The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-09-26
HEr0Hrs or OFFICERS
GIVEN IN STATEIENT

that other ships should he ieopardized
hv rescue work"
REPORTS or OFFICERS
GIVEN IN SrATtMENT
The statement follows:
Tho facts at this affair cannot, he
, better conveyed to the public than by
the attached reports of tn" senior Of
4 iic"rs who have survived and landed in
England
( '"rhe sinking of the AbouRir. was. of
/ course. as ordinary hazard of patroiinr
/ nufN. The iloguc and the Greasy. how
ever. were sunk because they pro-
cC"dcd To tn" assistance of their con-
sort ana remained with engines
stopped. endoaN"ring To save life, thus
presenting on easy and certain target
To further submarine attacks
"'ihc natural promptinrs of hu,nani-
Is i'm this case have led TO heavy losses
Which Would have been avoided by
STRICT adherence Ia military consdcra
lions Modern naval war is prcScntinr
us with =" many new and strange situa-
tons tina; an error of Judgment of this
character is pHrdonablc. But il has
Been necessary TO point out for tho
further guidance Of Ills Majcsty's ships
th"t conditions which prevail when a
vessel of squadron is injured in a
mine field. ar * exposed to submarine
."jjJck. are analogous TO those which
occur i'm action, aud that the rule OF
leaving disabled ships to their own re-
sources Is applicable 50 far, at amy rate.
as large vessels arc concerned
NO act of humanity whether to
friend or foe. Should lead to neglcc, of
tn, proper precautions and diSpoSitions
a.. war, and no measures can lie taken
to save life which prejudice the milf
tory situation. Small craft OF all kinds
should. however. he directed by wire
loss close A ., la, a oil; n
sIe,d
"rhc loss of nearly sixty officers and
400 mon would not have been grudgcd
] 1t had boon brought about 10y gun fire
IN an open action. I;ut ii is peculiarly
distressing under conditions that pre-
Vailed. Tho 0bscuc" of amy Of the ar
dor ana excitement or an engagement.
ga not, however. prevent the display Of
discipline, cheerful courage ana ready
self sacrifice among All ranks and rat
DUTY - ESSENTIAL
PART or ARIA NGE.IlENTS
"The duty on which these vessels
We're ENGAGED was an essential part of
tn. HrrangcmrutS by which the control
OF the seas and tho safety OF the couu-
try are maintained. and the lives lost
arc ms uscfully as necessarily and as
Z lor'ouslN devoted TO the requirements
Of His Majcsty's service as If the loss
In view Of the certainty of a pro-
portion OF miSiortuncS OF this char
aoier. occurring from. time to time. 1t
is Important that this point of view
Should he thoroughly appreciated The
loss oi these three cruisers. apart from
ms loss OF life, Is OF small naval sig
uticnncc. They belong to class of
cruisers whose speed has been surpnSs-
cd ny many Of the cuemy'S battl.ships
me report of the sinking OF the
Greasy. signed 10y Hertram w L. Mich
OLSON. commander % IN, i,f, -
CrcssN follows:
The Aboullir was struck at about
Go \ NJ ON the Starboard beam Tn,
iioGuS and CreSs closed and took mp
~ position, the Hoguc ahead or the
Ab"niLr and ne cressy about 4oo yards
seen that the .Aboukir wa, in danger of
sinking all the boats were sent away
rom he rressy and picket boat was
cutters iillod with Ahoukirs mon were
returning 10 the CrcssN, the IlocIc was
struck; heavy explosion took place
lmmcdiat"lN. Almost directly after
ward the HoEuc was hit. we observed
i"riScupc on our port bow about 300
Yards off
firg WAS opcncd immcdiately and
the engines were put full speed ahead
with the intention Of running her down.
cur gunnrrS. Mr.. Douchortv positively
asserts that he hit the pcriScopc. ana
mat "a" submarine sank Nm officer.
stand!nG alongside the gunner thinks
that the shells struck only boating
timber. but II WAS evidently the impress I
sion OF the lacn ON deck THAT the sub
marine mad been hit The submarine ,
"a nor lire q torpedo at the Greasy.
NIt\nEt NHES SHIP
no RENDER ASSISTANCE,
captain Johnson then manocuvrcd
th" Ship 50 as 10 render assistance 10
tnc crews Of the Iiuguc and Ahoullir .
Nn9ui ave minutes later another |,
prflScpp" ot oar Starhoard quarter and
hrC was opened The track Of the tor
n"Io she fired a; range OF 500 to
'N' Yards was plainly visible. and il
struck us on The Starboard side
The ship listed about ton degrees
I" siarboard and remained steady. The
t!mc was 1:l5 y. NJ. Al the water
= shi doors headlights and scuttles
tIn 9een securely closed before the
Iorpcdo struck the ship
80 y second torpedo fired bv tho Same
submarine missed and passed about
en- feet astcrn. About a quarter of
IN hour after the rrst torpedo had hit.
4 'hird torpedo fired from a submarine
luSt heiorc the Starboard beam hit us
ne SNIP then began To keel rapidly.
ana finally turned keel mn. remainin..
so Tor about twenty minutes before
'h" finally san'j at 80 ~ NJ
\ lhrSr number OF men were saved
steam piunacc noaicd out or h"r
'lutches. but filled and sank
lle second torpedo ~hich s,r,cl,
me, treSsN passed over tho sinking
.uH "i me Nn9ukir. narrowly missing
l ~ IS possible that the same sub
marine iired all three torpedoes at the
'rcsSV " '''
The conduc, OF the crew was ex-
N eIRIhN SEAPORT
HoMHtRD,:D HN FRENCH
LONDON. Scptcmher - $3.50 l.. Nd.