New Britain herald., 1916-01-05
ALL BEAR TRACES OF SHOCK AND INJURY Survivors Of British Liner Persia
 Arrive at Alexandria
NO SIGNS OF PANIC ON VESSEL

Who Went in Search of Their Off spring Never Returned-Believed Captain Went Down With Vessel.
 London, Jan. 4, 11:05 a. m. (De- layed)-The survivors of the British steamship Persia which was tor pedoed in the Mediterranean last Thursday, reached Alexanderia, Egypt according to the account sent by Reuters correspondent at that point, all bearing traces of shock and hard ship. Most of them had badly bruised and bandaged limbs. One woman IS in 8 hospital with a broken leg.
 The tragedy was enacted so rapidly that the survivors say they hardly realized what happened consequently they had little to tell. The passengers were sitting quiely at luncheon, every one in good hunlor and an atmos- phere of gaiety prevailing. Five minutes later those who escaped were in boats or clinging to wreckage and the luxurious liner was completely gone.
 Terrific Explosion.
 Luncheon had just started when there came terrific explosion. The liner trembled violently and mo- ment later listed sharply to port. Only those who left their seats instantly and those who had not yet come down to the dining salon had any chance to escape, Many seemed paralyzed with fear and sat as if glued to their seats. Their indecision was fatal, as the wa ter poured in and the list increased. Some of those who gained the deck lost their footing and slipped inn mediately into the sea, while others were swert away by waves.
 It was possible to launch boats only on one side of the ship and only the promptest action by officers and crew enabled them to launch four boats All the passengers praise the coolness ana uuickness of the crew. There were no signs of panic. Every one made the most of the few remaining moments.
 Woman Describes Experiences
 One young woman described her ex- periences as follows: "I was just sit ting down at the table when the explosion occurred. I ran at once to my cabin for a life preserver ana twice was thrown down in the passage bv the rocking of the ship. l got to my cabin, snatched a life belt ana rushed to the deck. l had the ut most difficulty in keeping my footils and was again thrown down. AS | reached the deck the liner lurched heavily and I fell. Although oaoly shaken and bruised l quickly manaseo to adjust the life belt and jumped lii- to the sea where I was rescued lllIeoil minutes later.'
 Two bank clerks going to hs!p'' rushed to the bridge and olNeo lh'o
 
 the water from when 'lley saved!
 Two Children Saved.
 Mothers who went in quest of their children never returned. Only two children were saved.
 The chief officer is said to have been in his cabin at the time of the exn1osion, He rushed to the bridge and did all that was humanly possl- b1e He went down with the ship but was rescued from the water. He thinks that the captain sank with the ship. although some passengers said +hev saw the captain swimming.
 Seen Empty Boats.
 Many of the passengers of the Per- sia believe that in addition to the boats in which they were saved two other life-boats got clear of the sink ing steamer, dCCOIu1llS u e1 ASCoISA 1 dispatch from Alexandria. The chief officer of the Persia, however, thinks that this is improbable and that if other boats were seen, as some of the passengers declare, they were empty boats which broke loose when the steamer turned over and went to the bottom. This view is supported by the other surviving officer.
 The survivors lost everything they owned, and during the thirty hours they spent in the boats suffered se- verely from the cold. None of them had warm clOthing There was a sufficient supply of water and provi- sions. however, as the boats were al- ready stocked in accordance with ma rine regulations.
 Grant On U. S. Cruiser.
 Everything possible is being done here for the comfort of the survivors. Charles Grant of Boston, who, so far as known is the only American now able to tell the story of the disaster, is a guest on board the United States cruiser Des Moines.
 'Sixty-three Lascars among the survivors include fireman and seV- eraI stewards. Only one of the stew ardesSes was saved,
 HUERTA HAS RESTFUL NIGHT.
 El Paso. Tex, Jan. 5.-Gen. Vic toriano Huerta, former provisional