The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1914-12-03

Iieved to Have Been Caused by Ex-
pIosion Of the Observation-Disclosures
Claim Victory Which Is Denied by
8erIln-LIttle 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
500 men we're lost, iI hiding Capt.
Guy Belater, her comm der, and all
her officers. Only IA of her crew were
saved.
1t is announced officially that the ex-
plcsion 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 a fighting chance for their
lives. The boat sank in three min
utes.
The band was playing aboard the
Bulwark. 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
wark in Sheerness harbor was made
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
in the harbor at Sheerness when she
was blown up. The disaster occurred
at 1853 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 II members of
the crew were saved. The destruction
of the Bulwark will not sensibly af-
feet our military or naval position
Chief Loss ls In Men.
The Bulwark was Of $4,000 tons dis
placement 1t was laid down in 1889
and completed in 1902. 1t was All feet
long. IS feet wide, and drew 20 feet
of water. Its armament consisted of
four 12-inch guns. l2 6-inch guns, 16
12-pounders, six 3-pounders and four
submerged torpedo tubes. 1t had a
complement of $50 men. 1t cost s.. .000.-
0OO
Although too old to be any longer
IN the first fighting line, the Bulwark
still was a 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 a favored ship. For
a long time 1t 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
lier, according to admission of the
British admiralty.
Coming on the heels of the appall-
ing disaster which befelI the British
battleship Bulwark, when it was blown
up with the loss of more than 75O off,
GERS and men, these new evidences of
hostile naval menace at the very gates
Of London has served to spread COLI
sternation over England.
Churchill Seeks to AlIay Fear.
A supreme effort to aliay the grow
ing terror of the British people was
made in an extraordinary speech in
the house of commons by Winston
Churchill, first lord of the admiralty.
He reviewed the operations of the Brit
ish feet in the war and contrasted the
present and prospective strength of
the British feet with that of the Ger
man feet. declaring new warships
were being finished so rapidly in Eng.
land now that Great Britain could lose
one dreadnaught every month for a
year and still retain her present su-
periority over the Germans
AT the beginning of the war we
had 81 dreadnaughts and Germany had
81" Mr.. Churchill said. I'VE have lost
six of our older armed cruisers; Ger.
many has lost two. Great Britain had
Sc modern light cruisers; Germany had
25. We have lost two; Germany has
lost or interned six; we have added
six"
To Reveal All Losses.
Referring to criticisms of the ad-
miralty's failure to utilize it's sub
marines as effectively as the Germans
had done. Churchill said the fact that
British submarines had been unable to
produce results on large scale was
due to the seldom offered opportunity
to attack.
The time has not yet arrived when
we can usefully discuss the particulars
of certain losses to which reference
has been made. As soon as possible
all facts connected with past opera
tions and the administration Of the
navy will be made public"