The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-02-07
KNOWN LOSS AT
SEA GIVEN AS lOl
British Admiralty Figure Low.
er Than U. S. State De-
partment's 267.
ALL COMFORTS PROVIDED
Survivors Safe at Irish and
Scottish Ports--Clothes
Being Supplied.
ALL COMFORTS PROVIDED

London, Feb. THE loss OF
life on the Tuscania is now esti-
mated at only l01. This total is
given in a dispatch from CORE
spondent of the Associated Press
in Ireland and subsequently, was
confirmed by the American en-
bassy.
AT one point there are $50 sur
vivors, s of whom are in a hos
pital. At another point there are
1880 survivors, so of them in
hospitals.
Red Cross Dispatches Aid.
| The American Red Cross headquar-
ters here dispatched Capt. Edgar II.
Wells and Capt. Smith to Belfast i'm
mediately after news of the torpedoins
of the Tuscania was received. They
were instructed to spend all money
needed. for supplies for the survivors.
A telegram also was sent to the Amer
ican consulate at Belfast asking that
| money and supplies for immediate
| needs be provided.
The British Red Cross, which has
depots in Ireland, Immediately placed
all its resources at the disposal Of the
Americans and INSTRUCTED its repre-
sentatives to do anything possible to
help.
Ambassador Page received from the
lord mayor of Belfast a telegram eX-
pressing his condolences.
Boatswain's Mate Tells Story.
Thomas Smith, Of Glasgow, a boat
swain's mate ON the Tuscania, said the
steamer was proceeding to an English
i port under convoy. AT o'clock on
Tuesday evening" he continued, II
was In No / room talking with a fell
low boatswain when heard a. terrific
explosion and Telt the vessel heeling
over
| I'VE commenced lowering the boats
on the starboard side. The soldiers
were lined up on the deck waiting for
the boats Unfortunately. many
jumped overheard.
Il found the boat at No. 9 station,
to which | proceeded, had been blown
to pieces. | then helped to get boats
ga, 9-B and &C away with full com
plements, and the second officer got
boats / to safely away.
Had No Oars; Used Hands.
After seeing these launched, | pro-
ceeded to the other deck, where |
launched a raft. picked up fourteen
soldiers and two of the ships company
who were swimming about. We had
no oars and had to paddle along with
our hands. We were picked up at .
o'clock in the evening and landed on
Wednesday morning"
The first survivors were landed at
4:30 o'clock. Wednesday morning. From
then until am. many patrol boats
arrived. each bringing full comple
ment of survivors the number OF
whom by that time had reached $50,
including 40 members of the crew.
All the medical men at Larne. on
the eastern coast of Ireland, where
some of the survivors were landed,
were@ @requisitioned.
The British admiralty's figures
Indicate a loss of life among the
American troops of nearly 100 less
than the Washington estimate.
According to the admiralty 2,Ol1
officers and men were saved. The
war department at Washington
gives the number as 1912. The
admiralty's statement shows a to-
tai of 2,1S7 men saved. which
added to the 210 believed to have
been lost, gives a total OF 1887
persons on board.
Women Volunteer as Nurses.
Women volunteer nurses at Larne
attended to slightly injured men.
Wards were improvised in hotels.
Thirty seriously injured men were
dispatched to local hospitals. The re-
sources of Larne were taxed to the
utmost to provide food and clothing
for the survivors. One OF the men,
who swan about for two hours before
he was rescued, jokingly said he had
enough swimming to satisfy him for
the rest of his life.
There was sufficient time for the re-
moval Of all those on board the Tus-
cania as she remained aroat for about
two hours after being torpedoed. The
Tuscania was one of a convoy of
troop and provision ships. which, after
a long passage across the Atlantic.
was entering what. until recently,
were considered comparatively safe
waters The ships were within sight
OF land, which was just disti guish-
able in the dusk Of evening when a
torpedo hit the Tuscnnla amidships.
This was at about o'clock.
Lowering Of Boats Retarded.
The steamer took a heavy list which
made proper lowering of the boats
Impractical bic. Some men jumped into
the sea. Others were thrown into the
water when the boats were lowered.
Ten More Arrive at Port.
The admiralty announced late this
afternoon that ten more survivors
had reached a Scottish port. Among
them was the second officer Of the
Tuscania-