The sun., 1918-10-12

for.
The Otranto and the other vessels of
the convoy were battling with the heavy
seas and high winds Sunday morning.
The storm was so severe and the Wis.,
Utility so bad that the Kashmir crashed
into the Otranto squarely amidships.
kashmir Able to Make Port.
The Kashmir backed away, badly
damaged. but was able to make port.
As the bows of the Kashmir were
pulled from the great hole in the side
OF the Otranto the water rushed in.
but for a time 1t did not serve to stop
the engines. The Otranto tried to pro-
coed, but made no Roadway against the
gale in her crippled condition.
Within a short time the water put
out her fires and the Otranto drifted
helplessly toward the rocky coast of
Islay Island, where most OF the Tus-
CANA victims met their deaths.
Three hundred and one men were
taken to Belfast by the British de-
stroyer Mounsey, the only vessel which
made an attempt at rescue in the
terrific gale
The Otranto struck the rocks Sunday
night south OF Saligu Bay. Islay
Island. an uninhabited section where the
coast line in many places rises straight
many feet above.
Thirty minutes after the crash the
British destroyer Mounsey, herself dam
aged by the heavy seas, appeared out
OF the haze in answer to the distress
calls OF the Otranto. When the de-
stroyer manpuvred to get alongside
Capt. Davidson OF the Otranto warned
Lieut.. Craven, commander OF the de-
stroyer. not to make the attempt.
Destroyer in Great Peril.
When 1t was seen that Craven would
make the attempt anyway the men were
ordered to remove their shoes and heavy
clothing and try to save themselves as
best they could.
The destroyer stood of about a hun
dred feet and then gradually came
nearer. against the great odds of high
waves and wind, which threatened mo-
mentarily to carry her entirely away
from the Otranto or dash her to pieces
against the side of the wounded vessel.
As the destroyer neared the side of
the Otranto the men began TO jump from
thirty to forty feet from her decks. The
more experienced sailors of the crew of
the steamship had better success than
the soldiers, many of whom had never
seen the ocean until this trip,
As the destroyer steered toward the
side OF the>steamship many of the men
leaped too quickly, missed their reckon
ing. and dropped between the boats.
Some of these disappeared in the water.
but others were caught and crushed to
death between the boats and the life
boats which had been lowered to act as
buffers. The destroyer was badly bat
tered.
"Rain OF Men" on Destroyer.
The Captain of the destroyer, each
time 1t was brushed away from the
side OF the Otranto. again would push
near enough Ter many more men to
jump to the deck of his vessel. lie de-
scribed as veritable rain the num-
Der of men landing on the destroyer.
Many of those who reached the decks
of the vessel suffered broken bones or
were hurt otherwise. Those who missed
the deck OF the destroyer went to al.
most instant death.
-Four times the battered destroyer
came alongside, and each time the previ-
Gus scenes were repeated. At the end
Of the fourth trip she had $40 Ameri-
cans, 2S6 OF the crew, 80 French sail
ors and British officer on board. The
boat was full. and having done all pos
sible, she started for port,
The survivors saw the Otranto drift
ing helplessly toward the rocks as they
pulled away toward the Irish coast. The
destroyer barely had time to send a brief
message when her wireless was carried
away. The little overloaded vessel had
rough trip to port.
Numbers OF bodies to-day were being
washed up rapidly on the shore, 1t was
reported that 175 had been counted at
noon and nearly all Of them had been
Identified.
The bodies which are recovered are
to be collected at the most suitable place