Evening star., 1918-02-08
SEA GIVES UP BODIES OF u. S.
BOYS NEAR TUSCANIA'S CRAVE
Irish Coast Replete With Grim, Tragic
Scenes as Towns Aid Liner Survivors,
Soldiers Calm as Ship Sinks.

on. smashing. the 1ifeboat davits, az
happened In the case Of the Iusitania.
One Of the remarkable escapes was
the upper deck to get drink of water.
He never saw his fellow firemen again.
Survivors who were not taken on by
the plucky British destroyers. which
were later picked up By the trawiers,
which swarmed to the scene.
The first trawler load Of survivors
arrived In port four hours after the
disaster and the last eight hours att
erwafd. one trawler rescued the record
number of $40. and all were Americans.
The feat earned the warm praise Of
the British commodore here. Many
American officers and privates were
rescued while swimming about in
search Of wreckage to which to cling.
A few of these could swim. but they
had on their lifebelts, which they had
Kept close at hand throughout the
voyage.
through the Tusoania's sudden heavy
list after being torpedoed. which caused
faulty launching OF the lifeboats.
The German torpedo struck the Tus-
cania vital blow amidships, causing
board. Instead of plewing forward In
this fashion as most vessels do under
the circumstances, the Tuscania stop
ped dead. A shiver ran through her and
she heeled over at dangerous angle
The list to starboard so elevated the
lifebeats on the port side as to render
them practically useless. and only few
Of the boats on that side were launched
Lifeboats Upset in Launching.
The first Of these struck the water
unevenly, capsiEing and throwing the
occupants into the sea. AFTER tnat sew
efal boats were launced successfully
but the vessels list became more perl
lous and some of the men who were
starboard side now climbed along the
deck to the rail, to which they clung
Many by. this time had donned life.
belts and jumped overheard. Hundreds
of others were PREPARING to follow this
example when a British destroyer bold.
lys drew UP right alongside the Tus.
cania. When the men saw this many
Of them leaped from the boat and sa-
loon decks to that OF the waiting de-
stroyer. This destroyer took on sew
eral hundred men-all she could carry
and moved away. She had come uu
along the starboard side OF the Tus.
cania.
AS she steamed away with her deck
loaded down with Americans another
British destroyer emerged out of the
high out of the water. When the men
on the doomed ship recovered from
their surprise at this unexpected and
skillful maneuvering of the British
commander. there was another scramE
BILE to reach the elevated port side,
some Of the men sliding down the in
cline by the aid of ropes, and others on
their hands and knees.
All the time this rescue work was
progressing cool heads were getting
the few other lifeboats afioat. DESPITE
the many difficulties the crew behaved
well and the coelness Of the American
soldiers was the subject Of COM
mendation In affidavits by the boats
officers.
Calls Discipline Perfect.
G. X. Lynas, second officer Of the
Tuscania. explained that owing to the
ships heavy roll and the consequent
Of the falls, 1t was found
necessary to cut away some OF the
ropes to the lifeboats. He said: During
all this time the soldiers behaved
splendidly and with perfect discipline" !"
The townspeople were very generous
in extending aid and sympathy to the
Americans, none of whom had been able
to save more than the clothes on his
back. Many of the Americans came
ashore dressed rs they would have been
If the disaster had occurred in the mid
die Of the night, for the long struggle
In the water virtually ha7 denuded
them.
Long before any Of the survivors were
brought in the town folk had throw n
open their homes. The wife of the