Evening journal., 1914-11-16
ENGLAND MAY SAVE
THE AUDACOUS
Probability That Super
Dreadnought is Not Be-
yOnd Repair
WITNESS SAYS SHIP
HIT FLOATING MINE
By The United Press.

By The United Press.
NEW YORK, Nov. 1G.-Whether the
British superdreadnought, AudaciOus,
is now at the bottom Of the sea or is
being repaired by the British Admir-
atty and may again see service is now
the mystery connected with reports of
the vessel of first line of England's
naval defense falling victim to Ger
man mine or torpedo off the Irish
coast
James r. Beames, bandmaster on
the liner Olympia, which rescued the
crew of the Audacious, told the full
story of the disaster TO the AudaciOus
upon arriving here on the American
liner New York. He said the Audacious
was blown up by the British cruiser
Liverpool that her wreck might not
interfere with traffic. A cable receiv-
ed from The United Press bureau, in
London, today, however, indicates that
this may be a mistaken version of the
disaster to the dreadnought.
Owing to the fact that the British
censors will permit no reference to
the disaster to the Audacious to be
cabled, or printed in London papers,
1t was only through the most care
fully worded message that the New
York office of The United Press was
able to convey to London information
that was desired. A message so
framed that it was passed by the CEN
sors came in reply and declared:
Best information, repairing"
fInn mncCnun nIun indicated
had been but one fatality.
The story of Bandmaster Beams
was learned only after it had been i'm
pressed upon him that the main facts
OF the accident to the Audacious were
known in this country. He had been
pledged to secrecy, as had oil mem
bers of the Olympias crew.
A surgeon of the liner Baltic. who
had been transferred from the Olym-
pic said late Saturday that the OIym-
pic had seen the Audacious on the
trip to Belfast during which the res
cue of the dreadnoughts crew was
made.
Beames said that the Audacious
was sighted October % of the Irish
coast. The sea was then washinq
over her quarterback. The cruiser
Liverpool was nearby and had cir
cled ahead to make sure there were
not other mines in the vicinity. Four
teen lifeboats were swung over from
the Olympic. A heavy sea was run
ming and a boat was seen TO be
swung over from the side of the
dreadnought. II capsized almost i'm
mediately. Four of the men were
picked up by one of the Olympic's
boats.
The fifth man, petty officer. was
drowned, according to Beames.
1T required a half hour for the
boats TO reach the AudaciOus," said
Beams. owing to the rough sea. The
Olympic's boats brought $50 men to
our ship"
Beames then told of the Intellectual
EFFORTS to tow the Audacious and of
the hawsers breaking.
Beames said that a member Of the
AudaciOus' crew told him that when
first hit. they believed the battleship
had been torpedoed. Il was discov-
cred. however, that the dreadnought
and hit a mine laid by a German yes
sci which had been seen in that vi
cinity flying the Norwegian flag.
hugh Grlfhths, a musician on the
Olympic, was authority for the state
ment that the Audacious had been
blown up. He said he was on deck
about 9 o'clock when there was a
loud explosion and a bright glare
lighted the sea. Later, he said men
who were brought on board said the
Audacious had been blown up at the
order Of wireless instructions receiv-
ed from the Admiralty.
Grifiths said these men were
brought to the Olympic about mid
night. No other story, however, has
mentioned survivors being brought to
the Olympic after she left the scene
and apparently no one on the Olympic
actually saw the Audacious sink. All
stories have agreed however, that
there was an explosion Of some sort