A LINER'S NEAR CALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 189, 19 January 1915, Page 7

A LINER'S NEAR CALL.

EXPLOSION OF TWO MINKS.. VYFLLIXGTOX MFltl HANTS J'.XPJORIFXCF. Some se\en months ago or so Mr, Arthur (ieorge, of Ccorge, Doughty and Co.. left for America by the Niagara, ar.,l had readied New York when war was declared. "lOvervlhing came to a standstill .in New York," «ii«l George."The shipping was all dreadfully hampered, cargo bewail to pile up everywhere on the waterfront, the hanks would give out no gold -in fact, the city was in a stale of panic. I had booked to cross the Atlantic by the Maiirelania, but you will remember'that i-he was chased or put' into Ilalifar. As there were no British limits venturing out from New York to Kiighind 1 left for Quebec to do some business there 1 had nil my things on the train ready to start back for New York when 1 heard that there was a steamer named the Scandinavia leaving in half an hour for Glasgow. I rushed my things on board and sailed on her a 'passenger steamer, but all one class. We boiled at top s l"-'' u trough ll fll .-' for the first two days after the river, and arrived in il'.ie < urse at (11-jr-jmv without mishap. . A SHOCK AT MO A. •it was on the return voyage io NewYork that a most remarkable thing was experienced." continued Mr. (ieorge. "1 had left Liverpool for New York on Sunday evening, December (i. We proceeded bv the Transylvania on the usual course, but did not' call as usual at Qucciistown. When oil' the extreme south-west point of Ireland at about 3 a.m. on Tuesday December S, we were ail awakened by'a terrillie explosion. The steamer seemed to go up, and then down, until everyone conceived the idea that we had struck a mine and were sinking. "As soon as possible everyone, rushed upon deck to lind things in a state of chaos The decks were still streaming with water, orders were being given, anil there was a great deal of excitement, but fortunately, no panic. TWO MINES IX COLLISION.

"What had occurred we found out afterwards. It was a fine, moonlight, night, and there was a good sea running, and the Transylvania was making excellent progress, when, to the amazement of the officers on watch, two terrific explosions right ahead in tlie ship's course, only a few yards away, The first one was a muffled roar and the second a shattering crash. There was no doubt about it—two mines had bumped together and exploded within a second of one another, and that right under the nose of our ship BOATS TORN FROM THEIR DAVITS, "You can judge of the force of the concussion when I tell you that the lattice shutter of my port was smashed to pieces. The officer of the watch was knocked insensible, whether by concussion or through the vast volume =of water which descended on the decks, threatening to overwhelm the vessel, I cannot say. Tons, hundreds of tons of water poured over the decks, the boats were torn from the davits, and smashed, the gangway steps and rail were broken away, and much other damage was done about the decks. "The wonderful thing is that no one was injured. The passengers soon 'swarmed up on deck in a state of great alarm, but reassurances were given that no serious damage had been done to the ship. Of course, the affair was almost the sole topic of conversation for the rest of the trip. "It was really a wonderful experience. The odds were ten million to one against two floating mines meeting in such a manner immediately in front of an oncoming liner. Had they not met just at at moment they did, the Transylvania would probably have struck them both at the same time, been blown to pieces, and all hands would have perished."