ON THE HIGH SEAS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16665, 25 September 1914, Page 7

ON THE HIGH SEAS.

THE LOST CRUISERS. ROW DISASTER OCCURRED. BOUKIR FIRST HIT. By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright LONDON, September 23. The steamer Flores has landed 387 survivors, including a few wounded, from .the sunken cruisers. Survivors state that the Aboukir was hit in several places at about six o'clock, and disappeared in five minutes.

The others, apparently thinking she had struck a mine, rushed to her assistance.

Th.e Hogue, after lowering her boats, was hit and soon sank.

The Cressy reported two submarines, but was torpedoed afterwards and sank at eight o'clock. Thirty uninjured officers have landed at Harwich. It is believed that seven hundred were saved in all.

Captain Nicholson, of the Hogue, served as a midshipman on the Calliope at Apia during the great hurricane when that vessel was the only ship which was saved out of many in tho harbour.

FIRING AS SHE SANK

THE END OF THE CRESSY. LONDON, September 23. Router's correspondent at Ijrauiden, on tho Dutch coast, states thai the British survivors from the cruisers were clad in all manner of clothes, some in Dutch soldiers' khaki jackets. The cruisers' crews were largely composed of reservists from Chatham. Tho Flores's captain saw only the Cressy. Ho at first knew nothing of what had happened. Then he saw the Cressy suddenly heel over and go down. He lowered his boats, and picked up the survivors, who wore clinging to rafts and pieces of timber. Several English sailing boats _ are bringing more survivors to Ijmuiden. All spectators agreo that the Cressy was firing, as she sank, and sent two submarines to tho bottom. This is not confirmed officially. It is stated that British destroyers appeared as the Flores was getting ready to steam away. CAPTAIN OF THE CRESSY. Captain A. A. Johnson (New Zealand Veterinary Corps), of Christchurch, is a brother of Captain Tl. \V. Johnson, in command of the Cressy. On Tuesday Captain A. A. Johnson received a letter from his brother, stating that he had received, as his war appointment, command of the Cressy. On the following day news reached Christchurch of tho disaster that overtook the vessel. Captain 11. W. Johnson is a son of Admiral John Ormsby Johnson, who visited New Zealand in command of the Liffey thirty-three years ago. Captain Johnson was a midshipman on the Opal when it came to New Zealand some years ago, and later on he made another visit to- this Dominion. Before being appointed to the Cressy, he was in command of the Vulcan, a depot ship for submarines, and also commanded the submarine flotilla based at Dundee. LANDING SURVIVORS. REPORT FROM HOLLAND. AMSTERDAM,' September 23. A Dutch steamer landed eighteen wounded and five dead from the sunken cruisers. The steamer originally had on board 114 survivors, but she transferred the others to British torpedo boats. The disaster, it is said, occurred at 7.30 a.m. on Tuesday. THE DESTROYED CRUISERS. MORE SURVIVORS LANDED. (Received September 24, 7.15 p.m.) LONDON, September 23. The Press Association states that nearly 400 survivors from the cruisers have landed at Harwich. Only fortyeight of the 843 men on the Aboukir wore saved. The warship Lowestoft brought the majority. Survivors report that they saw two German submarines dive. There are twenty officers among the rescued. SUBMARINES IN STRONG FORCE. A PETTY OFFICER'S STORY. (Received September 25, 12.25 a.m.) LONDON, September 23. Five hundred and' five survivors have reached port, of whom thirty-eight are wounded, but not seriously. The chief petty officer of the Aboukir says ho believes that a torpedo struck the Aboukir amidships. Ho saw no periscope. Tho Cressy's and Hogue's T>oats were searching for survivors. An hour later ho saw two German submarines fire torpedoes. The Hoguo sank in half an hour, whilst an hour afterwards four torpedoes struck tho Cressy. Tho submarines were in strong force. NARRATIVES OF RESCUERS. A MIDSHIPMAN'S EXPERIENCES. (Received September 25. 1.20 a.m.)

LONDON, September 23. . Tho skipper of a trawler says that he was quite close to where tho Aboukir was sunk. She disappeared in four minutes, the Hoguo in ten and the Cressy in three. He saved 350. Cuptain Nicholson is among the saved. Tho captain of the Dutch steamer Titan, of Rotterdam, states that thirty miles off the coast he saw three British cruisers on the horizon. He noticed one disappear. He looked again and saw heavy smoke bursting from an-

other cruiser. Those saved were nearly exhausted by their long immersion. Some were clinging to wreckage, others to a floating table. Ho got out two boats and rescued 114, including Commander Sells, who collapsed from sheer exhaustion, but soon revived y A midshipman of the Aboukir jumped overboard, and the Hogue rescued him. He again jumped overboard when, the Hoguo was struck, 'and tho Cressy picked him up. Finally lie was flung into tho water and clung to wreckage till the Titan picked him up. NORTH SEA LOSSES. "Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services. (Received September 24, 6.10 p.m.) LONDON, September 23. The "Times," in a leader on the North Soa losses, says: "We must ex--pect more occurrences of this character, and must make up our minds to accept them with equanimity. The wonder really is that we have not lost more 'ships in this manner. The avowed Gorman policy is to endeavour to weaken our naval strength by means of mines and submarines, nevertheless the general outlook continues to inspire the utmost confidence." IN THE ADRIATIC. . OPERATIONS AGAINST CATTARO. By Telegraph—Prcras Association—Copyright. LONDON, September 23. The "Times" says that the operations against Cattaro by the French fleet have been suspended, and will not bo resumed until a combined naval and military assault will be made. A number of Austrian warships at Cattaro made several unsuccessful attempts to escape the vigilance of the French fleet. DETAINED BY RUSSIA. A Gazette notice stated that three German and thirteen Austrian vessels have been detained or captured in Russia. BEFORE THE ULTIMATUM. GERMANY'S WAR PREPARATIONS. (Received September 24, 7.15 p.m.) 1 ' LONDON, September 23. It transpires that tho steamer Baden, which was acting as tender to the Dresden when the Holmwood was sunk, cleared from Cardiff with another Ham-burg-Amerikan liner with coal on July 21, and proceeded to Las Palmas and there awaited tho German cruisers and the declaration of war. These vessels never under normal conditions carry coal. They were chartered a week before July 20 to act as tenders to German cruisers in a war on which Germany had determined before Austria delivered her ultimatum to Servia. THE EMDEN'S ACTIVITIES. FREMANTLE, September 24. Passengers by the Paroo from Singapore report that the City of Lincoln was sunk off' Penang by a German cruiser, her passengers being given twenty-five minutes to leave the ship. A grave state of affairs exists at Singapore, where all tin mines have closed, also at Java where paper money is useless. NAVAL CADETS. " Times " and Sydney " Sun " Services. (Received September 24, 10.50 p.m.) LONDON, September 23. The sunken cruisers had twenty-eight cadets aboard, who had been called up for midshipmen's duties on the outbreak of war. STRUCK A MINE. ANOTHER TRAWLER SUNK. (Received September 25, 12.6 a.m.) LONDON, September 24. The trawler Kilmarnock struck a mine and was destroyed. Six of her crew were killed. RACIAL RIVALRY. FIGHT ON A GERMAN STEAMER. PARIS, September 13. The "Matin" publishes a New Yorkmessage stating that an affray, tho outcomo of race rivalry, occurred ' ,- ' the German steamer Bluecher, !'" Hamburg to Buenos Aires. T sailors and fifty passengers wu. killed. BOMBARDMENT OF DAR-ES-SALAAM. (Received September 24, 7. 35 p.m.) LONDON. September 23. A bluejacket of H.M.S. Pegasus says that the vessel fired broadsides at Dar-es-Salaam for five minutes. White flags were shown everywhere. The Germans blew up the wireless station and sank a gunboat across the mouth of the harbour. The Pegasus captured three German mail boats in port. The sailor adds that the Pegasus had been searching for the Koenigsburg.