The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-03-11
Steamship StOrstad. Carry
ing Relief Supplies to Bel
gium, .TOrpedOed.
THIRTY OF CREW MISSING
Boats Containing Survivors
Shelled by Germans, VINO
Refused to Tow Them.

LONDON. March 1O.-The Norwegian
steamship Storstad Belgian relief ship.
which had one American citizen on board.
mas been sunk by a submarine. accord
ing to Official information.
Only thirteen men OF the crew Of the
Storstad have been landed, says Cork
despatch TO Lioyd's Weekly Nems. They
were the occupants Of the only boat to
reach shore. which they did after hsht-
ing stormy seas for thirty-six hours
John Roy Christian. the American MEM
Der OF the crew. was among those who
reached shore safely. The fourth en-
gineer died OF exposure and two boat =
containing more than thirty men are
missing. Christian, the despatch adds
said:
we were showing two Belgian relief
bars on each mast and had the Belgian
reiief ensign painted on four parts Of
the ship. In addition we had the Nor
we2ian nag hois;ed and it was also
painted OH the sides of the vessel"
Christian gave the following account
OF his experiences
The submarine on sighting us began
to fire shells. I went to my lifeboat, but
returned for more clothing as the
weather was cold. When I got back nv
called out that we were Belgian re-
lief ship. but when we thought that all
danger had passed the submarine fired
torpedo We took to the boats and
caught up to the other boats, which had
gone on before
The Germans began firing shells all
around and some fell near the boats
though we We're a good distance from the
Storstad They appeared to he firing for
fun. l do not know any other reason.
'We We're in the boats for thIrty-six
hours with heavy sea running and a
strong wind against us. We were bail
ing constantly and everybody became
exhausted. The fourth engineer became
very Ill and died in the boat The sub
marine refused to tow Us when We asked
for such aid"
capt. Anderson Of the Storstad, the
despatch TO Lloyd's NeUs adds. said
that the Germans could see the Belgian
relief signs on the storstad quite
when we we're in an open boat" the
captain declared, II asked the German
commander to give us a tow and told
MIN 1t was bad business He did not
reply but made or at full speed. They
then commenced to fire shells and some
fell dangerously near us
The members OF the crew were in a
state OF collapse from cold when they
landed.
The London ONCE Of the commission
states that the Storstad carried 10000
tons OF maize from Buenos Ayres, which
was needed badly in Belgium, where the
shortage as u result of the detention Of
grain cargoes will soon be felt severely.
On entering the submarine zone the
Storstad is reported to have been ordered
to put into Las Palmas. Canary Islands.
As she was without a German safe con-
duct, but evidently her commander deter
mined to risk continuation Of the voyage
by the northerly route
No previous report had been received
in this country of the sinking OF the Stor-
stad. The steamship, GOES tons gross.
sailed from Buenos Ayres on January la.
She figured extensively in the news Of
three years ago after having on May 2s.
1914. been in collision in the ST. Law
renee with the Canadian Pacific liner
Empress Of Ireland. which sank with tho
loss OF more than 1000 lives. A com
mission headed by Lord Mersey held the
Storstad to blame for the disaster