The Columbus commercial. (Columbus, Miss.) 1893-1922, 1916-06-08
BRITISH CHIEF Is LOST
WHEN CRUISER SINKS
OFF ORKNEY ISLANDS.
STAFF MEMBERS
ALL LOSE LIVES
Sir William Robertson Will
Succeed Kitchener and Di-
rect English Forces.

Earl Kitchener, secretary of state
for war, and his staff, who were
proceeding to Russia aboard the
cruiser Hampshire. were lost off the
Orkney Islands. was the most stun
ming blow Great Britain has re-
ceived since the war began.
This is the second shock the coun-
try has sustained within week. The
other was when the newspapers APP
peared Friday evening with the in
telligence of the naval battle in the
North sea in the form of a list of the
ships lost, with virtually no intima-
ton that there was any compensa-
ton in the way of enemy losses. The
bulletin telling of the death of
Kitchener gave the country a great
er shock.
Kitchener was the one outstand-
ing personality whom the people
talked of and believed in as a great
man, Notwithstanding newspaper at
tacks, which at former period of
the war threatened to undermine his
popularity and the public confidence
in him.
A telegram from Admiral Sir
John Jellicoe, commander of the
fleet, giving the bare facts, was re-
ceived at the admiralty about IL
O'clock in the morning. The first Of
fetal announcement was issued at
about | 80 in the afternoon, Such
news, however, cannot be kept en-
tfsly s1ciet Sg1n -. sA ,loar. De-
fore noon rumors were spreading
and the telephones in the newspaper
offices were busy with inquiries anx-
ious to know whether this-one of
the many reports circulating in
these days of tension-had any
foundation. They were told there
was nothing in it.
Admiral Jellicoe's report to the
admiralty was as follows:
81 have to report, with deep re-
gret, that his majesty's ship, Hamp-
shire, Capt. Herbert J. Savill, r. N,
with Lord Kitchener and his staff
on board, was sunk last night about
8 p. m. to the west of the Orkney,
either mine or torpedo.
-Four boats were seen by observ-
ers on shore TO leave the ship. The
wind was north-northwest, and
heavy seas were running. Patrol
vessels and destroyers at once pro-
ceeded to the spot and party was
sent along the coast to search, but
only some bodies and capsized
boat have been found up to the
present. As the whole shore has
been searched from the seaward,
greatly fear there is little hope
of there being any survivors.
"No report has been received
fror the search party on sh re.
I'll. M. S. Hamshire was on hen
way to Russia"
Accompanying Earl Kit hcnel
and his staff were Hugh James
O'Birene, former councillor of tn,
British embassy at Petrograd, anc
former minister at Sofia, o. A
Fitzgerald, Earl Kitchener's privat,
military secretary, Brig. .-Gen. Eller
shaw, and Sir Frederick Donaldson
On board the Hampshire with tn,
British war secretary were al6o {
runber of minor officers.
When the official announcement
finally was issued the fact spreat
about London sometime before tn,
newspapers could get into thu
streets. There was crowd abou
the stock exchange which requires
police reserves to deal with. Tn,
police told everyone to move on
that there was no truth in the re
ports.
AT the same time another mass o
people were assembling about tn
government offices in Whitehall a
tie windows of the war Office ha
c.,itahs lowered. That conf;rme
the rumor beyond doubt. Othe
crowds gathered about the newsps
per Offices; when boys came out wit
an armful of extras the people fe
on them and fought for the paper
In the course of the afternoon tn
flags on all buildings were flown .
half staff.
! The English undoubtedly are
stoical people and have taken tn
! good and bad tidings of war as the
caihe, with an absence of emotio
surprising to outsiders, but no on
...-n-~I l.