Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-06-08

London. June 6.-The news that Earl
Kitchener secretary of state for war and
his staff. who were proceeding to Russia
aboard the cruiser Hampshire, were lost
off the orkney islands last night, was the
most stunning blow Great Britain has re-
ceved since the war began.
This is the second shock the country
has received within a week. The other
was the first intelligence Of the naval
battle in the North sea, in the form of |
list of the ships lost, with virtually no
intimation that there was any componsa-
ton in the way of enemy losses The
bulletin telling of the death of Kitchener
gave the country an even greater shock
Kitchener was the one outstandinE
personality whom the people talked of
and believed in as "a great man. not
withstanding newspaper attacks,
which at a former period of the war
threatened to undermine his popular
fly and the public confidence in him.
telegram from Admiral Sir John
Jellicoe, commander of the fleet. Civ
ing the bare facts, was received at the
admiralty about II o'clock in the
morning. The first official announce
ment was issued at about / 80 in tn >
afternoon. Such news, however, can
not be kept entirely secret even an
hour. Before noon rumors We're
spreading, and the telephones in the
newspaper offices were busy with in
quirers anxious to know whether this
one of the many reports circulating
in these days of tension-had any
foundation. They were told there was
nothing in it.
Admiral Jellicoe's report to the ad
miralty was as follows:
II have to report with deep regret that
His Majesty's ship Hampshire, Captain
Herbert j. Sayvile, r. n, with Lord
Kitchener and his staff on board. was
sunk last night at about eight, to the
west of the Orkneys, either by mine or
torepdo. The wind was northwest and
heavy seas We're running. Patrol vessels
and destroyers at once proceeded to the
spot and party was sent along the coast
to search. but only some bodies and n
capsized boat have been found up to the
present. AS the whole shore has been
searched, | greatly fear that there is
little hope Of there being any survivors.
No report has yet been received from the
search party on shore"
When the official announcement finally
was issued the fact spread about Lon
don some time before the newspapers
could get into the streets. There was
crowd about the stock exchange
which required police reserves to deal
with it, The police told everyone to
move on; that there was no truth in
the reports.
AT the same time another mass of
people was assembled about the gov
eminent Offices in Whitehall. All the
windows of the war office had the cur
tains lowered That confirmed the
rumor beyond doubt. Other crowds
gathered around the newspaper Offices;
when the boys came out with an armful
OF extras the people fell on them and
fought for the papers. In the course
of the afternoon the flags on all build
ings were hAf-masted.
The English undoubtedly are n stoical
people and have taken the good and
the bad tidings of the war as they
came with an absence OF emotion sur
have walked the London streets to-day
without perceving that something
which the common people took as a
calamity had befallen them.
The foreign office was saddened by
the loss of one Of its most valued mem
bers, Hugh James O'Beirne while Sir
Frederick Donaldson and Brig. General
Ellershaw of the ministry Of munitions
were known to be men whom the ma
ton could little afford to lose.
The fact that the cruiser Hampshire
with between 200 and 300 men had sunk