Arizona republican., 1916-06-07
News is Stunning Blow


LONDON. June 1.-THE news that
Earl Kitchener. secretary of state for
war and his staff, who We're proceed
ing to Russia aboard the cruiser
Hampshire, We're lost off the Orkney
islands last night, was the most stun
ming blow Great Britain has received
since the war began.
Accompanying Earl Kitchener as
his staff were Hugh James 0Beyrne
former councillor of the British en-
bassv at Petrograd and former minis
ter to Sofia; o A. Fitzgerald, Earl
Kitcheners private military seere-
tarv; Brig. Gen Ellershaw and Sir
Frederick Donaldson.
This is the second shock the coun
try has sustained within a week. The
other was when the newspaper ap-
peared Friday evening with the first
intelligence 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-
! tion in the way of enemy losses. The
/ bulletin telling Of the death of Kltch-
/ ener gave ,he country even a greater
! shock
| Kitchener was the one outstand-
| ing personality whom the people
talked of ana believed in as d great
man, notwithstanding newspaper at
tacks which at d former period of
the war threatened to undermine his
popularity and the public confidence
in him.
4 telegram from Admiral Sir John
Jelliicoe commander of the fleet, Civ
ing the bare facts, was received at
the admiralty about IL o'clock in the
morning. The first official announce
ment was issued at about 1880 in the
afternoon 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 in
quiries anxious to know whether this
one of the many reports circulating
in these days of tension-had any
. foundation. They We're told there was
nothing in it.
Admiral Jelliicoe's report to the ad-
miralty was as follows
Il have to report that his majesty S
ship Hamshire, Capt Herbert J. Sa-
vile, r. D., with Lord Kitchener and
his staff on board was sunk last
night at about o'clock to the west
OF the Orkneys, either by mine ol
a torpedo.
-Four boats were seen by observers
on shore to leave the ship. The winC
was north northwest and heavy seas
! Do oIe.. Il IL,
- stroyers proceeded to the spot and {
party was sent along the coast Il
search, but only some bodies and
capsized boat, have been found up tt
the present. greatly fear that ther'
is little hope of there being any sur
"A vivors.
H. NJ s. Hampshire was on he
way to Russia
- When the announcement finally wa
issued the fact spread about Londol
id some time before the newspapers coul'
ie get into the streets. There was
crowd about the stock exchange whicl
required police reserves to deal with
The police told everyone to move on
&c that there was no truth in the reports
AL Inc same lliilS, dIolleT mass 1
people was assembling about the gov
ernment offices in Whitehall All til
: windows of the war office had the cur
ho tains lowered. That confirmed the I'll
"a NOR beyond doubt. Other crowds gath
il cred around the newspaper offices
Il When the boys came out with armful
or Of extras the people fell on them an
IN fought for the papers. In the cours
i : of the afternoon the flags on all build
S ing We're flown at half staff.
ny The English undoubtedly are sto
n people and have taken the good an
g bad tidings of the war as they can
ed with absence of emotional surprisir
to outsiders. But no one could ha'
~ walked the streets today without pc
!, ceiving that something which the con
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