THE LOST CRUISERS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 141, 9 November 1914, Page 2

THE LOST CRUISERS.

EIGHT TOEPJ3DOB3 FIRED. GERMAN SUIiMARIJiE BUNK. Describing the arrival of tlie survivors of the three cruisers Hogiue, Oressy, and Aboukir, a London paper says:—_ Fresh from their tragic adventure in the Nortli Sea, but cheery and lighthearted, the raeni of 4he sunken skips waved tlieir hands and caps and cheered back. They were not downhearted. Out of compliment to soldiejs oil the fiiay. 'they sang snatches of "Tnwerary," and "Because they liked it," and snatches of "Who's your Lady Friemli;" Such a y«liftßfl's army they looked as jUtJ' swarmed Up to tbc pier! Yfcfy few of tlicm wer# WeaV':"g clothes to which they could Jay claim, ami a stout bearded man, hi an able; seaman's Hit, three sizes too sip,'ill, admitted that lie was a haughty warrant oll'iecr when at home. Their 'baggage they carried in brown paper parcels or cardboard boxes.

"Just a singlet, as a souvenir of senbatih'.ng exercise,'" explained one, wh« had spent two hours in the sea after his ship went down. I discussed, writes a correspondent, the submarine attack with a group of warrant and petty officers from the Hogue and Cresßv. On two points in particular I desired information: First, were the cruisers attacked by only one submarine, as reported from Berlin; and, second, was any {lerman steamer sunk. The testimony was unanimous, and 'the men were speaking not only of what they had seen themselves, but also of what they had heard from all the rent of the survivors they had met. They say at least five, and probably seven, submarines were engaged, and that the Cressy sank at least one of them, if not >t«o. It was ail over in three-quarters of an hour.

"The Aboukir was hit at about (MS," flaid one man. 'We heard' a dull boom, and she began to heel over. The other cruisers- stopped at once to pick up the survivors. A minute or two before seven o'clock the Hogue was struck, and almost immediately she was struck again—just two terrific bangs. Wile new at once that we were, done for. Captain Nicholson, who was on the bridge at the time, was as cool as a cucumber. Tie gave us the word to pitch over everything that would float, to take off our clothes, and to look after ourselves.

"It w:ts done shipshape: the navy rule is to keep youv mouth shut, and do your job well. We did rt. It went "It, iw yv.i iKMflvfc say, just like evolutions. The ship turned over, and we saw the captain sliding down the keel into the water. Although the llogue was struck second, she was the first to sink. She weiii down in seven minutes. The Aboukir, which kept afloat for twenty-five minutes, sank a iirtuiu'te or two afterwards.

"While we were in the water the Cressy was struck, and she remained afloat for fifteen minutes. These times were officially recorded on the Cressy. Both torpedoes struck the Hogue on Die starboard side, one amid"il:ps, the other a little farther astern. By one of the explosions Lieutenant-Commander Core, and a petty officer were Mown ten feet into the, air, and both w<ere .saved. Lots of men hii'l time to put' lifebelts on. The majority of them, though not ill, could swim. O.Lost of the seamen lost their lives bv reason of ;i confused roiling sea, which broke over their heads and sutl'oeatixl them before tlu-y could be. rescued."

The potty officer of tlic Cres.sy sayw: "IE you want proof that fchw'c were moiv submarines than one here it, is: At least eight torpcilow were ftral. The Abou'kir and Creasy wprc hit one each, ami tho lioguc twice, while fyur missed. X.nv, a.i far as xve know, no German submarine carried more than three torpedoes. Again, we waited a r.ubmariue. on our port beam, and sank her, for tlu> hit was observed. aaid a hi;;' jet ol eiimpi'esx'd .smoke came hissing tliroujrh the-water. "Immediately afterwards we were attacked m our starboard b'-'iim by another submarine. which struck us in No. 7 boiler-room. .1 saw tho torpedo coniwhile some two hundred yards away, ior it can be spotted from water, but wc were helpless against her, for, liavinc; stopped to pick lip men in the sea, we had no way on. Wo were just dead targets and had not a ghost of a flianoo. Wo saw tire .periscopes of other submaritits. It was difficult to aim atl them for tho water wag thick with men and reecning boats, and we hsul to wait our chance. We hope we sank the second submarine hut nobody can be sure. As we canted over it was impossible to train our gims."'