New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-01

London. FeD. 20 mat herman SUI
marines have been sowing mines on
Dover was the belief expressed to-day
b. Ralph Foster. OF Kansas. and other
survivors OF the Maloja disaster, IN
GLIDING some OF the officers OF the ship.
Tn. fact that several disasters have
occurred in the eighborhood Of Dover
during the last two Sundays Is consid'
cred in some quarters In London az
po.sible evidence that German sub
marines. knowing that many boats
clear for foreign ports on Saturdays
have taken advantage Of that tact TO
creep in as near the coast "a possible
in the night time and discharge car
goes OF explosives
The inquest into the death Of the
Maloja victims was opened at Dover
to-day. The proceedings were notable
because Of the evidence Of the chief
officer Of the steamer. vho expressed
a belief that she had been torpedoed.
This opinion was not sustained, other
witnesses expressing the opinion that
the navigators OF the MalOja saw a
mine and tried TO avoid striking 1t, but
were unable 10 do so. IL was brought
out that Only fourteen out OF .he bodies
recovered had as yet been identlned;
Two more lifcboats from the NaioJ1
we're washed ashore to-day At st. MAJ
garet's Bay. The boats contained soy
cral bodies.
American Has Thrilling Escape.
In the opinion of Mr. Foster. life
boats are virtually useless when vcs-
sells strike mines. As the ships almost
invariably sink quickly. The crews are
insuficiently drilled for quick acton
and the boats cannot be lowered when
a ship heels over on her side. as tic
Malois did. Mr.. Foster had thrilling
experience. He was shoat IN the lcJ
water and on upturned boats an hou:
before he was rescued by a trawler.
81 was promenading the deck well
forward about 1920 o'clock on SUNDAY
morning" Mr.. Foster told The Assoc
sted Press to-day. "whcn heard
slight report. I thought il was gun
firing blank shot until ] saw deDrls
falling. Even then the conclusion had
been so slight that ] concluded an ac-
cident must have happened TO SON"
other ship near by.
"l rushed back Immediately toward
tho stern Of the Maloja. but before
had taken dozen steps the ship began
10 list. and started toward the lit"-
boat that had been allotted to n"
cabin. II was so full Of people, most
OF them Lascsrs. that saw II vas
likely to he swampcd. so ! went belo"
for a lifebelt. | put on my overcoa'
and the lifebelt and also took my pass
port.
Lifeboats Found Useless.
by this time hardly three minutes
after the explosion the passageways
below were awash. ! returned 10 the
lifcboat and tried 10 help shove II clear.
Two OF the white crew Of the steamer
were standing by TO lower the boat. but
only a stew and and myself we're making
any efforts 20 push it of from the
ships side. We could not get the boat
dear Of the railing on account OF the
heavy list OF the vessel.
Everybody then piled out OF the he
boat Most OF them slid across the
deck and into the water on the other
size. The Gcck was inclined TO such
cecree that NC could not stand.
grabbed al an oar and slid down the
deck into the water. The waves were
SO strong that found could not swim
in them, anG was washed back agains.
the side OF the ship.
FINALLY ! managed to rcacn cap
sized boat few feet away and crswled
onto il. From ,here could see in the
water near me several bodies OF per
sons who were bleeding about the head.
one Lascar was being ground between
a lifeboat and the ships side. big
swell washed me of my insecure perch.
I knew what would happen to me If
stsyed on that side OF the snip. so ]
managed TO get 10 the other side and
Cung 10 the railing until only the
davits were projecting out OF the water.
Lifeboat Goes Down.
II then pushed away from the
steamer and swan Few yards 20
boa; which had five or siX Lascsrs IN
II. When / looked around the last OF
the dayits Of the Maloia had disap-
peared. We had no oars. and the waves
kept breaking over the boat When 1t
began to sink ne swan 10 another cap
sized boat and chung there until boat
from the destroyer took us off.
when We came alongside the dc
,troyer noticed that the swells seemed
20 bob us up and down ten or twelve
feet. looked AZ the clock on board the
destroyer and saw it was 1880 o'clock.
"Thc only terror or excitement shown
aboard the Maloja while they were try
ing TO lower the boats was on the part
% Lascars and some children who had
become separated from their mothers.
One child who was on deck near the
point Of the explosion was blown to
pieces. an officer told me.
"One thing which made an impress
sion on my mind while was clinging
TO q capsized boat WAS teddy bear
which was floating about The coxswain
OF the boat which picked Us up rescued
the toy. saying i must have that for
nv lid -