The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-11-22
4S,OOO-TOn Britannia, Largest
British Vessel Afloat.
OF LIS Aboard, so Are Lost
and 2S Injured.
TORPEDOED Off GREECE
Used as Hospital Ship, Probably
Carrying Wounded.
Staff Included 200 Nurses, 100
Surgeons and Crew 800.

London. Nov. 22.-The British hos
pital ship Britannia, probably the
White Star liner of that name and the
biggest British ship afloat, was sunk
in the Zea channel of the Aegean sea
yesterday.
The admiralty announced todav that
OF those aboard about fifty were LOST
twenty-eight were injured and loo
saved. The announcement declared
the vessel had been sunk bv n,,ra
or torpedo.
The Britannia was steel tr,nl.
steamship of 4S.15S tons. She
was built for the White Star linz.
passenger service. being fn,sh.
last year, but was immediata1,- .t
qfuIsitIohed by the British eoyernmart
III use as hospital transDort
te Nea channel where the adufrsI-
G;+ the great ship was lost. is a
Grae water between mainland of
-. ana the Island of Zea. F,,-or,,
this IL is safe to assume that tba pe..
aIliilc was bringing back wounda5
rom Saloniki, the channel hein. os,a
~ tne olrect routes to the allies dan-t
IN this section. usDoe
n. \. Office Learns News.
New York, Nov. 22.-Lacking anv
ahuNlces, offlcials of the White Star line
.r were today practically certain
tlat the hospital ship Britannia sunk
oy torpedo or mine in the Aegean
sea was the Britannia of their lin
afloat snip
They based their belief on two
points: "so
First that the liner Britannia com
pleted only last year. had immediately
been requisitioned by the admjrs1fy
for hospital service.
Inc Brltannic never has engaged in
transatlantic service, not being com
pleted at the outbreak of the war. she
was turned over to the governr,a,,t
ana Iltted out as hospital ship. with
cots Tor $500 men. She carried usual
iy' IN addition to patients, 200 nurses
ana orderlies and 100 surgeons nc
sioes her crew of about 500 men. the
lines officials said
Ihe Britannia as a hospital shin
was operated solely by Officers of ~
Whlte Star line. At the local offices
II was said the ship was strictly a nom
belligerent " ioAi-
And, second, that the only Britannia
a ,-orIoI n rIValry listed in Lloyd's was
a vessel OF a mere 42S tons-.too small
70 accommodate the 1,17S persons ac-
counted for in the admiraltv's Iist os
dead, wounded and rescued.
Ihere are four Britannics listed in
Lloya 5: First the White Star liner
ol S'zos tons. owned by Brummenaes
ana iorgersen-and registered fro-,
norwegian port. The third is ons
owned by Montreal & Cornwall Navi-
eation company, registered AT Nor
1real. whose burden is only 42s fora
Inc fourth Britannia of 3,4S7 tons vas
sunk several months ago.
Vessel Almost Brand New
Ihe ship was withdrawn from gov
erhment service. according to renorts
TO the New York office. and taken 10
shipbuilding yard about a month
ago TO have her passenger accommo-
cations rebuilt. They expected her 10
be placed ir Transatlantic service
within a short time Nothing has
peen heard of the ship since word
was received that she was to be re-
built.
1t was stated here that the Britain
mic was commanded by Capt. G. ID
Bartlett
The Britannia was the largest Brit
ism ship afloat and was second only
to the Vaterland, the huge German
passenger vessel in tonnage. She
dlspiaced 4S,15S tons. She was pro-
Delled Dy three GcravS