New-York tribune., 1918-07-20
Five on Transport Killed,
but Crew Escapes and
Lands in Safety
Rescued Passengers
In Titanic Disaster
Vessel, Returning From
Trip With u. S. Troops,
Is Victim of U-Boat

AN ATLANTIC PORT, July 19.-The
British transport Carpathia, bound
westward, was sunk off the Irish coast
some time last night by U-boat. Five
men who were in the engine room when
the torpedo struck the ship were
killed. All others on board escaped in
lifeboats and landed at the nearest
port.
Three torpedoes in all were fired at
the Carpathia and all found their mark.
Despite the fact that the ship sank
rapidly excellent discipline prevailed
and. so far as is known now, not one
single accident marked the lowering
of the lifeboats and the abandonment
Of the ship.
The Carpathia, which was Of 1868
tons gross, belonged to the Cunard
Line. Prior to the war she was en-
gagged in the transatlantic service, but
was taken over by the British govern
ment Immediately on the outbreak of
the war and has done transport duty
eNer since.
oSeu 10 OdrIy troops
From the time this government be-
gan the big rush Of men across the
ocean the Carpathia had been one of
last departure from an American port
was late in June.
The Carpathia was built in 1903
FROM the time she made her first trip
across the Atlantic the liner enjoyed
vide popularity among ocean travel
lers. This feeling became one of gem
ulne affection for the ship following
the sinking of the Titanic.
The Carpathia, 100 miles away, in
answer to the calls for help sent out
by the sinking Titanic, rushed through
tog, mist and storm in an ocean
tilled with icebergs to the side of the
sinking vessel. In all, she rescued 866
persons from the Titanic
A few days later the survivors were
landed in New York, and since that
day the names of Carpathia and Arthur
Henry Rostron, her commander, have
been known in more out-of- the-way
places than those of any other ship and
navigator cf the mercantile marine
iIonors Paid Sailors
Britain and the United States united
IN showering honors on Captain Ros-
tron and his crew. Medals and loving
cups were numerous. Then he and
the old Cunarder resumed their trips
to and from the Mediterranean, until
he left the vessel for another post.
When the war began the Carpathia,
ike all other vessels of the British
lines, became a munition ship and
transport. Since this country Joined
the Entente she has been almost ex-
clusively troopship, and little had
been heard of her until the news of
the torpedoing came yesterday.
Numbers of times she has escaped
u-boat attacks. In March. 1915, a
terrific gale encountered off New York
followed her through an entire voyage
and laid her on her beam ends several
times. Captain William Prothero. hep
commander on this occasion, said it
was the worst storm he had ever en-
countered.
Hero Is Modest
The last heard of tie Carpathia
prior to yesterday, was on November
II, 1916, when she went aground off
Ambrose Lightship and remained for
q few hours stuck in the mud
OF Captain Rostron but little has
been heard since the time of the tt
tanic disaster. He was the wearer of
five medals, including one from Con
gress, before he left his berth as com
mander of the Carpathia. In his own
eyes he was no hero and declared tat
most heroes were accidents of fate"
mo man is hero of his own wolf
tion," he explained. But every man