Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1914-11-17
.AUDACIOUS
is SUNK
A Mighty British War Vessel
Sent To Bottom and Eng
land COncealS News.

lands greatest fighting ships. She
was classed as superdreadnought.
She was built in 1913, had displace-
ment of % 900 tons, cost SO, S26, 535,
had a crew of 900 men and a speed
of % knots. She carried 10 13.5-inch
rifles, IL 6.inch rifles, 2 3-inch and 4
smaller.
New York, Nov. l6.- Rumors of
disaster to the British superdread.
nought Audacious, which have per-
sisted ever since the White Star liner
Olympic, diverted from her course,
arrived at Tough Swilly on Oct. 20,
are confirmed in mail advices re-
ceived here by the Associated Press
from a point in Ireland.
After a career of less than two
years the Audacious of the King
George V class-third in tonnage and
armament of his majesty's warships
lies at the bottom of the ocean off
the north coast of Ireland. She was
hit by torpedo or disabled by a
mine just before 9 o'clock on the
morning of Oct. q. With the pos
sible exception Of one or two men
the whole crew of 900 officers and
men was rescued by small boats from
the Olympic.
The rescue was made in a rough
sea, through brilliant and daring
seamanship on the part of the White
Star crew.
The battleship's cry for assistance
was caught up by the wireless oper-
ator of the Olympic, which was only
about ten miles distant. The steam
er rushed forward at full speed,
while her crew made ready for their
work. Volunteers were called for,
and double the number necessary to
man the life boats responded. The
crippled battleship was reached a
few minutes after 9 o'clock and be-
fore noon all but 100 of her men had
been transferred.
By that time the battleship had a
decided list at the stern where just
below the water line she had received
her wound. Two of her engines
were unframed, but the one aft
was put out of commission.
After taking off all the officers and
crew who would leave the cruiser
Liverpool, and several other war
ships which had come up, stood by.
Late in the afternoon it was decided
to abandon the Audacious, and the
officers and men who had remained
on board reluctantly left her.
The flotilla of rescue ships contin.
ued to stand by, however, until 8
o'clock that evening, when terrific
explosion occurred on board, and the
Audacious plunged stern first and in
a moment had disappeared.
The explosion is supposed to have
been caused by shells set loose by the
listing of the battleship. A bit OF
armor plate, torn from the sinking
ship, struck the deck of the Liver
pool, killing a gunner. The Audaci
Gus met her fate twenty-five mile:
off the Irish coast, which the Olympic
was skirting. The liner sailed from
New York for Glasgow on Oct. 81
The Olympic passengers saw the
flash of the explosion and watched
the mighty warrior sink. Then theil
ship turned her prov toward Lougf
swiftly. An immediate investigation
of the loss of the battleship was or
dered.
| Charles M. Schwab was the only
passenger who left the Olympic be
fore it locked at Belfast on Nov. z
The Olympic carried about SO'
passengers. Nearly 100 of thes'
were English reservists. All passen
gers other than British were denieC
passage from Belfast to Liverpool
and were compelled to go to Dublin
which is an open port, to take boat
for England. Secrecy regarding thu
loss of the Audacious was enjoineC
upon the crew and passengers of thu
Olympic, who were urged to refrain
from discussing the naval TRACED!
(which they had witnessed, pending
complete investigation.
The destruction Of the Audaciou
lis the most serious single loss sus
tanned by the British navy since tn
opening of the hostilities. Only