The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-06-20
WARSHIP TOWED IN,
MEN THOUGHT SAFE
Wireless Calls Brought Aid
to Vessel Rammed by
Cruiser.

LONDON, June 20.-The story Of the
collision OF the British warship Sappho
with the Wilson liner Sappho before
midnight is replete with deeds of hero
ism on the part of the 800 bluejackets
aboard.
Not less worthy of notice was the
fact that great loss of life was probably
prevented by the use of wireless calls
for help and the speedy response Of
numerous tugs from Dungeness which
rushed out in the fog 20 the aid of the
rammed man-of-War.
So far as can now be ascertained, all
on board were saved. The big boat
itself raised from her fOundered posi-
ton by the help of powerful salvage
pumps was toWed into Dover harbOr
today and beached.
The Warship was proceeding slowly on
DungeneSS in a dense FOG with ali nanuS
except the watch and the captain asleep
I'm their hammoclcs, many of them be
low decks when +he Wilson liner OF the
same name crashed into the bow OF the
vessel. Immediately backing away she
left a great hole, into which the sea
rushed in torrents. causing the warship
to sink rapidly by the fore.
Send &c. o. D."
At once the wireless &c. Q. d. was
sent hurtling through tie air for aid
The response was immediate, and as
good luck had it the sinking ship
was near the shore.
Throughout the vessel Immediately
after the impact every light except the
OIL lamps went out and the kissing OF
she boiler fires as they spluttered under
the rush of waters and the cries OF the
sailors added to the confusion. The
captain ana his officers at once called
through negaphones for every man to
get to hic station as the ship was fast
going down.
The call was needed with the most
perfect discipline. Every man who was
free at once bent all his efforts TO aid
ing his more unfortunate fellows caught
below in the swirl OF waters. For the
half hour between the collision and the
laundering OF the boat there were
countless deeds of heroism performed
The men formed themselves into brig
AIDES and many plunged below with
ropes fastened TO their bodies to rescue
the sailors caught in their hammocks.
4 number we're brought up in this way
The efforts of the seamen were encour-
aged by the officers and everything was
done with as great GOODNESS and dis
patch as if the men had been on drill.
Sleeping Men Stunned.
A number of the sleeping men had
been more or less injured and stunned
Dy tho waters and the sudden Earring
of the boat Several were unconscious.
All these men were saved by the intrep-
idity Of their mates who strapped life
preservers to them and, assisted in this
way in their rise 10 the surface. dragged
them to rhe decks.
When IL became evident that nothing
could save the boat the word was pass
ed from the bridge to form in line and
prepare for tie descent into the tugs
/ which had a. the meantime steamed
alongside.
with the same admirable precision
| and GOODNESS that had characterized
their actions the men made the descent
carrying With them their wounded com
rades. The Warship lurched in the mid
ole Of the emFdrkation and many or
the sailors taking time By the forelock
Jumped for their lives.
No sooner were the last men of in
Guiding the captain who stuck to his
post till the last than the Sappho
MANY Of the floating sailors were
/ picked up clinging TO bits OF wreckage;
some Of them swan in the wrong di-
rectiOn, but The fog fortunately lifting
| they were soon rescued. A hurried
muster Of the crew on shore showed
practically every one safe
No help was received from the VIII
son line boat which Immediately after
the collision disap peared in the fog.
/ The identity Of the liner was not learn
/ ed until this afternoon. She was on
the way from Norway and was due al
I Hull her home port tonight, and sig
nailed her owners this afternoon that
she was unchanged and that all on
board were safe. She carried only a
| few passengers.
Sappho Drill Ship.
/ The Sappho was launched at the Pop
| lar Works on May 9, 1891. She is a drill
| ship for the Royal Navy Reserve and
/ has been detached until recently fol
duty in connection with the Newfound-
| land fisheries. she is a two-screw yes
| sci, 6tted with two tunnels and two pole
masts. Her displacement is S,400 tons
! her length IS 800 feet, beam 43 feet and
mean draugnt 10 feet. She is protected
| by a steel deck of one to two inches
! thickness and has protection for her en-
/ gines which v ere designed by Penn
! She develops 100 horsepower and has
/ speed of 1915 knots.
/ The Sapph6 has four torpedo tubes
! and carries twelve 14-inch tOrpedOes
/ She is equipped with two six-inch quick
/ fre guns, six 47-inch quick-fiTe guns
! eight FOUNDERS, one three-poundeT
1 one held gun and four machine guns
| Her complement is 30 officers and men