Omaha daily bee., 1917-02-08
PASSENGER SHIP
CALIFORNIA SUNK
OFF IRISH COAST
Crack Steamer of Anchor Line
Sent to Bottom by Mine or
Torpedo, with Probable
Loss of Life.
NO AMERICANS ON BOARD
Vessel Carried Thirty One Pas
sengers and Gre wof Hun
dred and Eighty Four.
REPORT 100 SURVIVORS

New York, Feb. 7.-Thc British
passenger liner California, one of the
crack ships of the Anchor line fleet,
has been sunk off the coast of ireland,
with a probable loss of life, Messages
to the State department in Washing
ton and to the officers of the line
at New York today told of the catas-
trophe, but did not say whether it
was torpedocd or struck by mine.
The liner carried thirty-one passen-
gers and a crew of 1874, none of
whom, as far as is known, was an
American, Advices to the local Of
fees said there were 100 survivors;
those to the State department from
Consul Frost at Queenstown that one
life was lost and that there were
thirty hospital cases"
Carried Stern Gun.
The California was armed when it
left here with stern gun, and car
ried cargo, including war supplies,
it was said.
The passengers, it was said by Of
hcials OF the line. were all British OF
Canadian subjects. The British ship
ping commissioner here said that only
four members of the crew were
shipped at this port, none of them be-
ing Americans. The rest of the crew,
he said, was taken on at Glasgow and
he believed they were all British sub
jects.
The vessel was due at Glasgow to-
day or tomorrow.
Henderson Commander.
The California carried a crew OF
1874. 1t was commanded by Captain
John l.. Henderson.
Although many in the passenger
list are recorded as coming from
American cities, it was explained by
the officials that all the passengers
were nevertheless British or Cana
dian, who either resided in them or
booked from them.
The California was built at Glasgow
in 1907 and is registered as a vessel
OF 8,622 tons gross and 470 feet in
length.
The California's general cargo OF
supplies for the use of the British
government included munitions.
The Passenger List.
The California's passenger list fol-
lows:
First Cabin-J l.. Broughton, Shanghai,
China.
Second Cabin-Mrs A. Smith, Mrs. J.
Kidd, Edith Smith unfanD, Calgary, AL
berta; Mr.. and Mrs J. W. Anderson and
son, Vancouver, b. c.. Mr.. and Mrs, A.
Gilchrist, New York city Miss Rose Mar
tin, White Plains. N. Y: Alex Martin, De-
troit, Mich: Mrs A. Guthill. Caspar, Wyo:
Mrs Mary J. o'Donnell, Master Cornelius
oDonnell. Master James o'Donnell. Mis-
Mary oDonnelI, Philadelphia; Neil Giiiies.
New York city; Miss Margaret Macleod. y
New York City; Miss Madge Roberts To.
ronto. Ont; Miss Annie Chambers. Firth
Cliff, N. Y.
Third Cabin-4J. Anderson, Boston. MAJ:
Miss Margery sinclaire Boston; Mrs. Jeanis
Mckinley, Bridgeport, Conn.,; Miss Jessie
Robertson, Buffalo, N. Y; Mrs. Margaret
Little, Master John Little, Miss May Little.
New York City; Alfred Knox New York
city; Miss Annie Forbes Toronto, Ont.
British Liner Sunk.
Washington, Feb. Sinking of the
British liner California, New York
tor Glasgow, off the coast of ireland,
was reported to the State department
late today in a dispatch from Con-
sui Frost at Queenstown.
The report said there was one life
lost and thirty hospital cases" and
gave no other details of the catas-
trophe.
Consul Frost's dispatch was as
follows:
Anchor line California has been
sunk; bound Glasgow, presumably
from New York; 200 persons on
board; one death, thirty hospital
cases; survivors reach rerc late to-
night
Casper Woman on Board.
Casper, Wyo., Feb. Mrs. Alex
ander Cuthill, a passenger on board
the liner California, sailed two weeks
ago to visit her parents in Scotland.
She is the wife of foreman for a
sheep grower, She is a native of
Scotland
Mrs. Cuthill's husband recentIy
took out first naturalization papers
and filed on homestead claim near
here.