New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-18
1000 BRITISH DIE.
WHEN SUBMARINE
SINKS TRANSPORT
Royal Edward Torpedoed
in Egean, on Way to
Dardanelles.
FIRST TROOPSHIP
U-BOAT'S VICTIM
England Has Taken Greatest
Precautions to Guard
Forces on Sea.

f0rCeS on sea.
London, Aug. 17.-The British trans
port Royal Edward has been torpedoed
and sunk by German submarine, ac-
cording TO an official announcement to-
day. Six hundred men were saved out
of the thirty-two officers, 1850 troops
and 220 other persons on board, max
ing a loss of 1,002 men.
The text of the announcement fol-
lows;
THE British transport Royal Ed
ward was sunk by an enemy submarine
in the Egean last Saturday morning
According 20 the information at pres
ent available, the transport had on
board thirty-two military officers and
1850 troops, in Iddition to the ships
crew Of 220 officers and men.
THE troops consisted mainly of re-
Inducements for the Goth Division and
details of the Royal Army Medical
Corps.
Full information has not yet been
received, but it is known that about
600 have been saved"
Sec Need of Conveys.
No details arc available of the loss
of the transport. formerly the steam
ship Cairo, beyond the brief statement
of the British Admiralty.
Germany had news of the sinking
yesterday, but nothing was published
in London. although the disaster oc-
Cured three days ago.
The Royal Edward is the r-st British
transport to fall a victim to a German
submarine, and the brief comment in
the evening newspapers emphasizes the
services of the navy. which hitherto
has assured the transportation of hun
dreds of thousands of British troops
without accident.
SO far as has been reported Of
ficially, this is the first instance in
which a British transport has been at
tackled successfully by a submarine. 1t
had been matter of pride with the
British government that it had trans
ported hundreds of thousands of troops
across many seas without loss of life.
The number of troops sent to France
and Belgium since the war began con-
siderably exceeds 100000. In addition,
many men have been transported to the
Dardanelles, Egypt, South Africa and
Serbia.
Elaborate Precautions Taken.
Troops have been brought in from
Canada, New Zealand. Australia and
India for the defence of the mother
country. To guard these vast move
ments elaborate precautions have been
taken. Transports are accompanied by
an escort OF warships; chief reliance is
placed on destroyers for %arding off
submarine ..ttacks.
The British announcement shows
that the Royal Edward was engaged in
conveying troops to the Dardanelles
front. German submarines sent to the
Egean to assist the Turks have been
very active. One of them, the U-5l,
under command of Captain Otto Her
sing, made the voyage from Wilhelms-
hafen to the Dsrdanelles and sank the
British battleships Triumph and Ma
jestic.
The British troops at the Dsrdanelles
consist in great part of Australian and
New Zealand c c-ntingents.
,--:.I r..al;.n T.oons
For a time the Royal Edward was
detailed to take Canadian troops TO
England. ~. August IL, 1914, she sailed
from Montreal with 500 French re-
servists. dispatch from Montreal
said that the steamship probably would
be taken ovei by the British Ad-
miralty after completing her eastward
voyage. The last report of the Royal
Edward in maritime records is her ar
rival on October IS at Avonmouth, Eng
land. from Montreal.
An unofficial dispatch from Berlin on
February 2l reported the sinking of a
British transport, with troops, and of
d steamer which was accompanying the
transport. Later it was said that
prize offered in Germany for the sink
ing of transport had been distributed.
No Ofhcldl statement was mdde' now
ever. either in Berlin or in London.
Conceal Transport Moves.
Details of the movements of trans
ports have been withheld as a matter
of precaution by the British govern
ment It was reported some time ago,
withou. off ,:al confirmation, that two
Leavy wire nets had been strung across
- 1gD in
which transports might travel In
safety.
The Royal Edward was ll.ll7 tons
cross and 526 feet long. She was
owned by the Canadian Northern
Steamships of Toronto. She was built
in Glasgow in 1908.