ON THE SEA.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 March 1916, Page 5

ON THE SEA.

LOSS OF THE SUSSEX. FURTHER DETAILS. Paris, March 26. Andrew McNarg, an Australian station owner, who was on board the ■Sussex, interviewed, said he was knocked flat by the explosion. The first lifebelt contained principally women and children. It struck the side of the ship. Many were injured while jumping into the boats. Mr. McNarg entered the last bont, but, fearing it would sink, he swam back to the Sussex and was hauled on board. A French corporal states that a German submarine was seen after the Sussex was torpedoed. There i s much anxiety as to the fate of Professor James Baldwin, the famous psychologist, who, it is believed, was a passenger on the Sussex". SURVIVORS' ACCOUNTS. London, March 20. The pasengers on the Sussex totalled 386, of whom 09 were landed at Dover. Though the steamer's rockets were clearly visible, a sailing vessel came within 500 yards of the boat sent to seek sircom- and proceeded in an opposite direction. Messrs Crocker and Penfield, two Americans, are in hospital at Dover with their skulls fractured. Miss Baldwin, of New York, was killed and two other Americans are missing. Two badly wounded pasengers died on board the British destroyer. As the boilers of the Sussex continued to work after the explosion, the electric i;»M ndped to cheer the passengers while awaiting rescue. The damage extended to the captain's bridge. There was great destruction of the vessel's interior. The diningroom was wrecked and several persons were killed there. The capsizing of a lifeboat was due to passengers getting on board against the officers' advice. Many of the occupants were drowned. Others jumped, missed the boats and perished.

SCENE OX BOARD. A passenger stated that the scene on board the Sussex was most desolating. Crowds were awaiting what seemed inevitable death. The passengers were on rafts or clinging to pieces of wood and looking for help, which, owing to the mishap to the aerial, was not forthcoming. Womes were baling with hats and handbags, but owing to the ground swell the water increased. Those clinging to the rafts and wreckage returned on board at 7 in the evening. The sailors of the Sussex were splendid anil selfsacrificing throughout. M. Bardac, a Parisian banker, had his legs badly crushed. He says that there was a blinding crash and tremendous upheaval. The miraculous feature was that, although one-third of the Sussex was blown away she did not settle a single inch. WATER-TIGHT COMPARTMENTS. London, March 20. The buoyancy of the Sussex was due to the strength of her water-tight compartments. The passengers included several nurses with all their equipment handy, who quickly attended to many shocking cases of injury. Two Americans in Paris and London signed depositions that they saw the torpedo. AMERICA ORDERS INQUIRY.

~7FECT ON STOCKS. Washington, March 20, Mr. Lansing lias ordered an inquiry into the loss of the Sussex and Englishman. New York, March 26. Stocks declined sharply on reports that some Americans on board the Sussex perished. (The Sussex was a vessel of 1353 tons, with a speed of 21 knots. She was owned by the French State Railways.) PRESS COMMENT. London, March 28. The Observer, commenting on the massacre, says the caso in principle Is the same as that of the Lusitania, and imposes newer and more acute problems on America and Britain. It is inconceivable that America will allow her citizens to be murdered with impunity, 'or that she will seek fresh explanations, 'disavowals and apologies as worthless as 'the former. The British Admiralty must grapple with a more severe tusk than before, ■as the new German submarines are beginning to take toll. We have in nowise fathomed the reasons for von Tirpitz's real or pretended retirement. MOEWE'S RIVAL. INTERESTING PARTICULARS. RESPECT FOR GERMAN DEAD. London, March 26. Two of the crew of the Greif were buried in Edinburgh with the utmost respect. The coffins were placed on a guncarriage, covered with tho German flag, and drawn by six horses, and German officers and men were in the procession. The public respectfully saluted the rei mains. The Germans were unable to conceal their surprise. It transpires that at one time the Alcantara observed the Greif with two funnels, then with three, and next with one. The Alcantara's guns were trained on the stranger, and her first shot carried away the bridge and everything on it. The Greif was a light armored cruiser with? two 7in. guns, six 4in. guns, and three torpedo tubes. She left Wilhel.mshaven at the beginning of the month. ! The Alcantara was dissatisfied with the Greif's assurance that she was a peaceful merchantman, and lowered a boat. The Moewe's tricks were repeated. A button was pressed and the merchantman transformed into a foe, and the tliree torpedo tubes immediately worked. The first missed, but the second and third found their mark. The British commander, like a flash, ordered a terrific oroadside into the enemy, whose delirium of delight was turned into tense anxiety. Though the British gunners were surrounded by stricken men and the Alcantara mortally wounded, they worked feverishly to do the utmost damage, and the guns raked the Greif until both were sinking. The Greif fqundeted with a number of her ore* •;