Evening star., 1914-09-26
Error IN JUDGMENT,
BUT IS PARD0NABLE
British Admiralty Issues State
ment Regarding the Destruc-
ton of Three Cruisers.
VESSELS THE VICTIMS
OF GERMAN SUBMARINE
Sinking of the Aboukir, Hogue and
Cressy in the North Sea
h Explained.

Cressy in the North Sea
II Explained.
LONDON. September 26.-The facts
concerning the sinking of the British
cruisers Aboukir, Hogue and Cressy
by a German submarine or submarines
IN the North sea, with a loss OF nearly
sixty officers and 1,i00 men, are con-
tanned In an admiralty statement is
sued last night.
The reports of Comma nders Nicholson
of the Cressy and Norton of the Hogue
state that the Aboukir was hit by one
torpedo and sunk in thirty-five min
utes- Three torpedoes were fired at
the Cressy. one of the explosives miss
ing narrowly. She lasted from thirty
five to forty-fve minutes The Hogue
was struck twice, ten to twenty Sec
onds elapsing between the torpedoes.
and went under in five minutes.
The Cressy fired on the submarine.
and some of the officers were confident
that the shots sank her. Commander
Nicholson says that the three tor
pedoes directed against his ship might
have been fired by the same subma-
rine. and tha, there is n" real proof
that more than one was engaged.
The reports show. that the strictest
discipline was maintained. and that
acts of heroism were performed, but
the admiralty has established the rule
that such affairs 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 jeop-
ardized by rescue work.
Text Of Admiralty Statement.
The statement follows: .--..
The facts of this affair cannot be
better conveyed to the public than by
the attached reports; Of the senior Off
GERS who have survived and have land
cd in England.
THE sinking of the Abopkir was. of
course. an ordinary hazard ofFpatrol-
ling duty. The Hogue and the Cressy,
however, were sunk because they pro-
ceeded to the assistance of their con-
sort and remained with engines stop
ped. endeavoring to save life. thus pre-
senting an easy and certain target to
further submarine attacks-@;E
The natural promptings or humanity
which would have been avoided by
strict adherence to military considera-
tions- Modern naval war is presenting
us with SO many new and strange sit
this character is pardonable- But it
has been necessary to point out for the
further guidance of his majestys ships
that conditions which prevail when
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 re-
sources is applicable SO far, at any
rate. as large vessels are concerned.
NO act, of humanity whether !. to,
friend or foe. should lead to neglect of
the proper precautions and dispositions
of war, and no measures can be taken
20 save life which prejudice the mill
tary situation. Small craft of all kinds
should, however, be directed by wire
less to close on the damaged ship at
all speed.
Loss Peculiarly Distressing.
THE loss of nearly sixty officers
and 1,400 men would not have been
grudged If 1t had been brought about
by gunfire in an open action. But 1t is
peculiarly distressing under the condi-
tions which prevailed. The absence of
any Of the ardor and excitement of an
engagement did not, however, prevent
the display of discipline, cheerful cour-
age and ready self-sacrif1ce among all
ranks and ratings exposed to the or
deal
were engaged was an essential part of
the arrangements by which the control
OF the seas and the safety of the coun-
try are maintained and the lives lost
are as usefully. necessarily, and as
xloriously devoted to the requirements
Of his majesty's service as If the loss
had been incurred in a general action
''In view of the certainty of a propor-
tion Of misfortunes of this cha cter
occurring from time to time, 1t is i'm
portant that this point OF view should
be thoroughly appreciated. The loss of
these three cruisers, apart from the
loss of life. is of small naval sisnifo
canoe. Although they We're large and
powerful ships they belonged to a
class of cruisers whose speed has been
surpassed by many of the enemy's bat
tleships.
Before the war it had been decided
that no more money should be spent in
repairing any of this class and that
they should make their way to the sale
fest.
Sinking of the Cressy.
The report on the sinking of the
Cressy. signed by 'Bertram w. T. Mich
olson, commander of the late H. NJ
s. Cressy.' follows:
Sir. 1 have the honor to submit the
following report in connection with the
sinking of H NJ. s. Cressy in company
WIN D. ADOuklr and HoKuo on
the morning Of the 22d of September.
while on patrol duty:
The Aboukir was struck at about
S:Z5 am. on the starboard beam. The
Hogue and Cressy closed and took up
a position, the Hogue ahead of the
Aboukir and the Cressy about 400
yards on her port BEAM AS soon as IL
was seen that the Aboukir was in
danger of sinking all the boats were
sent away from the Cressy and a picket
boat was hoisted out without steam nm
When cutters full of the Aboukir's men
we're returning to the Cressy, the
Hogue was struck, apparently under
the aft 81 magazine, as a very heavy
explosion took place Immediately. Al
most directly after the Hogue was hit
We observed a periscope on our port
bow about 800 yards or
Fire was Immediately opened. and
the engines were put full speed ahead
with the intention of running her
down Our gunner, Mr.. Doueherty.
positively asserts that he hit the
perfscope, and that the submarine
sank. An officer. who was standine
alongside the gunner. thinks that the
shell struck only floating timber. of
which there was much about. but n
was evidently the impression of the
men on deck. who cheered and clapped
heartily. that the aubna riua baa ~.