STORY OF THE AUDACIOUS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 168, 22 December 1914, Page 7

STORY OF THE AUDACIOUS.

THIRD LARGEST SHIP IN THE NAVY. * WAS SHE HIT BY A TOREPIXH ALL THE CREW SAVED. Rumours of disaster to the British super-dreadnought Audacious, wliicli have, persisted ever since the White Siar liner Olympic, diverted from her course, arrived at Lough Swilly on October 2!), are confirmed in mail advices received by the Associated Press from a point i'.i Ireland, savs tlie New York Evening: Post, dated "November 11. After a career of less than two years, the Audacious, of the King George V. class —third in tonnage and armament : his Majesty's warships—lies at the bottom of the ocean on the north coast 01 Ireland. She was hit by a torpedo or disabled by a mine just before 9 o'clock on the morning of October 27. With the possible exception of' one or two men, the whole crew of 800 officers and men was rescued by small boats from the Olympic. The rescue was made in a rough sea through brilliant and daring seamanship on the part of the White Star crew. The battleship's cry for assistance was caught by the wireless operator of the Olympic, which was only about ten miles distant. The liner rushed forward it full speed, while her crew made ready for their work. Volunteers were called for, and double the number necessary to man the lifeboats responded. The x crippled battleship was readied a few . minutes after !) o'clock, and before nooa all but 100 of her men had been transferred. I 1 BULKHEADS GIVE WAY. By that time the battleship had a decided list at the stern, where just, below the waterline she had received h: - wound. Two of her engines were unharmed, but the one aft v, as put out of commission. After taking off all the officers and crew who would leave their ship, Captain Haddock, of the Olympic, turned his attention to an attempt to save the warship. A cable was given her, but it snapped as it tightened. Meanwhile the bulkheads began to give way, and it was soon apparent that it would 3e. impossible to tow the ship or keep h :r long afloat. The cruiser Liverpool and sever:;! other warships which had come up, stood by. Late in the afternoon it was decided to abandon the Audacious, and the officers and men who had rcmainel aboard reluctantly left her. The flotillA. of rescue ships continued to stand by, howevei-, until 9 o'clock that evening, when a terrific, explosion occurred <on board, and the Audacious plunged stern first and in a moment had disappeared. Tire explosion is supposed to have been caused by shells let Uosc by-the listing of the battleship. A bit of armour plate torn from the sinking ship struck the deck of the Liverpool, cutting the legs from under a gunner. The man died in a short time. OLYMPIC HAD BEEN WARNED. The Audacious met her fate 25 miles off the Irish coast, which the Olympic was skirting. The liner sailed fro n \ New York for Glasgow on October 21. She had been warned that there were German mines oil' Tory Island, and fe.rof these mines was the oflicial explanation when she unexpectedly put into Lough Swilly. The Olympic's passengers saw the flash of the explosion and watched the mighty warrior sink. Then iheir ship turned her prow toward Lough Swilly. Small craft cleared the route to make sure it was free from mires. From October 27 to November 2, th.; I Olympic lay at Lough Swilly, dur'nu; which time no one. but naval officers were allowed to board her. An immediate investigation of the loss of the battleship was begun. Charles M. Schwab was the only passenger who left the ship before it (locked at Belfast on November 2. Vice-Admiral Sir John R. .Tellicoe, commander of the home fleet, visited the scene of the disaster on November I, and it was with him that Mr Schwab went to London. Even officers of the White Star Linewere not permitted to board the Olympic at Lough Swilly, and all supplies were taken aboard by men of the navy. After the steamship entered Belfast harbour one of the waiters on board was arrested, ejiargcd with being a spy, and detained for examination. The Olympic carried about 300 passengers. Nearly 100 of these were English reservists. ' All passengers other than English were denied passage, from Belfast to Liverpool, and were compelled to go to Dublin, which is an open port, to' take boats for England. Secrecy regarding the loss of the Audacious was enjoined upon the crew and passengers of the Olympic, who were urged to re frain from discussing the naval tragedy which they had witnessed, pending .i complete investigation. The crew of the Audacious was removed from the liner as soon as warships for the purpese were available. HIGH SEA WAS RUNNING. " 'The crew of the Olympic was i!:(>gnificent," said one of the passengers. "A warship's crew could nor nave acted with greater courage and precision. Everything was in readiness for launching -tin boats as soon as the Olympic was within reach of the Audacious. This liner's j crew was not daunted by the high «ea J which was running. Some of the'boats s were capsized, but the men were fit, and ! T understand that there was only one I life lost in the sea." iVhiic it, the vicinity of Lough Swilly the, passengers of the Olympic saw many small boats sweeping for mines, though ! with what success they could not know. | Many of the passengers expressed the » belief that the sinking of the Audacious possibly saved the Olympic, which wouid otherwise have entered a mine field. Others held to the. theory that a submarine torpedoed the warship, baling their opinion on the. fact that she. was wounded astern rather than forward, which would more likely be the case i! she had come in contact with a swumerged explosive.