ON THE SEA.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 February 1916, Page 5

ON THE SEA.

P. AND 0, LINER SUNK. : NEAR DOVEft. A NUMBER OP LIVES LOST. London, Feb. 27. Tj.„ y „-6 report tliat they have just received word that the P. and 0. steamer Maloja, of 12,431 tons, was mined off Dover and sank. People are being picked up. She was bound to India with passengers and mails. A later message says it is believed that all the passengers and crew were rescued. The Maloja had 140 passengers on board. When she struck a terrific explosion occurred and scores of vessels weed to the scene, but it is feared there will be a loss of life. A steamer going to her assistance struck a mine and sank. Later (5.20 p.m.).—Twenty-five of the MalojVa bodies have been landed at Dover. Later (12.50 p.m.).—The steamer Empress of Fort William was mined and sunk while attempting to rescue the survivors from the Maloja. The crews were saved, « ..... , RESCUE STEAMER MINED. Official.—The majority of the Maloja's passengers were saved. The steamer mined while assisting the Maloja was the Empress of Fort William, csal-laden, bound for Dunkirk. She sank in half an hour. AJ! her crew were saved, AS SEEN FROM SHORE. A TEhILLING SIGHT. • Received Feb. 28, 5.5 p.m. London, Feb. 27. A violent explosion was heard at 11 o'clock this morning, and attracted crowds to the water-front. They saw the Maloja two miles distant, in difficulties, and in response to her S.O.S. call scores of patrol boats and trawlers appeared quickly from all directions. Motor-boats and tugs, launched from. Dover, also promptly raced to the rescue. T'<c Maloja soon began to settle down by th.: stern, where she was damaged, until th; seas were almost level with the bridge. Then she took a heavy listtu starboara, ~'""i"«llv rollinc until the starboard side was submerged anu decks were perpendicular. She remained thus for some time, and then siidAnly wallowed right eve- Mid completely capi sized, and alter showing a section a>* - her tec for some mi ant?/*-He jiio«»T. {•rn-n.yi-t * ~—-< \.'\x JJ» .. uwwiw ,i(l, , Meantime all sorts of craft were steadily engaged in the work of rescue. The list of the ship prevented the launching of boats on the port side, and those on the starboard side were jamming. Most of the survivors were taken direct from the sloping decks aboard the smaller craft. ANOTHER STEAMER SINKING. Watchers ashore had another thrilling experience half an hour later, when the Empress of Fort William was sunk half a S&ile distant. Her forepart remained above the sea for some time, with stern submerged, when she suddenly blew up and disappeared in a cleud of steam. The Maloja survivors were landed at the Admiralty pier, same being transferred to a hospital ship, while others are coming to London. The Maloja carried a valuable cargo.

A DRAMATIC STORY BY CAPTAIN OF RESCUING VESSEL. Received Feb. 28, 8.30 p.m. London, Feb. 27. Shepherd, captain of the Empress of F«rt William, says: On leaving the Downs .in the morning the Maloja was astern, but she soon overhauled and passed us with her superior speed. ' I saw the Maloja off the Downs, apparently held up waiting for examination by the patrol bosjt for permission to pass. We did not hear the explosion, and I was amazed to notice the Maloja down by the stern. I heard a loud blast of her whistle, and immediately went at full speed to tlfe rescue, but we were n long way astern. I saw the Maloja's boat 9 lying on their sides; they could not be lowered owing to the list. The passengers were lined up, reminding one of the picture of the sinking pf the Blucher. PHOTOGRAPHING THE SCENE. Captain Shepherd snapshotted the scene, and half an hour later lost his own boat and all ,his possessions, but he saved the entire crew of twenty. He is of opinion that the boats which endeavored to rescue the Maloja's complement kept too far away. If he had had the speed he would have run the Empress of Fort William alongside, but he was still a mile astern when his vessel was mined, sinking in 10 minutes. He 6aw many people standing on the decks of'the Maloja, apparently unable to get into the crowded boats.

PITIFUL SIGHTS

AN ABSENCE OF PANIC 44 BODIES RECOVERED. Received Feb. 28, 8.40 p.m. London, Feb. 27. X pitiful sijnt was the arrival- of the Maloja's survivors, by special train, at Victoria station. The procession included nearly a hundred Lascars, who were dejected and silent. Some were injured. Passengers state that the absence of panic was due to the nearness of the land and the wonderful promptitude of the scores of rescuers, who surrounded the vessel on all sides. The weather was .fair. No Australians were noticeable aboard. Forty-four bodies have .been recovered. SAD LOSS OF LIFE. MOST VICTIMS BELONG TO CREW. ißeceived Feb, 28, 10.50 p.m. "' London, Feb. 28. It is estimated that 264 out of 411 people aboard the Maloja have been saved. The bulk of the victims were Lascars. The explosion blew in the side of the second saloon and knocked several passengers who were on deck off their feet, a number being injured. The water immediately swamped the interior. There was a fairly heavy sea. There was no panic, but the Lascar crew were terrified, and one had to be knocked on the head with an oar to prevent him entering a boat before it was ready for the passengers. The ship's printer says the explosion was like that of a big gun. One boat was jammed, but an officer cut the ropes and the boat dropped thirty feet Into tlie water. A tug picked up , tho pilot, who left the Maloja' at Deal. He says the boats were swung out in readiness for any emergency, n nd many passengers possessed private lifebelts. .

TRAGIC OCCURRENCES. • iii CAPTAIN'S REPORT . %«>.<•s! Ffo. 29, .12.30 a.m. \' J ' London, Feb. 28. Soaw:,.ieatns Of the Maloja's rescued i .eurred from exhaustion aboard Mie rescuing vessels. The weather w*s intoiiseiy celd. Captain Irving'was the la-;t to leave the ship, and was picked up after half an hour's swim. All the officers and the engine-room's staff were saved. A child who was seen alone on a raft was rescued, but the fate of the mother, who was fastened to it, is unknown. Captain Irving reports that the Maloja struck a mine between Dover and Folkestone, the after-part being blown up. He tried to beach the -vessel, but a high sea was running, and the engine-room became full of water. The ship sank in about half an hour. All boats had been swung out before the accident in event of emergency. The while and colored crew behaved spishdidly. Several children were blown to pieces.. Out of 203 Lascars on board, 86 were saved. The majority of those rescued! were taken off rafts. One boat that was in the water drifted under a boat that was being lowered. The underneath boat capsized and only two occupants escaped.

THE FATAL MINES TAKE FURTHER TOLL. Received Feb. 29, 12.30 a.m. London, Feb. 28. The French steamer Trignac was mined and sunk in the North Sea, 2d people being drowned. The steamer Dido was mined and driven ashore in a gale at the mouth of the Humber. Twenty-six were drowned. A TRAGIC STORY. HEARTLESSXESS OF THE HUNS. London, Feb. 27. Captain Cargill, of the Liverpool steamer Belle of France, who has arrived home, tells a tragic story of German callousness. His vessel was torpedoed without warning 21 miles from Alexandria. A lifeboat with 24 men capsized. The men swam to the submarine and were allowed to clamber to the decks. Captain Cargill took the other lifeboats, intending to take off the men. The German commander threatened him with a revolver, went off a t full speed, and suddenly submerged, leaving the men to drown. Captain Cargill rowed to the spot as speedily aa oossible, but only saved THE CLAN McTAVISH. flfw London, February 28. The Clan McTavish'a crew, except the captain, two marines and native jrjw,

THE RAID OF THE MOEWE*

STORY OF THE WBSTBUB»i ' Received Feb. 28, 8.30 p.ni ' Tenerife, Feb. 2fc\ The Westburn left the Moewe on left ruary 9. The prisoners were given their choice of landing oh the Canaries or on tin unknown island close to the former. Tlie prisoners were constantly threatened by bombs wherewith tha prize, crew were armed. The German, captain expressed his intention of retaining one captain, one engineer, and one steward to guard against damage to machinery and the poisoning of the stores. The captain declared that the gunner! of the Clan MacTavish were detained aboard the Moewe because they worked the liners guns. The Lascar crew were also kept. The officers of the Westburn were detained on board the Moewe for ■taking false nationality signals before capture. While the Westburn wa* lying at Teneriffe the prisoners saw boats plying from other interned German vessels, and it is supposed they removed the Appam'a. gold, prize crews, munitions, and stores. A tug and launch accompanied the West* burn seawards later, when aho was) aaohored three-quarters of a mile'ofshore and sunk in forty-five minute*. The crew were taken off by a launch, and they informed the authorities tiat the Westburn had been accidentally sunk owing to the bursting of a boilet through continuous use of salt wattfc ANOTHER STEAMER SUNK. . Received Feb. 28, 8.35 p.m. JLondan,,Feb. 27. The steamer Mecklenburg, from Engs lend to Flushing, was mined and sunk. It is believed the passengers, crew and mails were saved. ,y THE SUBMARINE THREAT A POSSIBLE POSTPONEMENT.'. 1 Washington, Feb; 27. Senator Stone, chairman of the Senate Committee, states that he heard .In* directly .through a German official sourc* that Germany had postponed the inauguration of the new 'submarine proposal,