DESTRUCTION OF THE LUSITANIA

New Zealand Tablet, 13 May 1915, Page 29

DESTRUCTION OF THE LUSITANIA

HEAVY eLOSS OF LIFE. A sensation was created in Dunedin on Saturday morning when news came to hand that the mammoth Cunard liner, Lusitania, had been torpedoed off the Old Head of Kiusale, on Friday afternoon. When the steamer was about to leave New York., numerous anonymous telegrams were received by wealthy Americans on board warning them that the liner would be. torpedoed. Relatives of the passengers beseeched them to abandon the voyage,'but the majority decided to remain on board, as they felt that the threat was an idle one. It is stated that there were on board 290 first-class passengers, 652 second, 361 third, with 665 officers and crew. The first-class passengers were having lunch at the time of the disaster. It appears that the Lusitania was torpedoed without warning, at about 2 p.m. The signalman at Kinsale Head observed the liner in difficulties at 2.12 p.m. Apparently the first wireless appeal for help was picked up at Queenstown three minutes later. Twenty boats were counted on the scene immediately after. A later message states that the Lusitania was struck forward! There was a loud explosion, and portions of the splintered hull were sent flying in the air. A few seconds later another torpedo, struck her. The crew immediately got the passengers into the boats. Everything was done in an- orderly manner. Some of the boats could not be launched, and had to be cut away as the vessel was sinking. There were a largo number of women in the second-class, and about. 40 babies,

A cable received on Tuesday stated that 105 first' saloon, 93 second, and eight third were saved. /The Cunard Company reports that the survivors number 487 passengers, arid 274 of the crew. Among the passengers was the Rev. Father* Maturin, the distinguished writer and preacher, who was received into the Church in 1897, and ordained priest in the following year by Cardinal Vaughan.