The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-09-06
Hesperian for Montreal With
Invalided Canadian Troops,
Not Fatally Hurt
TWO AMERICANS AMONG
PASSENGERS, BOTHSAVED
Loss of Life Reported as Eight
Absence Of Panic Aids
Launching OF LifeBoats and
Saving Of Ships

London, Sept. 5.-Major Bar.
row OF the Fourteenth Canadians
who was accompanying twelve
officers and thfrty-eight men,
who had been wounded. back to
Canada, aboard the Hcsperian.
said the vessel had no warning.
He was corroborated by his wife
ana by the invalid s0ld1urs He
was In charge of. lie said he
was sitting on the deck when
there was suddenly a loud de-
tonation. The ship trembled and
an enormous column of water
shot fifty feet into the air and
dropped with a terrific thud on
tho deck, drenching everybody
around. Several fragments OF
iron also fell on the deck.
Queenstown. Sept. 5.-The Allan
liner Hcsperian. an f1,606 ton vessel.
with about 900 passengers and about
$50 crew aboard. was struck by a
torpedo at $40 o'clock last nigh. while
seventy miles southeast of Fastnet.
ireland. on her way from Liverpool
to Montreal According to the most
accurate information so far obtain-
able. there were two American citt-
Gems among the passengers. The liner
GATTieu a. 4 i-lHCn gun, mounted, ana
visible on the stern. Eight lives were
lost. according to careful compiia-
ton made by Consul Frost but both
Americans were saved. Thirty-seven
persons were more or less seriously
injured. Three of the lifehoats cap
sized as they were being launched and
their occupants were dumped into the
water.
Not a soul on the steamer, though
there were many persons on deck aud
a strict lookout was being kept, saw
anything that resembled periscope
either before or after the ship Was
hit. Tha explosion tore a considerable
hole in the steamships hill forward.
but the wound was not fatal. She was
travelling with her comp apartments
closed precaution which may have
saved her
Haze May Have Hidden Torpedo.
There was no panic an / very little
excitement. There was not person
on board but realized the moment tho
explosion occurred that eth sr to--
redo or mine had struck the vessel
The life belts were strapped on imme-
tcIy and the work of lowering the
boats began. Long before the ship
hal ,aken serious list all IT the pas
sengers were overheard. ard only tlla
captain, W. s. Main. ana dts chief
officers. with a few of the crew, re-
mained. In the waite IS where the
H.sperian was struck 1t is still, twi-
light at 8 o'clock dur'ng this period
OF the year There was a slight haze
over the ocean. though the sky was
Gear. Under such conditions 1t prob
a'sv would have been impossible for
anyone on the steamers deck 10 de-
tect the trail Of torpedo rs it ap-
preached. and very Likely would have
! cen out of the question to perceive
a RI riscope at anything more than one
hurd bred yards distance
With such allowances 1t has been
suggested by some OF the passengers
that the ship was not struck by tor-
pedo. but collided with floating mine.
The fact that the ship was apparently
hit forward and that the wound was
not fatal seems In sense to support
this theory though the officers OF the
Hesperian lean to the belief that Z
torpedo did the work.
Life Boats Picked Up.
The wireless call for assistance was
sent out all but simultaneously with
the explosion and a government stearn-
err and number of patrol boats in
the nearby waters Immediately put out
to the rescue. Until they reached the
spot the 1ifehoats. filled with the Hes
pertains passengers stood by the dis
and some of his crew remained on
board.
The patrol boats with all OF the pag-
sengers and most Of the crew arrived
here early this m ,rrirk Already adj
ditional patrol tcatu had been sent
out to salve the vessel and shortly
at err their arrival n wireless message.
said that the Hesrcrian frcbably could
be safely lowed to Queenstown, She
T.. 80 LAp tlS t.Iy-,
ing.
shock Restores EyesiGht.
Among the invalid Canadian soldiers
on their way home was one who had
lost his eyesight. The boat into which
he was helped was one Of the three
which capeIzed and threw ITS passengers
into the water. This man was a good
swimmer. He went down at first. hut
quickly came up and struck out brave
ly. Suddenly n cry from the half dafk-
ness was heard: RI can see. I can sees'.
and 1t was true, the man had regainAd
his eyesight. ssy
There seems to- be no question Of
doubt that a warning var not 9ivtus
and that a submarine was not sighteA
]. H. Rrockingtnn. passenger. N
one Of the many survivors who atte1xs
ed this fast. 1t IL supposed that tn
submarine. Ii Il was submarine. hrx
.pSGH+ LYNX IA WAsA tsss n y $3.50
AZ soon as the Hssperssss waa- .sIxhfe1
approaching mAnouvered quickly ~
strike and having discharged the
pedo submerged and rcd. 8SsgB
An Of the passengers pay the hto4es
est tribute to the efficiency ~ M
crew and the GOODNESS Of C4pt43M
Main.
The Hesperian was vessei AZ 14sI
is20 tons gross register. ahq Ia
fleet long and 10 80 feet Wide.
thas twin screws 4rd u built ~ 4
! "A Glaagow arm built her III 144l S
The Hssperian arrived N 1Axec