THE TOKOMARU TORPEDOED.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15223, 10 March 1915, Page 2

THE TOKOMARU TORPEDOED.

CAPTAIN'S STORY.

(FKOM OIR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

LONDON February 2. These is no doubt "that tho Sh.nv, Savill and Albion liner Tokomuru, bound to Havre and London from .Now Zealand, was torpedoed by a submarine in accordance w irli the German Admiral's threat to destroy B:itiah mercantile shipping, whether in aceordai.ee with tho hitherto accepted yules of warfare or not. ! Captain Greene tells a vivid story of the adventure. "We had a successful and satisfactory run from Wellington," ho says, "and experienced no trouble or danger from enemy cruisers, though we di;i not neglect tho usual precautions. Early on .Sunday morning we ■ were off the iTrench coast, about seven ! miles -west-north-west of Cape Antifer, r.eur Havre. The weather was bright and clear, and the sea smooth, and the j'Tokoiiiaru was steaming very slowly, las we wero. expecting to pick up our i pilot. In fact, at the moment we I were struck the ship was almost stationary. "We had finished breakfast, and at nine o'clock I was standing on the. j bridge with two of my officers, looking i for a piiot, when, there was a terrinc j explosion on the port side, slightly forward of the bridge. j THK SHIP DOOMED. "A temondous column of water shot up into the air, and the ship immediately listed ' heavily to port. It was obvious in a moment that she was doomed. There was no time then to speculate as to the cause of her destruction, but in the few minutes which elapsed between the explosion and the launching of the boats,,both my officen. and myself distinctly saw tho periscope of a submarine showing above the surfftce a little distance away on tho port side. The enemy did not stand by or' help iv any wa v to save life. Tho eubraarine . went away and left •Us to our fate. Tho boats were then promptly and safely launched, and ■f-ieryono was off tho ship within fifteen minutes from the tune the chip was struck. By this time the vessel was down by the head, and her forward decks were all awash.

THE HESCUE. "In tlio meantime the wireless oper tor liad sent out the S.O.S. message and several French trawlers came in sight. In half an hour my entire crew, 57 men in all, were picked up by one of tlioir and taken to Havre, where we received every kindness. The Tokomaru remain-.

Ed afloat for an hour and a half aftt)] 6he was etruck. ■One of the trawler* stood by "until she sank, and thei: placed a buoy to indicate the exact lo cality of the wreck.

j PERFIiCT DLSCIPLINE. -A member of the crew said that they made their war aft as best they co'jjd, the decks ueing swept witl; water, which at the moment of the explosion rose from the sea as high as the ship's funnels. The men down below reached the upper deck with'difficulty, owing to the ever-increasing list and the water which was pouring down the eompnniomvays. Meanwhile the see around the Tokomaru had beeomo ac black as ink, proving that the torpode had penetrated the coal bunkers. Per- | fecfc discipline prevailed, and the crew j set to work at once to get the boats j out. Owing to tho list the ropes' haa Ito bo cut and the 'chocks' hammered away. The crew were soon lodged with--1 oat- mishap in three of the vessel's boats.