Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1915-08-27
TWO AMERICANS
LOST WHEN ARABIC
WAS TORPEDOED
British Liner Sent to Bottom by
Submarine.
is U. S. CITIZENS RESCUED
Germans Fired Missile at Steamer
Without Warning as She Was
Seeking to Aid Another Which
Had Been Hit.

night saying that IA passengers OF the
Arabic, which was torpedoed on Thurs
day by a German submarine, were
missing, and that it was feared they
were lost.
Ambassador Page has sent a cable
gram to the state department at Wash
ington, saying that eight Americans
are among the missing. They are:
Mrs. Josephine L. Bruniere of New
York
DR.. Edmund F. Wood of GAINESVILLE,
Wis.
Torpedoed While at Rescue.
All the information that is coming
to London and which was allowed to
become public confirms the fragmen-
tary stories that the Arabic was tor
pedoed without warning. AS matter
of fact she was sunk by German sub
marine when proceeding to the aid of
a Wilson liner which shortly before
had been assailed by German under
sea boat. This vessel had been shelled
by the submarine and was slowly sink
ing when the Arabic hove in view.
The testimony of officers, crew and
passengers is unanimous that no sub
marine was seen. The torpedo was
sighted just before it struck the ship.
Survivors Drift Five Hours.
! The lifeboats, most Of them, were
not picked up for five hours. Captain
Finch was the last man to leave the
boat. He jumped as the vessel, which
went down stern foremost, capsized.
Wreckage kept him afloat until he was
picked up by a boat. He said at
Queenstown that if he hid only few
minutes more time not life would
have been lost.
The survivors, some of whom were
in their night clothes, suffered severe
ly before they reached Queenstown.
There was little panic among the pas
sengers. A number Of them were TAX
ing advantage of the beautiful weather
to have breakfast on deck
Captain Finch Tells Story.
The first official statement from an
officer of the boat came from Captain
Finch.
I'VE were forty-seven miles south of
Galleyhead at $3.50 in the morning" he
said, when | perceived the steamer
Dunsley in difficulty. Going toward
her / observed a torpedo coming for
my ship, but could not discern a SUBJ
marine. The torpedo struck 100 feet
from the stern, making terrible havoc
of the hull. The vessel began to set
tie Immediately and sank in about
eight minutes.
My order from the bridge about
getting the boats launched was
promptly cbeyed. Two boats capsized.
We had taken every precaution while
in the danger zone. There were plenty
of life belts on deck and the boats were
ready for immediate launching. The
officers and crew behaved excellently
and did everything possible in the cir
cumstances. getting people into the
boats and picking up those in the sea.
Il was the last to leave. taking the
plunge into the sea as the ship was
going down. After being in the water
some time | got aboard a raft to
which | also assisted two men and
women"
Fifty in Berths When Hit.
Most of the passengers were on
deck or at breakfast when we were
struck said Joseph G. De Lorrimer,
Montreal lawyer and son-in-law of a
former Canadian minister of marine.
Possibly fifty of the passengers -ere
still in their berths.
1T was about nine o'clock, or a lii.
tie after. when several of US sighted
what we thought was a submarine.
quite a distance to starboard. an
preaching a steamer we later found
out was the Dunsley of London While
we were watching we caught the
faint sound of an explosion and took
it for granted that the. Dunsley had
been torpedoed.
"Our course was taking US over in
the direction of the Dunsley. We pre-
pared for an attack at once. The crew
ran about distributing life preservers
and swinging out the boats.
Il adjusted my life preserver and
ran below to get a suitcase full of
important documents. | had just re-
turned when I saw a white streak
'ushing toward the Arabic. churning
up foam at a great rate. Then there
was tremendous explosion. The ship
stopped almost instantly. She rocked
from side to side and began to keel
over. Most of the passengers were in
the boats in an instant and there was
not the slightest panic.
Il barely had time to make the last
lifeboat We were launched success
fully. but hadn't got clear when the
Arabic rolled over and went down.
She was half turned on her side and
her starboard quarter struck our boat.
eaving in the side and throwing US
into the water.
Il thought it was all over. but /
finally came up and swan to raft. |
don't know what happened to the 9TH
erS While I was clinging to tha raft