The Hayti herald. (Hayti, Mo.) 1908-1922, 1914-12-03
BuIWark Blown Up in Estuary of
River MedWay, Near
London.
ALMOST ENTIRE CREW GONE
Between 700 and 800 Men killed-se.
Iieved to Have Been Caused by Ex.
piosion Of the Maeazine-Russian
Claim Victory Which Is Denied by
serIin--LittIe Fighting in Flanders


London, Nov. 2S.--The battleship
Bulwark Of Great Britain was blown
UP and sunk Thursday in the estuary OF
the Midway river. Between 700 and
800 men were lost, including Capt.
Guy Belater, her commander, and all
her officers. Only IA of her crew were
saved.
1t is announced officially that the eX-
plosion was interior and originated In
the ships magazine.
The disaster is the most appalling,
with the exception of the loss OF the
Audacious, the British navy has suf-
fered in war. The men aboard her
had not fighting chance for their
lives. The boat sank in three min
utes.
The band was playing aboard the
BuIwark. Near her were anchored
several other ships.
Churchill Announces Disaster.
Suddenly a terrific explosion oc-
CURED in the bowels of the ship. A
great cloud of smoke arose, envelop-
ing the Bulwark and shutting her from
sight. A great white flash of fire
streaked through the black veil; the
smoke cloud thickened and rolled out
ward and upward.
Announcement of the loss Of the Bull
in the house of commons by Winston
Churchill. first lord of the admiralty.
Only Fourteen Are Saved.
Mr.. Churchill's official statement fol-
lows:
The battleship Bulwark was lying
was blown up. The disaster occurred
at 1883 o'clock in the morning. The
ship was torn absolutely asunder and
had entirely disappeared when the
smoke cleared away. 1t is the opinion
of the admirals at Sheerness that the
ship was destroyed by an explosion of
the magazine. Only IA members of
the crew were saved. The destruction
of the Bulwark will not sensibly af-
feet our military or r)naval position"
Chief Loss Is In Men.
The Bulwark was of $1,000 tons dis
placement. 1t was laid down in 1889
and completed in 1902. 1t was All feet
long, rs feet wide, and drew 30 feet
of water Its armament consisted of
four 12-inch guns, u 6-inch guns, 16
12-pounders, six 3-pounders and four
submerged torpedo tubes. 1t had a
complement of $50 men. 1t cost S5,000,-
900.
Although too old to be any longer
in the first fighting line, the Bulwark
still was useful unit. The loss of the
ship, however, was nothing compared
with the heavy loss in trained officers
and men. The Bulwark in its early ca
reer was quite favored ship. For
a long time it was the flagship of Ad-
miral Charles Beresford in the Medi-
terranean.
More British Ships Sunk.
London, Nov. 29.-German submar-
ines have sunk two more British
steamships and German mine has
sent to the bottom a British naval col
Her. according to admission of the
British admiralty.
Coming on the heels of the appall
ing disaster which befell the British
battleship Bulwark, when it was blown
up with the loss of more than ,750 Off
GERS and men, these new evidences OF
hostile naval menace at the very gates
of London has served to spread con
sternation over England.
Churchill Seeks to Aliay Fear.
supreme effort to allay the grow
Ing terror OF the British people was
made in an extraordinary speech IL
Churchill, first lord of the admiralty
He reviewed the operations of the Brit
ish feet in the war and contrasted thC
present and prospective strength O
the British fleet with that of the Ger
man feet, declaring new warship
were being finished 80 rapidly in Eng
land now that Great Britain could los
one dreadnaught every month for
year and still retain her present su
periority over the Germans.
AT the beginning of the war w
had 81 dreadnaughts and Germany ha
FL" Mr.. Churchill said. I'VE have los
six of our older armed cruisers; Ge,
many has lost two. Great Britain ha
36 modern light cruisers; Germany ha
rs. We have lost two; Germany ha
lost or interned six; we have adde
stS."
To Reveal All Losses.
Referring to criticisms of the at
miralts's failure to utilize its sui
marines as effectively as the German
had done, Churchill said the fact tha
British submarines had been unable I
produce results on large scale wa
due to the seldom offered opportunit
10 attack
THE time has not yet arrived whe
we can usefully discuss the particular
of certain losses to which referenC
mas been made. AS soon as possibI
all facts connected with past oper
tions and the administration OF I'll
navy will be made public"