The Washington times., 1917-02-28


UNITED States Consul Frost at
Cork reported to the embassy in
London yesterday that Mrs. Hoy
and her daughter had escaped in
a lifeboat which was swamped.
They were picked up. he said. by I,
another boat, but soon died from
exposure. They were buried at
seal
The American survivors are Mrs. r
+. Harris. of Philadelphia. who was
the last woman to leave the Laconia
the Rev. Father wareinE, OF st. Jo
seph's Seminary. Baltimore: Arthur T
Kirby, Of New York, and myself.
Chicago Woman Saved.
A former Chicago woman. now the
wife OF a British subject. was among
the survivors. She is Mrs. Henry
George Boston, the daughter OF
Granger FarweII, of Lake Forest.
After leaving New York, passengers
and crew had had three drills with the
lifeboats. All were supplied with life.
belts and assigned to places in the
twelve big lifeboats poised over the
side from the dayits of the top deck
Submarines had been a chief part
of the conversation during the entire
trip, but the subject had been treated
lightly. although all ordered precau.
tions with strictly in force.
After the first explanatory drill on
the second day out from New York,
from which we sailed on Saturday,
February II, the abandon ship" sig
nal, five quick blasts of the whistle,
had summoned US twice to our life
belts and heavy wraps with a flask
md Do se-t-w
front of our assigned boats on the top
deck.
Knew Of Their Peril.
On Sunday we knew generally we
were in the danger zone, though we
did, not know definitely where we
were-or at least the passengers did
not
In the afternoon, during a short
chat with Capt w. r. d. Irvine, the
ships commander, l had mentioned
that l would like to see a chart and
note our position on the ocean He
replied: "Oh, would your" with a smiI-
ing, rising infection that meant "It is
jolly well none of ysur business"
Prior to this my CHEEKY early morn
ing steward had told us that we
would make Liverpool by Monday
night, and 1 used this information in
another question to the captain.
when do we land?" / asked.
Il don't know" replied Captain Ir-
vine; but my steward told me later it
would be Tuesday. after dinner,
The first cabin passengers were
gathered in the lounge Sunday even
ing, with the exception of the bridge
fends in the smoke room. Poor
Butterfly" was dying weariIy on the
talking machine and several couples
were dancing.
Just Bids and Order1
About the tables in the smoke room
the conversation limited to the an
nouncement of bids and orders to the
stewards. Before the fireplace was a
little gathering which had been dub
bed the Hyde Park Corner-an aIIu-
sion / don't quite fully understand.
This group had about exhausted avail
able discussion when 1 projected a
new bone of contention.
What do you say are our chances
of being torpedoed?" 1 asked.
we'll drawled the deliberate Mr..
Henry Chetham. a London solicitor.
Il should say four thousand to one"
Lucien J. Jerome of the British Dip
1omatic Service, returning with an
Ecudprean valet from South America
interjected: considering the zone
and the class of this ship, 1 should
put IL down at two hundred and fifty
TO one that we don't meet a SUBJ
At this moment the ship gave a
sudden lurch sideways and forward,
There was A muffled noise like the
Elamming of some large door at A
good distance away. The sIightness
of the shock and the meekness Of the
report compared with my imagina.
tiOn was disappointing. Every man
in the room was on his feet in an in.
atat.
Called II A Finer.
"we're hitIr shouted Mr.. Chetham.
That's what we've been waiting
for" said Mr.. Jerome.
what a lousy torpedo" said Mr..
Kirby. a typical New Yorkese. "It
must have been a fizzer"
looked at my watch: 1t was 1O:3 80
Then came the five blasts on the
whistle. We rushed down the corri
dor leading from the smoking room
at the stern to the lounge. which was
amidships. We were running. but
there was no panic. The occupants
vi lne lounBe were just leaving by
the forward doors as we entered.
1t was dark on the landing leading
down to the promenade deck. where
the first class staterooms were To-
Gated. My pocket flashlight, BULL
like fountain pen, came in handy
on the landing.
We. reached the lower deck.
rushed into my stateroom, grabbed
life preservers and oVercOat and
made my way to the upper deck on
that same dark landing.
illumination saved Lives.
I saw the chief steward opening ar
electric switch box In the wall and
turning on the switch. Instantly the
boat decks were illuminated. That il.
Elimination saved lives.
The torpedo had hit us well ssterr
on the starboard side and had missed
the engines and the dynamos. l had
not noticed the deck lights before
Throughout the voyage our decks had
remained dark at night and all cabin
port holes were cIamped down snc
all windows covered with opaque
paint.
The illumination Of the upper deck
on which stood. made the darkness
of the water, sixty feet below, ap'
pear all the blacker when ! peerec
over the edge at my station boat
No. 10.