SINKING OF THE FALABA

Evening Post, Volume XC, Issue 8, 9 July 1915, Page 7

SINKING OF THE FALABA

LORD MERSEY'S JUDGMENT GERMANS AIMED AT SACRIFICING LIFE. (Received July 9. 8.55 a.m.) LONDON. Bth July. Lord Mersey's judgment in regard to tho sinking of the steamer Falaba by Germans states that there were more than sufficient lifeboat?, all of which were in good ordei. The caigo included thirteen tons of cartridges and gunpowder. That amount did not exceed what; wtju iiHiiij.l in ppnf'B limo I'lic i!lakiba_,Wdn uitti'ined, and t]jg submarine

did not give those aboard the 'steamer a reasonable opportunity to enter the boats. The opportunity was, in fact, so inadequate that Lord Mersey was driven to the conclusion that the submarine's captain aimed at sacrificing the lives of the passengers and crew. There was evidence of laughing and jeering aboard the submaiine while the Falaba's people were struggling for their lives. [The steamer Falaba. 4806 tons, owned by the Elder-Dempster Line, was torpedoed in Milford Haven. South Wales, on 28th March last.' One hundred and forty of the passengers and 112 of the crew were saved. The Germans laughed when the vessel was torpedoed, but made no attempt at rescue. The captain and two stewardesses and five others were drowned. The submarine signalled the Falaba, which was bound for West Africa, to get out her boats, but the engineroom was torpedoed before she was able to do so. Three boats were swamped, and the passengers and crew were thrown into the water. The submarine circled round the crew, jeering at their struggles. The Eileen Emma, a steam drifter, rescued the majority. There were ten soldiers and several medical men on board.] BRITISH WAR LOAN COMPANIES PURCHASING STOCK FOR EMPLOYEES. (TIM.!S AND SIDNEY SUN SERVICES) (Received July 9, 8.30 a.m.) LONDON, Bth July. It is officially announced that the Treasury is issuing rules under the War Loan Act enabling trustees to exchange old Government securities for new loan scrip, subject to the same trust charges. Numerous public companies, including the railways, are purchasing considerable war stock on behalf of their employees, re-covering the amounts by long-period instalments. (fRHBI ASSOCIATION.) RAILWAYMEN'S APPLICATION (Received July 9, 9 a.m.) LONDON, Bth July. The National Union of Railwaymen has applied for £106,000 of the war loan. FRENCH GOLD AND SILVER SPLENDID RESPONSE TO AN APPEAL. (Received July 9, 10 a.m.) PARIS, Bth July. The appeal by the Finance Minister (M. Ribot) for gold met with a splendid response. It has swelled the gold and silver reserve to 4,300,000,000 francs. (Received July 9, 10.5 a.m.) PARIS, Bth July. France has forbidden the export of gold. ANOTHER ATROCITY FATHER AND DAUGHTER BURNED ALIVE. LONDON, .Bth July. Reuter's Paris correspondent states that shots were recently fired on a German patrol in the streets of Peronne. The Germans insisted that they came from a house occupied by a bailiff called Derbecq. The latter pointed out that the marks made by tho bullets proved that he was not guilty. The Germans did not heed his explanation. They locked up Derbecq and his daughter, sprayed their house with petrol, and set nre to it. Both wero burned aliv6.