The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-09-26

%-'fA VI htothS IabOuklIB ftORue ana tTeSSF
 by German submarine or submarines ir
 the North sea, with loss of nearly 6 officers and 1400 men, are contained in an admiralty statement issued tonight The reports of Commanders Nicholson Of the Greasy, and Norton, of the Hogue,
 state that the Aboukir was hit by one torepdo and sunk in s5 minutes. Three torpedoes were fired at the Cressy, one of the explosives missing. She lasted from B to 45 minutes. The Hogue was struck twice, 10 to 20 seconds elapsing between the torpedoes. She went under in five
 minutes
 The Greasy fired on the submarine and some of the officers were confident the shots sank her. Commander Nicholson says the three torpedoes directed against his ship might have been fired by the same submarine and that there is no real proof that more than one was en- gagged
 Tn. .reports show that the strictest dis ciDline Was maintained and that acts of heroism were performed, but the admiral
 ty has established the rule that such af-
 fairs must be governed by the same laws
 as prevail in naval actions and that disabled ships must be left to their own resources rather than that other ships should be jeopardized by rescue work.
 Reports of Officers
 The statement follows:
 The facts of this affair cannot he better conveyed to the public than by the attached reports of the senior officers who have survived and have landed in Eng land.
 The sinking of the Aboulxir was. of course, an ordinary hazard of patrolling duty. The Hogue and the Cressy, how ever, were sunk because they proceeded 10 the assistance of their consort and remained with engines stopped, endeavor- Ing to safe life, thus presenting an easy and certain target to further submarine attacks
 The natural promptings of humanity in this case have led to heavy losses which. would have been avoided by strict ad- nerence to military considerations Mod- ern naval war is presenting us with so many new and strange situations that an error of Judgment of this character is pardonable. But it has been necessary to point out for the further guidance of his majesty's ships that conditions which prevail when a vessel of a squadron is injured in mine field, or is exposed to submarine attack, are analogous to those which occur in action and that the rule of leaving disabled ships to their own resources is applicable so far, at any rate, as large vessels are concerned
 No act of humanity, whether to friend or Toe, should lead to neglect of the proper precautions and dispositions of war and no measures can be taken to save life which prejudice the military situation. Small craft of all kinds should, however, be directed by wireless to close on the damaged ship at all speed
 Peculiarly Distressing
 The loss of nearly 50 officers and HOO men would not have been grudged of it had been brought about by gun fire in an open action, but is peculiarly dis tressing under conditions that prevailed. The absence of any of the ardor and excitement of an engagement did not, however, prevent the display of discipline. cheerful courage and ready self-sacriffce among all ranks and ratings exposed to the ordeal
 The duty on which these vessels were engaged was an essential part of the ar-s by which the control of the seas and the safety of the country are maintained and the lives lost are as use- fully, as necessarily and as gloriously devoted to the requirements of his mai esty service as if the loss had been incurred In general action.
 Tn view of the certainty of a propor- ton of misfortunes of this character oc- curing from time to time, 1t is important that this point of view should be thor oughly appreciated. The loss of these three cruisers. apart from the loss of life, is of small naval significance. They belonged to class of cruisers whose speed has been surpassed by many of the enemy's battleships.
 "The report of the sinking of the Greasy, signed by 'Bertram w I. Nich- olson. commander of the later H. M. $. Cressy. follows:
 The Aboukfr was struck at about 6:25 a. m. on the starboard beam. The Hegnc and Greasy closed and took up a position, the Hogue ahead of tho Aboukir and the Cressy about 400 yards on her port beam. As soon as it was seen that the Aboulxir was in danger of sinking all the boats were sent away from the Cressy and picket boat was noisted out without steam up. When cutters filled with Aboukir's men were returning to the Greasy. the Hogue was struck. A heavy explosition took place immediately. Almost directly aft er the Hogue was hit we observed a periscope on our port bow about 300 yards off
 Fire Opened
 Fire was opened immediately and the engines were put full speed ahead with the intention of running her down. Our gunner, Mir. Dougherty, positively pssertn that he hit the periscope and tfat the submarine sank. An officer. standing alongside the gunner, thinks that the shell struck only floating tim oei' but 1t was evidently the impress sion of the men on deck that the sub- marine had been hit The submarine did not fire a torpedo at the Cressy,
 Captain Johnson then maneuvered the ship so as to render assistance to the crews of the Hogue and Aboukir. About five minutes later another peri scope was seen on our starboard quar- ter and fire was opened The track of the torpedo she fired at range of 500 10 600 yards was plainly visible and 1t struck us on the starboard side.
 The ship listed about 10 degrees to the starboard and remained steady, the time was 7:15 a. m. All the water tight doors. headlights and scuttles had been securely closed before the tor pedo struck the ship. All the mess timber had been thrown over side for the sewing of life.
 " 'Assecond torpedo fired by the same submarine missed and passed about 10 feet astern About quarter of an hour after the first had hit. a third torpedo. Tired from submarine just before the starboard beam hit us. The time was 7:S0 a. m. The ship then began to heel rapidly and finally turned keel up, re- so for about 25 minutes before she finally sank at 7:55 a. m.