The Harrison times., 1916-06-10
EARL KITCHENER AND STAFF
LOST WHEN SHIP SINKS OFF
ORKNEY ISLANDS.
BLOW TO GREAT BRITAIN
This Is the Second Shock Country
Sustained Within a Week-other
Was When Newspapers Told OF
Naval Battle in the North Sea.

London.-The news that Earl Kitch-
ener, secretary of state for war, and
his staff, who were proceeding to Rus
sia aboard the cruiser Hampshire,
were lost off the Orkney Islands was
the most stunning blow Great Britain
has received since the war began.
This is the second shock the coun-
try has sustained within a week. The
other was when the newspapers ap-
peared with the first intelligence Of
the naval battle in the North Sea- IN
the form Of list of the ships lost,
with virtually no intimation that
there was any compensation in the
way Of enemy losses. The bulletin
telling Of the death of Kitchener gave
the country even a greater shock.
Kitchener was the one outstanding
personality whom the people talked of
and believed in as a great man, not
withstanding newspaper attacks, which
at a former period Of the war threat
ened to undermine his popularity and
the public confidence in him.
A telegram from Admiral Sir John
Jellicoe, commander Of the feet Civ,
ing the bare facts, was received at Ihe
admiralty. Such news, however, can.
not be kept entirely secret, even FOR
an hour Before noon rumOrs were
spreading, and the telephones in
the newspaper Offices were busy with
inquirers anxious to know whether
this-one Of the many reports circu-
lating in these days of .tension-had
any foundation. They were told there
was nothing in it.
Admiral Jellicoe's report to the al
miralty follows:
81 have to report with deep regrec
that his majesty's ship, Hampshire,
Capt Herbert J. Savill R. n, with
Lord Kitchener and his staff on bC-.rd,
was sunk west of the Orkneys, either
by mine or a torpedo.
-Four boats were seen by observers
on shore to leave the ship. The wind
was north-northwest, and heavy seas
were running. Patrol vessels and de-
stroyers at once proceeded to the
spot and party was sent along the
coast to search, but only some bodies
and a capsized boat have been found
up to the present. AS the whole shore
has been searched from the seaward,
! greatly fear that there is little hope
of there being any survivors.
"No report has yet been received
from the search party on shore.
III. M. S. Hampshire was on her
way to Russia"
When the official announcement was
issued the fact spread about London
some time before the newspapers
could get into the streets. There Was
a crowd about the Stock Exchange
which required police reserves 70
deal with The police told everyone
to move on; that there was no truth
Ill Jut lbpOl ID.
At the same time another mass of
people was assembling about the gov
ernment offices in Whitehall All the
windows Of the war office had the cur,
tains lowered. That confirmed the
rumor beyond doubt Other crowds
gathered around the newspaper Offices.
When the boys came out with an
armful OF extras the people fell on
them and fought for the papers. In
the course of the afternoon the flags
on all buildings were flown at half
mast.
The English undoubtedly are a stoi.
cal people and have taken the good
and the bad tidings Of the war as they
came, with an absence of emotion slr-
prising to outsiders. But no one could
have walked the London streets
without perceiving that something
which the common people took as a
calamity had befallen them,
The foreign office was saddened by
the loss of one of its most valued
members, Hugh James OBeirne, while
Sir Frederick Donaldson and Brig
Gen. Ellershaw Of the ministry Of mu-
nitions were known to be men whom
the nation could little afford to lose.