The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-02-09

LONDON, Feb S-The British pas
senger steamer California OF the Anchor
Line, bound from New York for Glas-
cow, was torpedoed at . o'clock Wednes-
day morning off the Irish coast and
sank In nine minutes. with the loss OF
forty-one lives. The stricken ship was
able to send out S o calls and help
arrived promptly. Nevertheless Ave per-
sons were killed by the explosion and
thirty-six were drowned in the launching
OF the lifeboats
The rfews OF the sinking OF the Cali
fornia reached London yesterday after
noon. before the survivors had yet ar
rived on land, but publication was not
permitted till more than twenty-four
hours later
The California was an armed liner,
carrying a single ~ inch gun on the
stern. The gunner was just training
the weapon on the spot where oil
bubbles had revealed tine presence OF
the underwater enemy. when a torpedo
struck the port side with an explosion
so violent that most of the people aboard
were thrown Off their feet. five being
killed and a score injured.
U-BOat Fired Second Torpedo.
The submarine fired a second torpedo
in an apparent effort to accelerate the
sinking. but the second shot missed.
although both torpedoes were fired from
a distance of less than 900 yards.
There was only one American-John
A. I-ee-aboard the California, and he
is among the survivors.
Capt Henderson, commander of the
California, declares that the conduct of
the passengers and crew was exemplary.
There had been careful drills on the ship
on the way across, and every person
aboard had been assigned a place In a
lifeboat and provided with a left belt.
But despite the coolness OF the pas
sengers and the seamanshlp Of the crew
the successful launching of the boats
was made impossible by the shortness
of the time between the torpedoing OF
the vessel and her disappearance beneath
the waves. which did not permit waiting
until the ship had lost headway.
While the boats were being lowered
from the sloping decks the California
continued to move forward. lurching like
drunken man. and the roar of the
water rushing through the gaping wound
in her side could be heard above the
shouts of officers and men.
Passengers Jump Into Boats.
In a number Of cases II was necessary
for the passengers to Jump into the boa Is
after they we're In the water and in one
case boat with its apportionad load
was swamped and sank. many OF the
occupants being swept under the shiy
before the other boats could give help.
Some Of the lifeboats In the after par
of the ship were actually in the water
when released from the davits. so rap
idly did the ship settle by the stern A
considerable number OF the crew jumped
from their stations into the sea anc
swan to the boats. 1t was extremel,
fortunate that the weather was calm ant
the sea CLASSY otherwise IL would prob
ably have been impossible TO launch &
single boat.
The townspeople (namc OF por
omitted). who crowded the quays, car
rled blankets, clothing and food and wer,
eager to be of some assistance to tn,
survivors when they were brough
ashore Aside from those injured few
of the survivors needed much help, bu
some were thinly clad and gladly ac
military Red Cross contingents wer,
present to care for the injured, who wer,
removed to hospitals.
Captain sighted Submarine.
According to the reports received b.
the American Embassy from some OF tn
survivors there was only one submarine
which, however, fired two torpedoes, on
OF which missed by a few yards, tn
other hitting the California squarely OF
| the port quarter. 1t was the captai,
from the bridge who discerned suspicion
| oil bubbles on the surface OF the waite
| 800 yards distant, He instantly divine,
that a submarine was there and ordere,
the gunner to fire. Before this could b
done the ship was torpedoed. The tract
Of the torpedoes and the periscope OF tn
Continued on Second Page.