New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-02

fishing smack Providence arrived at
O'Clock this evening with two officers
and sixty-eight men, survivors from
the battleship Formidable. About .
O'Clock this morning the third hand
noticed a large boat cutter, with oar
Ihoisted and scarf attached. Most Of
the boat was obscured behind ire
'mendous waves, but, although the hur-
tricane was at its height, the fishermen
decided to make an attempt az rescue.
They shook out a reef m the malnsall
and set the storm jib. This took some
time, and the cutter had drifted con
siderable distance and was completely
hidden in torrents Of rain. The third
hand. however, climbed into the rigging
and observed the cutter still floating
II was then decided 20 undertake seri-
Gus manpuvres. The men tried three
times unsuccessfully, but az the fourth
attempt they succeeded IN getting a
rope 10 the cutter. They placed TINS
rope around the steam espstan ana
with truly marvellous ingenuity sue
eeeded in getting the cutter close unoer
the vessels stern. Then, when she vas
near enough, the naval men jumped on
board the trawler.
They had 70 be very careful as the
seas al that time were breaking some
thirty feet high They noticed thst
clothing was protruding from a hole IN
the boats side. Subsequently DO was
discovered that this was PAIR OF
trousers, used 70 stop the hole. ne
rescue took more than thirty minutes
70 achieve. A lad Of eighteen years OF
age was suffering severely from expo
.snre and was almost helpless, out 'ne
sailors. with characteristic naval aoil-
ifv. succeeded in getting him saleIy
aboard the trawler. ne cuiteI ""S
full Of water, and as H. WouIa uaso
been dangerous 10 tow her she vas
cut sdTift.
Deep Grief in England.
The destruction Of the battieshlp, ~I-
.Lonob n is one Of those events ing.
lisbmen now realize must be expected
SO long as the British navy - com
spelled 10 keep 90 the seas, has caused
widespread grief &c
This is due not so much TO me loss G5
.the ship, which was sixteen years @.u
and cost about S5,oOO,Ogt' as u Is toI
the great loss Of life. The senousness
Of the disaster is. however, admitted by
naval and military authorizes. ...,
As In previous disasters 10 BRUSH
ships. the casualty list in this case m
rludes many .idShipmen. no FEWER man
sixteen having been or board the or
-midable.
The British battleshlp Formidable
had a displacement of 10000 tons. she
YVES 400 feet long and had a compile
mont of Isl men. She was heavily ar
rnored and carried four l2-lnch guns
twelve 6-inch guns and sixteen u
.pouuders. She was provided also WIN
Pour submerged torpedo tubes.
The lost bsttleship was launched III
1888. and was a sister ship To. the IT.
resistible and the Implacab.e. Inc
British navy has about seventy war
chips newer and heavier than the For
.rnidable. l
The Formidable had assigned. TO her
according 10 the British Navy List Tor
December, various fleet officers, and
consequently, she undoubtedly was act
eng as q flagship at the time OF her ce-
stTuction. Her captain was Arthur y.
sLoxlev. and her Commando Charles r.
Ballard Captain John c. Deed was IN
command Of the marines on board
while the feet surgeon was Godfrey
TAYLOR and the feet paymaster 7. >.
Ling. The chaplain is given as the
Rev. George B. Robinson. On board
me Formidable were also sixteen MD
shipnnen