURPRISE ATTACK. HUNDREDS OF THE CREWS RESCUED. London, September 23. The steamer Flora landed 287 survivors, including a lew wounded and one dead. The survivors stated that the Aboukir was hit in 6cveral places about six o'clock, and disappeared in five minutes. The other vessels, apparently thinking she had struck a mine, rushed to her assistance. The Hogue, after lowering her boats, was hit and soon sank. The Cressy reported the two submarines, but was torpedoed, and afterwards sank at eight o'clock. Thirty uninjured officers have been landed at Harwich. It is believed 700 were saved.

Captain Nicholson, of the Hogue, served as a midshipman on the Calliope which escaped from Apia during the hurricane. The captain of the Flora saw only the Creesr. He at first knew nothing of wkat had happened, but saw her suddenly heel and go down. He lowers! his boats, and the Flora picked up the survivors, who were clinging to rafts and timber. Several English sailing boats are bringing more survivors to Ymuiden. All the spectators agree tint the Cressy was firing as she sank and that she Sent the two submarines to the bottom. This is not confirmed officially. It is stated that British destroyers appeared as the Flora was getting ready to steam away.

Amsterdam. September 23.

A Dutch steamer landed 18 wounded tuid five dead from the sunken cruisers. •She had originally 114 survivors, but transferred tlie others to British tor-pedo-boats. The disaster is said to hare occurred at 7.30 a.m. on Tuesday. London, September 23. Reuter's Ymuiden correspondent. states ,that the British survivors were clad in all manner of clothes. Some wore Dutch soldiers' khaki jackets. The cruiserscrews were largely reservists from Chatham.

APPALLING LOSS OF LIFE. Received 24, 7.35 p.m. London. September 23. Nearly 400 of the cruisers' survivors have teen landed at Harwich. Only 49 of the 843 on the Aboukir were saved. The warship Lowestoft brought the majority of the survivors, who report that they 6a«r the two German submarines sunk. Twenty oflicers are among the rescued.

SUBMARINES IN STRONG FORCE. A (PETTY OFFICER'S ACCOUNT. Received 25, 12.25 a.m. London, September 23. Five hundred and five survivors have reached port, of which 38 are wounded, but not seriously. The chief petty officer of the Aboukir says he believes tho torpedo struck the Aboukir amidships, lie saw no periscope. When the Cressy'a and the Ilogue's boats were searching for survivors an hour later, he saw two German submarines fire torpedoes, and the Ilofiac sank in half-an-hour, whilst an hour afterwards four torpedoes struck the Cressy. The submarines were in strong force. THH TIMES' PHILOSOPHY. Times and Sydney Sun Services. Received 24, 8.10 p.m. London, September 23.

The Times, in a leader on the North Sea losses, says: "We must, expect move occurrences of this character, and must make up our minds to accept them with equanimity. The wonder really is that we have not lost , more ships in tiiis manner, sinco the avowed German policy is to endeavor to weaken our naval strength by means of mines and submarines. Nevertheless, the general outlook continues to inspire the utmost confidence.'' IVoeiTed 24, 10.50 p.m. London, September 23. The sunkcr cruisers bad 28 cadets aboard, called lip for midshipmen's duties un the outbreak of war. | BRITISH AND GERMAN LOSSES. ; The losses in action of British and | German warships and auxiliary cruiseri to date compare lis wider: — 1 Britain. Germany. Armoured cruisers .... 3 o' Light cruisers :t* 4 Destroyers 0 2 Submarines 0 4 Auxiliary cruisers 0 3

0 13 'Counting the Pi-gusii* as a total loss. In addition to these losses, the Germans have the battle-cruiser Goeben and the light cruiser Breslau interned in Turkish waters. The details of the losses are as \in:*ev: ItKITISH WARSHIPS LOST. August 6.—Scout cruiser Amphion (33M) tons) stvikcH mine and sinks. September fi. — riiird-class cruiser I'atlifmder (2940 tuns), sunk by German subniarine. September 20.-—Third-claw cruiser Pegasus (2135 tons). disabled at Zanziliar bv the German cruiser Koenigsberg. September 22.—ISritiftli armored cruisers Akoukir (14,000 tons), Creasy (12,0U0 toils), and ITogue (12.000 tons), sunk by German submarine'. GERMAN SllirS LOST. August s.—Mine-layer Koenigen Lnise. sunk by Amphion in English Channel. August 10.—German submarine Yls. 800 tons, funk by H.M.S. liirmingham. August 2ti.—German merchant cruiser Kaiser Wilhelin der Crosse, sunk by H.M.S. Highflyer. August 28—Engagement at Heligoland, German cruisers Koln (4280 tons), Mainz (4232 tons), Ariaduc (2030 Urns), and two destroyers 6imk. September B.—(ler'man submarine ■which sunk H.M.S. Pathinder sunk bv

September 14. —German auxiliary cruiser Cape Traialgar or Berlin sunk by British auxiliary cruiser Carmania. September 16. —German cruiser Hela (5000 tons), sunk by British submarine. September 22.—Two German submarines which attacked Cressy, Aboukir, and Hogue sunk.

STORIES OF STEAMSHIP SKIPPERS. MIDSHIPMEN HAVE MIRACULOUS ESCAPE. Received 25, 1.40 a.m. London, September 23.

The skipper of a trawler says that hb was quite close when the Aboukir was sunk in four minutes, the Hogue in ten minutes, and the Cressy in three minutes. He saved 350. Captain Nicholson is among the saved. The captain of the Dutch steamer Titan, of Rotterdam, states that 30 miles from the coast he saw the three English cruisers on the horizon. He noticed one I disappear. He looked again, and saw heavy smoke bursting from another cruiser, and beard a far-away explosion. He altered his course, and while going to their aid the third ship was struck, and ho saw a submarine dashing away at a great rate. The two remaining cruisers rolled on their sides and disappeared.

When the Titan arrived he found two cutters saving the men, who were all naked. They had been in the water so long that they had discarded their clothes. There was also a sloop absolutely full of men. AH around were other swimmers, nearly exhausted by their long immersion, some clinging to werckage, and others floating on tallies. He got out two boats, and rescued 114, intruding Commander Se'.ls, who collapsed from sheer exhaustion but Soon revived.

The midshipmen of tlw Aboukir jumped overboard, and the Hogue rescued them. They again jumped overboard when the Hogue was struck, and tin Cressy picked them up. When finally flung into the water, they clung to the wreckage till the Titan picked them up, GERMANS' HAUL IN THE ISLANDS. SEVERAL VESSELS CAPTURED.

The steamer Moresby brings news that the Burns, I'hilp and Co.'s steamer lnduna is held by the Germans as a prize at Johict, in the Marshall Island. The captain and crew, also Mr Ilaajes, the company's agent, are safe, held as prisoners of war. The firm's other island steamers are safe.

The Germans captured a Japanese steamer and trapped a number of other vessels at Island ports before any but themselves were aware of the declaration of war. ACTIVITY IN THE ADRIATIC. AUSTRIAN WARSHIPS CORNERED AT OATTARO. FINAL ASSAULT DELAYED. Times ond Sydney Sun Services. London, September 23. Operations against Cattaro by the French fleet have been suspended, and will not be resumed until the combined naval and military assault is made. There are a number of Austrian warships at Cattaro. Several made unsuccessful attempts to escape the vigilance of the French fleet.