The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1908-04-08
WARSH|PS Collide;
TH|RTY-SIX perish
BRITISH VESSELS, BERWICK AND
TIGER, MEET OFF THE ISLE
OF WIGHT.
DESTROYER IN DARK
is HIT BY CRUISER
Night Maneuvers, Under Masked
Lights, Result in Disaster-Small
Boat Attempts to Cross Bow OF
Man.of-War. Causing Catastrophe.

Portsmouth, England, Apr. A.
Thirty-six men, including Lieut.. Mid.
dleton, the commander of the torpedo.
boat destroyer Tiger, lost their lives
in the collision off the Isle of Wight
between that vessel and the British
cruiser Berwick. The vessels belong
to the Portsmouth division of the
British home fleet and were engaged
in night maneuvers in the channel
while on their way to Portland. The
night was very dark and the Berwick
was steaming slowly. When the de-
stroyer attempted to cross the big
cruisers bow she was caught mid
ships and cut in half with knife-like
precision, sinking almost Immediately.
The deck crew, who were dressed in
heavy oil skins and boots, went down
with the vessel, not having time to
free themselves from these heavy en-
cumbrances. Of the % men who were
rescued most of them were engineers
and stokers who, having light clothing
were able to keep themselves afloat
until boats from other ships, which
were Immediately launched, picked
them up.
Masked Lights Cause Collision.
The collision occurred While the
ships We're maneuvering without
lights. 1t is believed that several of
the men were killed by the impact.
Tugs were dispatched to the scene of
the disaster Friday and divers made
an attempt to recover the bodies of
the men who We're drowned. The
smaller vessels were in the midst of
an attack on their bigger consorts
when the disaster occurred. The en-
tire fleet was under masked lights,
and in the absolute darkness the Tiger
was suddenly struck square amidships
by the Berwick. The sharp stem of
this vessel, to use the words of an eye
witness. cut the destroyer in two as
if she had been made of paper.
Sea Dotted with Victims.
The forward half sank instantane-
ously and the sea became dotted with
struggling men Most of them, how
ever, sank before help could reach
them. The warships in the immediate
vicinity quickly had their boats over
board and the scene of the tragedy
was brilliantly illuminated by con-
centration of searchlights. The after
portion of the Tiger floated for min
ute or two, just long enough to enable
those on board to seize life belts. They
threw themselves into the water and
were able to keep afioat until picked
up. Lieut.. William E. Middleton was
on the bridge at the time of the dis.
aster and went down with the fore
part of the ship. The Tiger had q
complement of SO men and was of 400 |
tons.
Eyewitness Tells Story.
An officer, who was an eyewitness
to the sinking of the Tiger, gave the
following account of the accident:
"The first we knew that anything had
happened was when we saw. flash
and heard a loud report. This we
supposed to be a gun. In reality
however, the flash and the report re-
suited from the sea water reaching the
boiler room of the Tiger, causing an
escape of steam which must have
scalded to death everybody that it
touched. The men in the stokeholds
must have met fearful end 1t was
horrible to see the forms struggling in
the water. Many of the men went
under just as help was within reach.
| do not think that there is any hope
OF salving the Tiger or recovering the
bodies, as the wreck lies in too deep
water"
The Tiger was in a serious accident
last September, when during night
maneuvers she piled herself up on the
Portland breakwater.