THE SINKING OP THE ANCONA

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2618, 13 November 1915, Page 5

THE SINKING OP THE ANCONA

' THE CAPTAIN'S STORY ■ SHIPWRECKED PEOPLE REPULSED WITH JEERS By Telegraph—Press Association—Oocyrteht . Rome,-November 11. The Ancona's captain has arrived, and confirmed the report that on© of tho submarines shelled the boats while they were on tho davits and full of people. • Many were killed or woundod. Some of the shipwrecked people approached the submarine, but were repulsed with jeers. Tho captain declares emphatically that the submarine did not signal the Ancona to stop, but first fired a shell at five miles' range, grazing the vessel. Tho Ancona then stopped dead. Tho last shell and torpedoes lvere fired from a distance of a quarter of a mile. i ATTACKED BY TWO SUBMARINES. „... r „ „ , ~~, . Paris, November 11. Details from Capo Ron show that tho Ancona at midday perceived two submarines. Several of those rescued state that they wero at first flyin" the Gorman flag, and that the Austrian was immediately substituted. Owing to the noise oi tho AnconaVhooter, a thick fog, and'tho reduced speed of the vessel, the submarines had approached unobserved. One was over tlireo hundred feel long, and cnrri&d two 75 millimetre guns, ono fore and tho other alt. The other submarine placed herself athwart the bows of tho Ancona which was attempting to escape. Immediately the Ancona was hit tho ca.iv tain ordered the boats to bo lowered. The eighth boat had just touched the water when the liner sank, bows first. The passengers aoid crew stilt aboard crowded tho aft-deck, and woro engulphed with the ship. •Tho.eighth boats, rowing together southwards, sighted in the evening a vessel with her lights out, and signalled hor with (tares. She approached but noticcd tho submarines on tho horizon, and, altering hor course, disappeared in the darkness.

The boats then separated. One, commanded by Lieutenant Salvemini with twenty-six aboard, arrived at 9 o'c lock in the morning at a beach at Sidi Daoubi, Capo Bon Peninsula, Tunis. Tho European inhabitants are oaring for the survivors. Another boat, with twenty-eight aboard, was picked up in the vicinity of Cape Rome. It is surmised that the samo submarine that "sank the Aacona sank, the France. The latter had lately disembarked a thousand French soldiers at Mudros. There were seventy-five aboard, including fifty invalids. As tho Franco war, sunk by gun-fire, the submarine evidently wis'hod to economise with regard to her torpedoes. A BRITISH THIRD-CLASS PASSiSJMUER'S AOUOUWT. ' Malta, November 11. A British third-class passenger of the Ancona, interviewed, said the vessel called at Messina on Sunday, and embarked 130 third-class passengers, mostly Greeks. There were some Italians. Tho majority wero children, though there wero many women. The vessel sailed at five in the afternoon. Tho captain had been warned of tho presence of submarines, and took all possible precautions. "At 1 o'clock on Mondaiy afternoon tho vessel sighted a submarine, at a great distance. The submarine came full speed in our direction, firing a shot wide across.our bows. This signal caused the wildest panic, even among tho men. Ido not remember whether we stopped after tlio first shot, bftt I believe the engines wero still going. The submarine continued to shell us, while rapidly gaining upon us. Heartrending Shrieks Rent the Air. "Tlio sixth shot completed the destruction of tho charthouse. The engines were stopped. The submarine was now seen plainly. The Austrian came alongside, and the commander talked to the Ancona's captain in a somewhat curt manner. We werotold we would bo given a few minutes fto abandon the ship, and tho submarine withdrew to a short distance.' No time-was !"ni- i n ninVins arrangements, but there was soon a regular pandemonium. All tho passenger.s, especially tho women, appeared to have completely lost their heads. The submarine continued to file around the vessel,-and there was a rush for tho .boats, which were being lowered. Some of these were not free from the davits, and were overturned by the heavy load, the occupants boiiif thrown out. 'Many were drowned. Heartrending shrieks rent the air. Help was not forthcoming, and everyone acted for himself. The submarine continued to discharge shot after shot, withi a'ruthlessnoss almost incomprehensible. The-assailants were firing all round the vessol, as though to create the utmost terror." _ ' -The passenger adds that oight lifeboats took away fair complements. He foars that fully one-half the passengers and crew perished. Some time after leaving the vessel he heard four shots in succession; the Ancona had been blown up. A British steamer brought his boat to Malta.

REPORTS RECEIVED BY THE NEW YORK AGENTS.

New York, November 11. The agents of tho steamer Ancona, sunk by a German submarine, have received reports to the effect that over four hundred persons were saved, but nothing official'has come to hand from the company. The United States Ambassador to Britain (Mr. Page) has Teported to Washington that twenty passengers, believed to be Americans travelling thirdclass, were lost. Mrs. Griel, an American physician, was saved. ssj« had been recently working in an Italian con valescent hospital. OUTBURST Oi 1 INDIGNATION IN AMERICAN m . . „ ._ • , . .New York, November 11. There is an outburst of horror and mdagnaituooi over the sinking of the Ancona. It is expected President Wilson will demand reparation, arguing that non-combatants should be allowed full means of escape. He does not consider that small boats .aie places of safety according to international law. It is generally believed that Germany, through Austria, is making another effort to flout the laws of humanity,, believing that there will be no retaliation. The outrage comes at the very time when the German-Ainericans have opened a virulent oampaign in the Western States to defeat Mr. Wilson for tho Presidency on tho ground that his policy favours the Entente. The Americans aboard tho Ancona were chiefly Jews, returning from Palestine. . . It is pointed out in official circles that the United States is in a more helpless condition as regards Austria than Germany. Tlie Italian Embassy describes tho sinlpng as absolute murder. The steamer was outward bound; therefore carried no munitions. UNITED STATES 'AMBASSADOR TO INVESTIGATE t Washington, November 11. Mr. Lansing (United States Secretary, of State) has ordered Mr. Page (American Ambassador at London) to visit Rome and investigate the facts, and particularly to inquire whether the Ancona was shelled end torpedoed while attempting to escape. The American Ambassador at Rom e reports that about twenty, 'Americans are believed to have porislied. . AMERICAN' PRESS COMMENT MILDER THAN USUAL', ' • • .... ~, NOW York, November 11. Tho Press comment on the _sinking of the Ancona is much less vigorous than it was when the Lusitania was sunk, th 6 general belief prevailing that it is little America can do in view of tho German attitude.

THE 'ANCONA'S DEATH-EOLLV

(Rec. November 13, 0.45 a.m.)

London,. November 12,

Tlie latest dcath'-Toll of the Ancona, is 257<

SEARCH OP A STEAMER

INCIDENT ON THE HIGH SEAS.

Br Ttlegreph—Press Association—Copyright

New York, November 11. Reports received by tho State Department arc to tho effect that the suspicious steamer Zeelandia was not searched at a Mexican port, but on the high seas. It is not likely, therefore, that tho United States will talto any action.

[16 was reported yesterday that a British hod seized a suspicious America" steamer, tha Zuelafldia, in r> .Mesim j&s&jteik. feet. jSfflssi&a

captain s protests. ' The Zeelandia was manned principally by Germans, though she flew tho American flag.] NOT IN A NEUTRAL PORT. (Rec. Novomber 13, 0.45 a.m.) Washington, November 12. Tho British authorities investigating the reported forced searching of tho American steamer Zeelandia at Progresso, Mcxieo, by a party from a British cruiser, liavo information that loads thom to tho belief that tho Zeelandia tflinn ponrched was lying more tlmti ilivan miles from sharp,■ fjijd ttjweiove .MILW «