Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-01-01

most OF the passengers and men OF
the Persia were lost.
-Four beats got clear before the
Persia sank.
In addition to Mr.. McNelly two other
Americans are known to have been
passengers on the Persia when she left
London. Charles H. Grant was on his
way to Bombay. Edward Rose, school
boy was on the way from Denver to
Gibraltar. Rose probably landed at
Gibraltar and was not on board the
boat at the time she was sunk.
$50 Passengers On Ship.
The Peninsular and Oriental line
estimates that 100 or 161 passengers
sailed from London on the Persia. A
number of these landed at Gibraltar,
Marseilles or Malta. No official fig
ures are available.
In addition to the passengers, who
sailed from London, large number
embarked at Narseilles. The total
booked at th Sc points was 231. OF
these 81 were women and 25 children.
Lord Montagu was on the passenger
list.
The Persia was sunk in the eastern
Mediterranean off the island of Crete
The message to Lloyds says the Fer
STA was on her way from London to
Bombay. She was sunk at l O'Clock
on Thursday oftnruOon
News Troubles Washington.
Washington, Jan. 1.-Official dis
! patches from London today said the
liner Persia was torpedoed and sunk
while approaching Alexandria" and
that nearly all persisted"
Officials who were not away for the
holiday viewed the news with some
anxiety. fearing the sinking of the
British liner might complicate the al
ready delicate submarine situation.
Robert McNelly was making his first
trip to a consular post for the United
States government, having been ap-
pointed Oct. IS last, and assigned to
Alden. His home is at Monroe, North
Carolina and he was a member of the
North Carolina legislature from 1908
to 1910. He is 80 years old.
The dispatch came from Consul Cen
eral Skinner at London and probably
was based on the British admiralty
report. It follows:
"P. and o. liner Persia reported
sunk, summarized while approaching
Alexandria. Robert N. McNelly, Ameri-
can consul, Alden, going to post, left
London as passenger. Nearly all on
board persisted"
Left Bombay Nov. IA.
The Persia was a steamer of 1874
tons gross. She was owned by the Pen
insular and Oriental Steam Navigation
company of London She sailed from
Bombay, Nov IA, for London and was
last reported as leaving Gibraltar on
Dec. 2.
Robert N. McNally was appointed as
consul at Alden, Arabia, in October,
1914. He was a native of North Car
olinay
Route Through Sub Zone.
The Persia was one Of several YES
sells recently sunk by submarines in
the eastern Mediterranean. through
which her course to the Suez canal
would take here from Malta On Dec.
"a the French line Vile de Ia Ciotat
was sent to the bottom off the Island
of Crete by submarine which, &C
cording to unofficial British advices,
flew the Austrian flag.
Sailing Date Unknown.
No advices have been received in
New York as to the date of which the
Persia sailed from London. She de-
parted some time in advances of her
advertised date of sailing. which was
Jan. 10. The voyage from London to
Malta ordinarily requires nine days.
The Persia was built in 1900 al
Greenock She has been in the Bonn
bay service since that time.
On account of the danger from sub
marines to vessels which pass through
| the Suez canal and the Mediterranean
| this route has been abandoned by the
Japan Mail Steamship company. which
! is dispatching its steamships around
| the Cape of Good Hope. Insurance
rates for vessels passing through the
Suez have been increased by English