The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-09-08
LINER HEsPERIiN ToPEDoED.
$50 PAssENGERs AND CREW
SAVED, ALTHOUGH BLOW
CAME WITHOUT WARN
ING.
German Submarine Attacked Vessel
on Irish Coast-Ship BADLY Dam
aged. hut Did Not Sink and May he
Carried into Port-was on Way
from Liverpool to Montreal.

steamer Hesperian. with $50 passen-
gers and crew OF 800 aboard. bound
from Liverpool for Montreal, was at
tackled. Il is believed without warm
ing. by German submarine off the
Irish coast just as darkness was fall
Ing saturday evening. Although the
explosive found its mark. the vessel
remained afioat and. according TO a
statement issued by the company to-
night every soul aboard was saved.
No submarine was seen and prob
ably II was too dark to observe the
wake of torpedo. but passengers and
members OF the crew who arrived at
Queenstown on rescue steamers today
agree that the attack was made by a
German undersea boat. baslng their
opinion on the force OF the shock and
the great valume of water thrown into
the air.
The force OF the explosion was tre-
mendous OF the passengers landed
There were no American passengers
aboard. 80 far as the American con-
sui could learn tonight. but two men,
bers OF the crew were Americans and
soldiers. wounded I'm Flanders, were
going home to recuperate. Most of
the other passengers were Canadians
returning from visit TO England or
English people on their way to Can
ada to settle. Nt. ,,
The torpedo struck the Hesperian
in, the forward engine room and the
ship Immediately began to settle by
the head. Capt. Main ordered ahe pas
sensers and crew into the boats. but
with his officers remained on the
bridge. although at that time he must
have felt sure that his ship you'd go
down.,
The discipline was perfect. but one
boat capsized and those In her were
thrown To the water. All were picked
up. and with other passengers and
the crew were transferred toN rescue
steamers which arrived In answer to
wireless calls.
Passengers landed at Quesnstown
asserted that the attack was without
warning. The United states embassy
here received NO conformation Oh this
point. .V., t,.
The Hesperian. vessel OF 10,920
tons gross. was outward bound from
Liverpool for Montreal. Many passen-
gers were wounded Canadian soldiers
on their way home from the front.
Early reports from Queenstown
were that there were go passengers In
the first cabin. $50 In the second and
ESQ In the third. but II later was an
nounced at the Allan line offices In
Liverpool that the passengers num-
bered only about $50. There were
approximately 800 In the crew.
sThe attack came Just az darkness
fell. Passengers who have reached
Queenstown express the belief that
hhe had been chased for some distance
by submarine. which fired as soon
as II was within range. The attack
came so suddenly. II was stated. that
great alarm was felt aboard the
steamer.
The torpedo struck forward OF the
engine room. tearing away the for
ward part OF the ship. so that water
rushed into the forward compartment.
Theswireless operator Instantly sent
oai n call for aid. while Capt. Main
ofdered the boats over the side.
Three are said to have been upset I'm
launching and 20 persons injured
have been landed at Queenstown. So
far az known all those thrown In the
water were saved.
a heet OF rescue steamers soon
reached the scene and all the persons
In tho small boats were taken aboard.
When II was seen that the Hesperian
was likely to. remain afoat for some
time. Capt. Main insisted on return
Ing to the ship To- await the arrival
OF admiralty tugs. which he hoped
could take her to Queenstown.
Twenty of his men went back with
him.
The Allan line. owner OF the Hes
perian. has been operated for about
three years by the Canadian Pacific
railway. ships OF the line running be-
tween Great Britain and Canadian
ports.
The Hesperian. n twin screw steam
er. was built at Glasgow In 1908. She
was tSb feet long with beam OF co
feet. .''ft
London learned OF the torpedoing
or the HaaDerlan throuoh o Su,1o, q,