The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-02-09
DEATH TOLL Al
ON CALIFORNIA
81
Torpedo Killed Five and &c
Persisted in Lowering
the Boats
VESSEL SANK AS
SOON AS STRUCK
Steamer Saw Submarines Oil Bubbles
Too Late to Fire Lone Defense Gun
Successful Launching Impossible
Under the Conditions.

LONDON, Feb. 9.-Thc British pas
scngcr steamer California Of the An
chor line. bound from New York for
Glasgow, was torpedoed at 9 o'clock
Wednesday morning eff the Irish coast
and sank in nine minutes with the
loss of fl lives. The stricken ship was
able TO send out IS. O. :. ~ calls and
help arrived promptly. Nevertheless,
five persons were killed by the eXplo-
sion and 3G We're drowned in the
launching of life boats.
The news 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 until more than 81 hours
later.
The California was an armed liner
carrying single ~ gun mounted on
the stern. The gunner was Just train
ing the weapon on the spot where oil
bubbles had revealed the 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
1 being killed and score injured.
The submarine fired q second torpedo
/ i'm an apparent effort to accelerate
/ the sinking. but the second shot missed,
although both torpedoeS were fired
| from a distance of less than 500 yards.
There was only one American aboard
the California and he is among the sur
vivors.
/ Capt. Henderson, commander of the
/ California, declares that the conduct of
1 the passengers and crew was exem-
I plary. There had been careful drills
on the ship ON the way across and ev-
Icrv person aboard had been assigned a
place in a lifeboat and provided with
/ q lifcbclt. But despite the GOODNESS of
4 the passengers and the scamanship of
, the crew the successful launching of
the boats was made impossible by the
! shortness of the time between the tor
/ pcdoing of the vessel and her disap-
pcarance beneath the waves which did
not permit waiting until the ship lost
/ Roadway.
While the boats were being lowered
from the =lopiug decks the California
continued 20 move forward, lurching
like q drunken man and the roar of
the water rushing through the gaping
wound i'm her side could he heard above
the shouts of officers and men. I'm q
number Of eases it was necessary for
the passengers to jump into the boats
after they were in the water and in one
ease q boat with It's apportioned load
was svampcd md sank. many of the
occupants being swept under the shir
before the other boats could give help
Some Of the life boats i'm the after
part Of the ship were aloat when re
leased from the davits so rapidly iii,
the ship settle hv the stern. \ conSid
cradle number Of the crew jumped from
their stations into the sea and swan t,
the boats. 1t was extremely fortunate
that the weather was calm aud the Sc;
classy: otherwise it would probabl,
have been impossible TO launch a singh
boat
The townspcople (namc of port omit
ted who crowded the quays carrie,
blankets, clothing and food and wer
eager to be of assistance to the sur
vivors when they were brought ashore
| Aside from those injured, few of tn
| survivors needed much help, but som
were tbiulv clad and gladly acccptc
! gifts of clothing. Naval and militar