The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1915-05-13

London.-The Cunard liner Lusi-
tana, which sailed out of New York
with more than 1000 persons aboard,
lies at the bottom of the ocean off
the Irish coast She was sunk by
German submarine, which sent two
torpedoes crashing into her side while
the passengers were at luncheon.
The Lusitania was steaming along
about 10 miles off Old Head Kinsale
on the last leg of her voyage to
Liverpool when about 2 o'clock in
the afternoon a submarine suddenly
appeared and so far as all reports
go, fired two torpedoes without warn
ting at the steamer. One struck her
near the bows and the other in the
engine room.
The powerful agents of destruction
tore through the vessels side, caus-
ing terrific explosions. Almost i'm
mediately great volumes of water
poured through the openings and the
Lusitania listed.
Boats which were already swung
out on the davits were dropped over
board and were speedily filed with
passengers who had been appalled, by
the desperate attack. A wireless call
for help was sent out, and Immediate
ly rescue boats of all kinds were sent
both from the neighboring points
along the coast and Queenstown.
Within Is minutes, as one survivor
estimated, and certainly within half
an hour, the Lusitania had disap-
peared.
When the passengers realized that
the Lusitania was doomed they
found that most of the boats of the
port side were so damned because of
the great list of the vessel that they
could not be lowered and last seen
of them by the more fortunate pas
sengers who had secured places in
the starboard boats or who had
ed up, they were lined on the sloping
decks awaiting their fate, doubtless
even then believing that with land so
close they would still be saved.
However, the torpedoes had torn
such gaping holes in the liner that
she did not remain afoat for more
than 20 minutes, and the calls for
help which the wireless sent out, al
though answered quickly, could not
bring the rescuing steamers in time
to be of any service.
Clinton Bernard of New York, a
first cabin survivor of the Lusitania,
said of his experiences:
I jumped overheard. I had no life
belt but picked up a bit of floatsam
Finally I got to an upturned boat and
cling to that. Later, with some others
who had swan to this boat, we man.
aged to right it and climbed in and
started to rescue those we could
reach.
"The German submarine made no
attempt to save anybody. We saw it
for moment just before it dove.
''The first torpedo stru X us be
tween the first and second tunnels.
The Lusitania shook and settled down
a bit. Two other torpedoes quickly
followed and Soon finished our ship.
down with her and the tremendous
suction as the liner was engulfed
dragged many down.
"The first torpedo burst with big
thud, and we knew that we were
doomed.
1--WE had f1oated about two hours
in our small boat before the first res
cue steamers arrived. Previous to
this time some small shore boats and
fishing smacks came along and help
ed u.s."
The Rev. H. w. Simpson, a passen-
ger in the second cabin, saved him
self by clinging to an upturned boat.
After a struggle we filed this boat
with all we could rescue" DR.. Simp-
son said.
A cabin steward gave the following
account:
"The passengers, large number of
whom were seriously injured by the
explosion and by splinters from the
wreckage, were all at luncheon. The
weather was beautifully clear and
calm. We were going at about 16
knots, and were seven or eight miles
south of Galley head when we were
struck by one torpedo and in a min
uate or two by two more. The first
explosion staggered us, SCATTERING the
gigantic ship. The Lusitania disap-
peared in 20 minutes after The first
torpedo struck.