DERELICT CRUISER.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLV, Issue 10167, 23 July 1924, Page 5

DERELICT CRUISER.

FOURTEEN DAYS’ DRIFT IN NORTH SEA. The Admiralty announced on 17th March that the derelict cruiser Sutlej, ■which had been drifting hopelessly in the North Sea for fourteen days had been located, states tlie i Manchester Guardian.” The announcement was in the following terms: — “The Sutlej is now east-south-east. 70 miles off Peterhead. The men are well. A destroyer is standing by. The Sutlej broke loose in the North Sea while being towed from Rosyth to Belfast a fortnight ago. Smee it broke away in the gale the vessel was report- j ed to have been seen off the coast of j Northumberland, and also' some 200 miles away at Peterhead. The second occasion was a week previous to her latest discovery, find from that time she had not been sighted until found by the destroyer. . 'A Press representative was tola that there were thirteen men on board the Sutlej. Many attempts had been ; made to trace the vessel, which was disantled and merely a- floating shell, | and therefore at the mercy of the tide. Trawlers had been sent out by piiynto firms to join in the search, while Admiral Tyrwliitt, in command at Rosyth, had been instructed by tlie Admiralty, it was understood, to render all assistance be' could, and to send out a number of craft, including destroyers. The men had provisions on hoard for a 14-dav journey, this being the normal time taken to tow a vessel from Rosyth to Belfast. It -was estimated that some 30 craft were engaged m tlie search, together with an unknown number of unofficial searchers. The Sutlej, which was about lo years old, was familiar to all naval men as “ Sootbag,” probably on account of her ■ obsolete filing arrangements. She was for a long period a part of the Home Fleet, and during the rear did good service as a convoy ship. , • i A representative of the owners said, before it .was knoAvn that the vessel had been sighted, that this Avas the most extraordinary disappearance he had known.. “Had she gone astray in 1 the Atlantic,” ho said, “ I should not. ' I have been surprised, but in so croAvtiea ' a part of the North Sea the disappear- , anco seems unexplctintible.