New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-09-19
American Built Steamer
Under British Flag
Lost in Channel.
NO WARNING GIVEN,
AMERICANS ASSERT
Twenty.seven Muleteers
Arrive and Tell Story
of Their Escape.

The sinking of the American-bulN
steamship Kelvinia by mine or tor
pedo in the Bristol Channel on Septem-
Der . was told yesterday b. twenty
seven American muleteers who re-
turned as consular passengers on the
Anchor liner Tuscania from Glasgow
The Kelvinia. which had been char
tered BY the Donaldson Line, was sail
ing under the British flag from Milford
Haven to Glasgow with a general car
90. having previously discharged al
Milford Haven her cargo of horses Tor
he British army brought from Newport
News.
r. /. Glover Of Henderson, y. e.,
an assistant foreman of the muleteers,
told of the sinking of the kelvinia,
after he had made a disposition TO the
port authorities, which Will be sent 10
the State Department.
-"It was Just 2:20," said Mr.. Glover,
"on the morning of September when
was shaken from my berth by the eX,
plosion. There was crack, followed
by a dull roar. and the boat tremo!ed
from bow to stern. | slipped on my
coat and trousers and ran on deck.
The crew were commencing to lower
boats, and | slipped into the first one.
commanded by the first mate. On all
sides there was confusion. Men were
calling for live preseVers- none OF
which could be found and hacking
away at the dayit ropes to swing the
lifeboats oversize.
Struck on Port Side.
THE night was overcast and quite
cold, with a choppy sea running. Our
boat got away just as the kelvlnia
listed to port, showing that she mad
been struck on that side. Several other
boats followed, and we began TO row IN
circle around the steamship, which
was gradually settling toward the bow.
"The mate, who had been on watch on
the bridge, said that ne was as much
surprised as any one else when the ex-
plosion occurred, as he had received ab-
solutely no warning.
"As we rowed we could dimly see
dark, low-lying object of the port DOW
which looked like submarine. We
waved our lantern and shouted for help,
but as we received no answer we turned
and proceeded in the opposite direction,
fearing that the hostile submarine
might she'll our lifeboats. as has hap
pened in the Mediterranean.
IAN hour later the black object van
ished and we felt much relieved. The
Kelvinia still remained afoaS, although
gradually settling as the water passed
from bulkhead TO bulkhead. Six hours
later she was completely submerged
and remained nothing more than
memory.
Ships Ignore Distress Signals.
I'VE continued to row, although the
wind had freshened considerably with
the dawn and the whltecaps began
splashing inboard. Some OF us stopped
rowing and began bailing. During the
morning we saw three ships in the dis
lance, none OF which answered our dis
tress signal. consisting of an under
shwt attached to the end of an oar and
waved back and forth.
Late in the afternoon steam
trawler came into view and. answering
our signals. FASTENED 10 our aid. We
were taken aboard given food and
and finally landed in Glasgow.
There were seventy-siX of US, including
the officers, crew and muleteers, and
luckily no lives were lost"