Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-11-15
Either Hit by. Torpedo or
Disabled by Mine Early
OH October 27.
RUMORS OF DISASTER
FINALLY ARE CONFIRMED
With Possible Exception Of One
or Two, All of 800 Men
Rescued.
SAVED ny oLYMPIc's BOATS
This Is Most Serious Single Loss SO
Far Sustained by English
Navy.

NEW YORK. November l4.-Rnmors 5
nought Auda cious, which have per-
sisted ever since the White star liner
Olympic. diverted from hor course. ar
rived at Lough Swilly on October 80,
arc confirmed in mail advices received
to-day by tho Associated Press from u
point in Ireland.
After a career of less than two years,
the Audacious, OF the King George
V. class, third In tonnage and arma :
the bottom OF the ocean OFF the north
coast OF ireland. She was hit by a
torpedo or disabled by a mine just
before 9 O'Clock on the morning of Oc-
tober %. With tho possible exception
OF one or two men. tic whole crew
small boats from the Olympic.
The rescue was made in n rough sea,
through brilliant. and daring seaman
chip on the part OF the White Star
crew.
CRIPPLED SIIIP-S CRY
FOR ASSISTANCE HEARD
The hattleship's cry for assistance
was caught by the wireless operator
Of the Olympic, which was only about
forward at full speed. while her crew
made. ready for their work. Volun-
teers we're called for. and double the
number necessary to man the lifcboats 5
responded. The. crippled sbattleship was
reached n feir minutes after. 8 o'clock,
and before noon all but 100 OF her
men had been transferred.
BY that time the battleshlp had a
decided Ust at the stern, where just
below the waterline she had received
her wound. Two OF her engines were
unharmcd but the one aft was put
out OF commission.
After taking Oft all the officers and
crew who would leave, the cruiser
Liverpool. and several other warships
which had come up. stood by. Late in
the afternoon it was decided TO
abandon the Audacious. and the Of
fcers and men who had remained
reluctantly left her.
The notilla of revenue ships contin-
ued TO stand by, however. until 9
o'clock that evening. when terrific
explosion occurred on board. and the
Audacious plunged stern first, and In
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 sink
ing ship. struck the deck Of the I,iv-
erpool. killing a gunner
MEETS HER FATE
OFF THE IRISH COAST
The Audacious met her fate twenty
fve miles OFF the Irish coast, which
the Olympic was skirting The liner
sailed from New York for Glasgow on
October 2l The Olympics passengers
saw the fash Of the explosion and
watched the mighty warrior sink.
Then their ship turned her prov to-
ward Lough Swilly. An immediate O
investigation OF the loss OF the bat
tleship was ordered.
Charles NJ. Schwab was the only
passenger who left the Olympic be.
fore IL locked at Belfast on Novem-
bcr ..
Tho Olympic carried about 800 pas
sengers. Nearly 100 of these were
English reservists. All passengers
othar than British were denied pas
sase from Belfa,i to Liverpool. and
were compelled to so to Dublin, which
is an open port, to take boats for Eng
land. Secrecy regarding the loss of
the Audacious was enjoined upon the
crew and passengers of the Olympic,
who were urged to refraln/from dis
tussing the naval tragedy which they
had witnessed, pending<a complete in
restigation
The destruction of the Audacious is
the most serious single loss sustained
by the British navy since the opening
OF Rostilities: Only few British war,
ships outrank her in size and fighting
equipment