Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1918-07-27
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engine room.
BRANY IN ENGINE ROOM


BRANY IN ENGINE ROOM
"Machinist's Mate Hawthorne. was
at the throttle in tho port engine
room desk. He got up, closed the
throttle on the engine, which had al
ready stopped, ana then escaped I'D
the engine room ladder.
Lieut.. MILAN, on watch in the star
board engine room, closed the water
tlght door to tho engine room ond
gave the necessary instructions to the
fire room to protect the boilers.
"Thc ship listed to port heavily SO
that the water entered the gun ports
On the gun dock. The vessel listed
eight degrees quickly, then hung for
seven minutes; then gradually listed.
the speed increasing until thirty-fiye
degrees was reached
AT this time tho port quarter deck
! wos three feet under water Tha
ship then rapidly turned turtle and
sank. -.
CAPT. CHRISTY'S ESCAPE
Capt. Christy went from tho
bridge down two ladders to the boat
deck, slid down limo to the ar
morcd belt, then dropped down four
feet to tho bilgc-kccl, and thence to
the dock-kecl, which at that TIME was
eight feet above water. From there he
jumped into the water. Tho ship was
about five minutes in turning over
after she reached 35 degrees keel.
NO wake OF a torpedo was seen.
The first thing Capt. Christy noticed
was, while standing on the wheel
house, eight feet above the forward
bridge, he felt and heard dull cx-
plosion. He Immediately sounded sub
, marine defense quarters as tho gon-
oral alarm.
MEN STAND AT POSTS
"Everything went quietly and ac-
; cording to drill schedule. The cap
tain rang full speed ahead, and sent
officers to investigate the damage. At
the time he thought the ship would
not sink. Two motor sailors were
ordered Ziggcd out, but not to be low
cred until further orders.
AT the submarine defense call the
men went quietly to their station and
. manned the guns. They stood by the
port guns until they were awash and
by the starbard guns until the list of
the ship pointed them up into the air.
"Whcn it seemed obvious that tho
vessel would capsizc. the order was
given to abandon ship, except tho
port side gun crew, which were to
remain at their station as long as the
guns would bear. Boats were or
dcrcd lowered, and two sail boats,
one dinghy, one whCrry and two
punts. were launched. The life RATS
were launched and the lumber piled
on deck was looSed and set adrift
Fifty mess tables and n hundred lla-
, nok mattresses were thrown over
board.
GREW SINGS AND CHEERS
"Abandon ship was complete be-
fore tho vessel began to capsizc. Per-
feet order was preserved, the men
cheering When on the RATS they
sang, Tho Star-Spanglcd Banner
and My Country 'Tis of Thee,
chcc'red for the captain, tho executive
officers and the ship, and chccrcd
when the United States ensign was
hoistcd on the sail boat
"'Nwo dinghics with 6 officers and
, Fl men, pulled TO shore and arrived
safely at l:20 y. IN. The steamer
Maiden came into sight and picked
up $40 officers and men. The steam
or Bosom reached the scene 20 min
utes later and picked up EOS officers
and men. The steamship S. u. Jones
! came up and took aboard rs men.
''Thcsc three steamers searched
tho entire vicinity for survivors until
{ 3 p. III. ~ fourth steamer came up
later, but so far rs known did not
pick up any survivors.