A NAVAL DISASTER.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9078, 30 April 1908, Page 5

A NAVAL DISASTER.

CABLE NEWS.

United Press Association—By Electric Tolegiaph Copyright.

A DESTROYER CUT IN HALF.

Received April 29, 8.54 a.m. LONDON, April 28

The scout shin Attentive rammed the torpedo boat destroyer Gala during the night manoeuvres on the Kentish Knock sandbank. The G&la was cut in halves and sank.

Engineer-Lieutenant Drought was killed in his berth.

Fifteen destroyers accompanied the Attentive, which struck the Gala abaft the engine-room. The forepart sank; the afterpart, with the crew, was towed into shallow water, a destroyer going there and rescuing them.

The scout Adventure also damaged the destroyer Riddle, which has returned to Sheerness.

Received April 29, 11.30 p.m. LONDON, April 29,

The Admiralty state that Lieutenant Fletcher, and not Lieutenant Drought, is missing. The Gala and fifteen destroyers attacked the Attentive. The Adventure, Gale, Ripple and Treviot, going at a speed of 12 knots, attacked the Attentive, which, when seeing a collision was inevitable, turned on her searchlight. The Attentive struck the Gala on the port side cutting her completely in two. The forepart soon sank and the stern part floated away and subsequently sank. The crew were rescued except Lieut. Fletcher, who is supposed to have been killed while asleep in his cabin. The Attentive after getting clear of the Gala struck the Kipple making a large hole in the side of the latter.