The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-04-18
American and British Oil
Steamers Collide.
Thirty-Seven Persons Inciner-
ated as War knight Sinks.
AMERICANS ARE BADLY BURNED
DestrOyerS Dash to Rescue
Thru Fields of Fire.
Blazing Vessel Hits Mine
After Arrival of Help.

An Atlantic Port, April 1S.-Thirty-
seven lives were lost when the Ameri-
can steamship o. B. Jennings and the
British steamer War knight, both
laden with naphtha and inflammable
oils, collided, off the British coast on
March "a, according to members of
the crew of the o. B. Jennings. who
arrived here today All who persisted
with one exception were on the Brit
ish vessel. They were burn edrto death
by blazing gas and oil.
Those who survived the flames on
the war Knight were rescued in the
nick of time by destroyers, for soon
after while the blazing hull was being
toWed toward shallow water it struck
a mine and was blown up.
The destroyers went to the rescue
thru field of blazing oil and took off
also the crew of the Jennings. A
number of the crew of the American
snip however, were badly burned and
mad to be removed to hospitals after
Icing landed.
Lights We're All Out.
An officer OF Q. B. Jennings who
told the story of the disaster sup
ported in his statements by members
of the crew, said the collision occurred
shortly after a. m. when they were
within fifteen miles of their destina-
ton He added 1t was caused by the
necessity of running without lights
owing to submarine danger.
I'VE had had an exceptionally rough
trip the officer said. LAS a result
the churning of the bulk oil we car
ried had caused a tremendous amount
of gas. When the War knight hit us
there was an instant explosion caused
no doubt by spark from the impact
of the steel, setting the gas on fire.
Immediately there was a roar OF
flame spouting out of the hole in the
o. 5. Jennings side which all but en-
veloped the Britisher. I learned af-
terward that thirty-six of her crew OF
about fifty were on the deck at the
time and they must have been almost
instantly incinerated.
Drifted Onto Mine.
I'VE drifted apart and one of the
destroyers by which we were con-
voyed managed to get a line on her
and was towing her toward the beach
when, in some manner, the burning
ship drifted onto a mine field and she
blew up. The case oil with which she
was loaded took fire and completed
her destruction.
1--WE had our own safety to look
| after. The burning naphtha and
poured out onto the sea and it would
have been folly to launch life boats
| 1t was then that the destroyers showed
their resourcefulness for they dashed
thru the burning oil, bumped along
side of US and we jumped to theii
/ decks in safety. We lost only one
man, a seaman named Shea. who was
either burned or fell overheard and
drowned.
American Ship Sunk.
| 1.-The o. B. Jennings being a menace
| to other ships the destroyer proceeded
to sink her, which they did with g
number of shots. She settled until he1
decks were level with the water, ex.
tinguishing the flames, and afterwart
she was taken in tow and beached
! She probably is not a total loss.
1.-The accident came at the close O
a rough and exciting voyage which
had set the nerves of our crew OF
edge thru the previous unaccountet
for disappearance of several ships O.
our convoy. They may have beer
diverted or they may have been tor
pedoed. We never knew further thar
| the fact that they were gone when W,
looked for them" The British steame
. War knight, the vessel destroyed thru
tine collision, was of 1881 tons gros
register, built at Alameda, Cal, il
1897.
The o. B. Jennings was owned b.
the Standard Oil company, and wa
steamer of O,29O tons gross register
The bare news that the o. B. Jenning