ON THE SEA.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 January 1916, Page 5

ON THE SEA.

ANOTHER OUTRAGE. LOSS OF CLAN MACFARLANE ADRIFT IN OPEN BOATS. SURVIVORS' TERRIBLE EXPERTENCES. Received Jan, 1(1, 5.3 p.m. London, Jan. 15. The Clan Macfarlane was torpedoed without warning. .There was a heavysea, and no one on board saw the attacker until the crew, realising that the ship was doomed, took to the boats. The submarine then appeared on the surface and asked Captain Swanston ' to name the nationality and give other details of the vessel. The submarine's 'commander appeared to be a bundle of nerves, and showed great restlessness and uneasiness while the submarine was shelling the Clan Macfarlane to hasten her sinking. When this was accomplished the submarine disappeared, leaving seventy-four men to face death. Europeans and Lascars were tightly packed in the boats, which were tied together. They battled against moiintainont sens for three days, and the rations were reduced to half a biscuit and half a dipper of water twice daily. Two boats broke away on January 2 and were not seen again. Some of the Lascars and the weaker European men were now dying of exposure. Captain Swanston's boat broke loose on the 4th and drifted away, sharing the fate of the earlier boats. The three remaining boats became waterlogged and the occupants were nearly dead from exposure and starvation. They drifted helplessly for three days and nights, being tossed hither and thither on the raging sea. Eleven more Lascars died, and the survivors were in an utter collapse. They gave up all hope, but on January 7, after eight days' agony, they attracted the attention of a British ship, which brought them to Malta. Twenty-four survivors are now in the Seamen's Rest at Malta, little the worse for their experience. (A brief cable from Malta, dated January 12, stated that the Clan Macfarlane was sunk on December 30. The chief officer, engineer, Four other officers and eighteen Lascars were picked up. Thirteen Lascars died in the boat.)

BLOWN UP. UNITED STATES SUBMARINE. , Received Jan. 10, 5.5 p.m. New York, Jan. 15. The United States submarine E6 was blown up and sunk in the 'Brooklyn naval yards. Twenty of the crew are believed to have been killed. It was an internal explosion, the cause of which is unknown. SPANISH STEAMER MINED. TWENTY-FIVE DROWNED. Received Jan. 10, 5.5 p.m, London, Jan. 15. The Spanish steamer Bayo was mined and sank off Chussirou. Twenty-live of those on board were drowned. AUSTRIAN DESTROYER SUNK. Received Jan. IS, 5.5 p.m. Rome, Jan. 15. The French submarine Foueault torpedoed and sank an Austrian scout of the Novara type near Oattaro.