Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-12-16
WITNESSES PICTURE AUDAC|OUs SINKING
THRILLING STORY OF LOSS OF WARsH|P

NEW YORK.-Final and practically
complete details of the sinking Of H.
NJ. s. Audacious and OF the rescue OF
her crew OF $50 men by the lifeboats
of the White Star liner Olympic, were
brought here by Hugh Griffiths and
James Randolph Beames, who arrived
on the New York. Griffiths was band
master of the Olympic; Beames was a
cornetist Both men watched the
Olympic labor from 10 O'Clock in the
morning until o'clock in the evening
In saving the Audacious' crew.
There can no longer be the slight
est doubt that the majestic Audacious,
one OF the greatest ships in his males
ty's navy, Is now lying a helpless,
tangled mass OF steel at the bottom OF
the sea 20 miles west Of Tory island.
These men confirm in practically
every detail the story OF the great
dreadnought's sinking as told exclu-
sively by the International News Ser
vice. in their narrative these import
ant declarations stand out:
The Audacious WAS not cruising
alone when she was struck by the
mine. She was In squadron, perhaps,
accompanied by as many as six other
ships OF her own class.
Deserted by Sister Ships.
When she was struck at s o'clock
on the morning of October q. she was
deserted by her sister dreadnoughts.
This is rule OF the British admiralty,
since one mine Is taken to indicate
the presence of others. (.
She was not sunk by the explosion
OF her own powder magazine but was
destroyed by the British cruiser Liy.
erpool when II was seen that II would
be impossible TO save her.
when we left New York on the
Olympic" said Bandmaster Griffiths,
who commenced the fascinating story,
there was a queer premoEiti9n
which hung over US all. So thorough
" did this take possession Of us that
before we had been "a hours at sea
many OF the officers and crew placed
bets of 40 to / that we would not
reach Glasgow without some mishap.
ION OCTOBER % we awoke TO find
the Olympic blowing along through a
light fog. A stiff wind was blowing
from the west, ruffling the sea tremen-
dously.
AT II O'clock that morning a mem
Der OF the crew thrust his head
through q ,poFthole and exclaimed. 4
Look, Look! There are two
warships ahead of us !,
nreadncunht % Sighted,
with only mild Interest We made
our way to the decks. In the distance
we could see great bleak shape, and
close to. her. lowering like her own,
child, was q smaller craft The
dreadnought was. Of course, the Auda-
cions. The smaller one was the cruiss
81 Liverpool.
'As We approached we remarked
two significant things:
THAT the Liverpool directed her
course towards us and that the Ans
dacious was so low in the water as
Tern that the Wild sea was washing
her afterdecks
"A few minutes later we were near
enough 70 see that the dreadnought
from her main mast signal arm was
flying the red and white blue checker
board, which is the international sign
of distress
aBy this time passengers and crew
alike were all on deck. We had that
Instructive feeling that told us we
we're about to witness a great event.
Beames here broke into his ship
mates narrative.
Cruiser Gives Warning.
The liverpool came directly to-
ward u.s. he said. signalling us to
slow up. She put herself athwart
bur bow and proceeded TO steam In
he line OF q continuous 81 in front
81 us. Her action later became clear.
She feared that other mines were In
our course and her brave crew were
willing 10 let their own boat be blown