New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-15
News of Sinking of the
Audacious by a Mine
or Torpedo.
OLYMPIC SAID TO
HAVE SAVED CREW
Surgeon of That Liner In
siSts No Such Disaster
Occurred Up to Oct. 20.

Rumors Of disaster to the British
super-dreadnought Audacious, which
have persisted ever since the White
Star liner Olympic, diverted from her
course, arrived at Lough Swilly on Oc-
tober 20, are confirmed in mail advices
received by The Associated Press from
a point in Ireland.
After career Of less than two years
the .-udacious, of the King George V
class-thIrd in tonnage and armament
of his majesty's warships-lies at the
bottom Of the ocean off the north coast
Of Ireland. She was hit by torpedo
or disabled by mine just before 8
o'clock on the morning of October 81.
With the possible exception of one or
two men, the whole crew of 500 officers
and men was rescued by small boats
from the Olympic.
The rescue was made in a rough sea
through brilliant and daring seaman
ship on the part of the White Sta-
crew.
The battleship's cry for assistance
was caught by the wireless operator
&C the Olympic. which was only about
ten miles distant. The steamer rushed
forwar. at full speed. while her crew
made ready for their work. Volun-
teers were called for, and double the
number necessary to man the life
boats responded. The crippled battle
ship was reached a few minutes sftef
9 o'clock, and bef.:e noon all but 100
Of her men had been transferred.
BY that time the battleship had de-
cided list at the stern, where just be-
low The water line she had received her
wound. Two of her engines were un-
harmed. but the one aft was put out OF
commission.
After taking off all the officers and
crew who would leave their ship, Cap
tain Haddock of the Olympic turned
his attention to an attempt to save the
warship. A cable was given her' ou'
il snapped as it tightened. Meantime
the bulkheads began 70 give way ana
i was soon apparent that II wouid De
inpossible TO tow the ship or keep ner
Ionc aAoat. The cruiser Liverpool and
several other warships which had come
up stood by. Late in the afternoon II
was decided to abandon the Audacious'
and the officers and men who had re-
NAMED aboard reluctantly left her.
The aotilla of rescue ships continued
70 stand by, however, until 3 o'clock
that evening, when terrific explosion
occurred or board, and the Audacious
plunged stern first, and in a 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 sinking
ship, struck the deck Of the Liverpool,
cutting the legs from under a gunner.
Ihe man uleu III d SHOiN NAiic.
The Audacious met her fate twenty
five miles off the IRISH coast. which the
Olympic was skirting. The liner sailed
from New York for Glasgow on Octo-
Der 81. She had been warned that
there were German mines off Tory ISL
and. and fear of these mines was the
official explanation when she unexpect-
edly put into Lough Swilly.
The Olympic's passengers saw the
Aash of the explosion and watched the
mighty warrior sink. Then their ship
turned her prov toward Lough Swillly.
Small craft cleared the route to make
sure it was free ot mines. From Octo-
her 27 TO November . the Olympic lay
at Lough Swilly, during which time no
one but naval officers were allowed 10
board her.
An immediate investigation OF the
loss of the bsttleship was begun.
Charles ". Schwab was the only pas
senger who left the ship before il
docked at Belfast on November 2.
Vice-Admiral Sir John K. Jellicoe,
commander OF the Home feet. visited
the scene Of the disaster on November
I. and il was with him that Mr.. Schwab
went 10 London.
Even officers of the White Star Line
were not permitted to board the 0lym
pic at Lough Swilly. and all supplies
we're taken aboard by men Of the navy.
After the steamer entered Belfas, aar-
bor one OF the walters on board was
arrested, charged with being a spy and
detained for examination.
The Olympic carried about three
hundred passengers. Nearly one hun
dred of these were English reservists.
All passengers other than British were
denied passage from Belfast to Liver
pool and were compelled TO 60 TO Dub
lin, which is an open port, tc lake boats
Tor England. Secrecy regarding the
loss Of the Audacious was enjoined
upon the crew and passengers OF the
Olympic. who were urged 10 refrain
from discussing the naval tragedy
which they had Witnessed pending
complete investigation. The crew of
the Audacious was removed from the
A mn 4