The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-11-12
Now Said That Loss Of Life
Does Not Exceed Hundred
and Five
SHIP FIRED ON
WITHOUT WARNING
However. After She Hove To
the Submarine Commander
Gave Brief Time for Passen-
gers to Take to the Boats

London, Nov. 11.--Late advices from
Naples tonight indicate that the ioss
of life on the Italian liner Ancona,
torpedoed and sunk off Sardinia BY an
Austrian submarine Tuesday afternoon
does not exceed 1eo.
The exact number of Americans In
cluded In the Ancona's passenger list.
and the number Of those who persisted
has not yet been established. despite
strenuous efforts on the part OF the
American embassy IN Rome. 1t 10
estimated as between 20 and II.
Naples dispatches late tonight assert
that s47 out Of the total OF 4as pas
sengers and members of the crew have
been safely landed thus far. and more
boats are expected to reach safety.
A Rome dispatch says the names
and the fate Of twenty-four American
passengers are unknown. An incom-
plete list OF survivors includes 100
men, twenty-seven women and twelve
children. among them an American
woman. Another American woman
survivor is Mrs Cecil Greil. second
list includes forty-six seamen. stokers
and stewards.
Shcil-FYre Attack without Warning.
The attack by shell-fire upon the
Ancona was made without warning: 1t
brought the liner to dead stop. Then
time was given by the submarine COM
mander to allow the Decentralization
OF the passengers and crew into tho
|lifeboats.
Such is the conclusion reached here.
based upon stories told by survivors
and by the captain OF the vessel.
1t was the shell fire, reports agree.
that resulted in the great loss of Life.
as 1t caused a panic among the pas
sengers. mostly women and children
emtgrants who, terror stricken, took
to the boat In a mad scramble. the
consequence being that some OF tne
boats capsized before they could be
rowed to rafety Only eight boats
are said to have got away.
A dispatch to Paris from Cape Bon,
lTunis, where some OF tho lifeboats
were safely landed. quotes an officer
OF the Ancona As asserting that two
submarines took part in the attack
Captains Story.
The first story OF the Ancona's cap
| tain was transmitted here in dis
patch from Tunis. where the com
mander arrived from Cape Bon. He
was in one Of the boats landed at cape
Bon yesterday, along with twenty
eight others. Briefly summarized. tnis
| Is his account, the only one oeciar-
| Ing there was fog.
| me uISt StHu VI t'Ao Pt -
submarine was shells from distance
of Ave miles. grazing the steamer
No signal OF any sort preceded this
shell fire. The Ancona stopped dead
BOATS were promptly made read,
for launching and az this was In prog.
ress. shells hit the boats and injured
many of tho occupants. Some OF thu
messengers thrown into tho water
SWAN toward the submarine, but wer'
repealed and derided.
| "Fsnally shells and torpedoes wer'
fred at the Ancona from distance o.
800 yards
The Malta Story.
/ A Malta dispatch quotes survivors
LANDED there as asserting the Austrian
submarine which overhauled the An
coma after long stern chase, gave
1.-THE commander a brief respite to re
rnare messengers and crew 1t wa.
1.-The panic among the passengers tina,
Iensued during this respite that caused
the loss Of life Some OF the boats
crowded by men. women and children
Itumbling over one another. wers
overturned before they could be low
lered throwing the occupants into tne
sea. The shell fire from the sub