LATEST WAR NEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 113, 12 May 1917, Page 6

LATEST WAR NEWS.

A TALE OF HORROR. Kγ, ' } ALNWICK CASTLE STORY. SUNK 320 MILES FROM XJLNB. i i rotra days in open boat. ft , .(Received 12.15 p.m.) , •""" ' LOXDOX, May 11. The Press Bureau reports that tlie steamer Alnwick Castle was torpedoed a fortnight ago without warning, Ji2o miles from the Soillics, the nearest land. A total of 13!) were placed in the boats, including a baby three months old. Captain Chaw, master of the Alnwick Castle, reporting to the owners, gives an unvarnished talc of the horrors that his boatload of castaways endured during four days' exposure to gales and bitter weather. Captain C'have had taken the precaution to instal in all the boats supplies of milk, beef, biscuits, and blankets, but the suffering , was intense. They were constantly soaked in cold spray, and everybody gradually weakened, while several died. Captain Chave narrates that the whole of the second day was spent by the crew in fighting the soa. It was impossible to hoist a sail. They lashed two oars together, and formed a sea anchor. On the tTurd day thirst intensified the agonies of exhaustion, exposure and sleeplessness. Pitiful appeals were made for water, but he wa-s only able to issue an extra ration to a few of the wea.ker ones. A hailstorm commenced, and the hailstones were eagerly scraped from the f castaways' clothing. He ordered a sail j to foe spread to catch the water, but un- j fortunately the rainstorm passed, i Several drank salt water in defiance of I, orders and (became Jijrht headed. Next i morning most of the men wore hplplp?s. several raving in delirium, while one died. "Once the boat iwas swamped in the - darkness,"' continued the captain. "L thought all was over, and a moan of despair Tose in the darkness. I shouted, 'Bale! bale!' and finally by superhuman, efforts the boat was saved. By the moruing several had collapsed, and more lost their reason. They climbed about tile boat, threatening tc fight. The appeals for water were so angry tha I gave an extra allowance or water, which was served out amid much cursing and snatching. Only one ration remained. Another man died, others were dying. Xo one could now eat the biscuits or swallow anything solid. Everyone's throat was afire, lips were furred, limbs numbed, hands bloodless, and feet swollen to twice the normal rfze. On the last day three died. The French horee boat. Venezia. picked up eighteen survivors in the afternoon. They were so enfeebled that they could not walk. All were hoisted aboard and landed in Xew York. Captain. Chave does not know whether the other five boats were picked up.