Maritime Activities

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 177, 5 January 1915, Page 5

Maritime Activities

THE LOST BATTLESHIP. "BE BRITISH." A CAPTAIN* HERO AMONG SAILOR HEROES. Received fi, 1.25 a.m. London, January 5. The last words Loxley was heard to utter were: "Steady, men! It's all right. No panic. Bo British!" The captain's dog stood at his side as the Formidable sank.

The missile missed the magazine by 10 feet, and entered the dynamo-room, and rendered the wireless useless. Some of the crew wrapped their clothes round the midshipmen. The order was: "Boys first, all the way!" accounting for the rescue of so many of them.

AW OFFICER'S STORY. NOT THE SLIGHTEST PANIC. "INTO THE WATER WITH YOU." THE CAPTAIN'S LAST ORDER. Received 4, 10.15 p.m. London, January 4. An officer of the H.M.S. Formidable states: "I was sleeping in my hammock and was awakened by a tremendous crash. An inrush of water flooded the boiler-rooms, stopping the electric light and steam-power. The men worked in such an orderly maimer that four boats were got away, each manned by its own crew. The men on the upper deck were ordered to collect all pieces of wood. "A scond explosion a quarter of an liour later seemed to have been caused by the boilers bursting, and a tremendous amount of wreckage and ashes was shot out of the funnels. A great inrush of •vatcr almost righted the vessel. "There was not the slightest panic. The men, scantily clothed, stood for a long time on the upper deck in the biting wind, each with a piece of woodwork. Everyone thought the ship would hold out.

"Then, came a terrible list, and after an uncomfortable three-quarters of tin liour the captain left the bridge and exclaimed, 'lnto the water with you. She's going.' The vessel was then nearly flat on her side. Hundred!! climbed over the rails on the upper side and stood in two ranks awaiting orders, when the captain shouted, 'l'll slide down into the sea,' and the others slipped back on the starboard side.

"Many were injured by the turrets. I could hear the. groans in the water. The last I saw of Captain Loxley he was standing on the boat-deck shouting to the men to get into the water. Then the vessel sank by the head, arid the captain was sucked down."

VERDICT AT THE INQUEST. Received 4, 11.30 p.m. London, January 4. At the inquest on the Formidablc's victims at Lyme Regis, the verdict, was that tiiey died from exposure, liing, a petty officer, gave evidence .that he was in the turret at the timty-and thought tlie explosion was gunfire.

SUFFERINGS OF THE RESCUED. London, January 3. It is stated that the explosion which destroyed the Formidable occurred abaft of the magazine, and an unbearable stench rose from the explosives. The vessel, which was the last of the line of battleships, continued to sound her hooter while sinking, and Hashed signals while she foundered. Some of the survivors have reached Lmye Regis in the Formidablc's cutter afteii twenty-two hours. There were originally about seventy on board. It is believed that twenty perished and tlie others were almost exhausted. Niiu died after landing. Leading-Stoker Parr relates that lit was asleep in his bunk and was awakened by a gigantic explosion at 2 o'clock on Friday morning. The crew rushed on deck half-dressed. There was no panic and the orders given were obeyed as if at manoeuvres. While the boats were being lowered, the /boilers exploded. It was impossible to lower the pinnaces without steam, and they were able to lower only the sailing cutters. Parr relates that his boat stood by for an hour. Two boats got away afterwards and those with the ltrst boat were lost sight of in the heavy seas. The Formidable fired rockets. The last they saw of the crew who were left on board they were standing on the foraleck smoking and talking. All the officers were at their posts. Heavy seiiis swamped the cutter, and the rudder was swept away. Tliey were without a compass and their coats, caps, and sea boots were used for bailing. (About five o'clock in the morning they unsuccessfully attempted to attract the attention of a passing liner. Tlic men, who were only half dressed, felt the cold bitterly. The coxswain and several others died from exhaustion and dropped overboard after they had sighted land. They rowed all day without food.

Mr 11. Carricli, one of the oldest of Ntw Zealand journalists, died at Nelson on Christinas Eve. The deceased in his youth served articles with a Glasgow legal firm, but abandoned the la,w lor press work. He arrived in New Zealand about IbUO, and in the following year walked from Duncdin to Invereargill, there being no road or regular «ueh servie: l .. i'or some time lie was deployed as reporter on the Southland Nnvs, and was at the time of his death the only surviving member of tiie then staff. Later lie started a paper In River I, on, which then promised to be an important shipping centre. Hopes were not realised, and Mr Carrick left for the West i.'oast, which was then in tli" zinitii of a mining boom. He returned to Of ago, was at Gabriel's Gully, Tuapeka. and the Shotover in their 'palmy uays, when thousands from all quarters hastened thither in quest of the precious metal, which was being unearthed at a sensational rate. Mr Carrick was one of those, who started tile Cromwell Argus, hut did not remain long in Central Otago. Proceeding to the North Island, lie established the Waikato Times, and later a paper in M'asterton. For some years he was engaged in Parliamentary icporting. and he acted as private secretary to Mr John Sheehan, Kativa Minister in Sir George Grey's Cabinet. Later he edited the AYairnea Plains Review, established by Mr H. S. \filontitic, and on that journal ceasing publication took up free lance work, contributing articles to various journals He was an enthusiastic student of Now Zealand's early history,, and wrote extensively on Maori traditions as well as 'publishing a book, "New Zealand Far South," dealing with our outlying islands, tha Campbell?, AuckTartda 'and llricquanea.