TERRIBLE TRAGEDY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLIX, Issue XLIX, 3 January 1916, Page 5

TERRIBLE TRAGEDY

ONLY FOUR BOATS ABLE TO CLEAR. LONDON, Jan. 2. , At present ther is no reason to doubt that the sinkiag of the Persia is the worst tragedy of Hun piracy since the Lusitania. Germany is able to add anothej to - Idle . victories" of the Kaiser's New Year speech. The actual toll of life is probably known only to those on board the rescuing steamer, which is approaching Alexandria. What is certain is that tho liner was sunk on Thursday about one in the afternoon.

Only four boats were able to get clear their capacity being sixty each. It seems that the tragedy was swift- and sudden.

The computation of the loss of life is largely guesswork, bub the figures available bear out Lloyd's statement that most of the passengers and crew were lost, and the Peninsular anj Oriental Company's more guarded announcement that it is feared the loss was Very heavy. The latest official list shows that 161 ' passengers booked at London and Mar--1 seilles to poinds beyond Malta. The company is ascertaining the latest booki*ings for Marseilles and Malta. At pre- | sent the company estimates that. there 1 were about 200 passengers on befard when she .sank. The proportion of women; and children was lieavv, there being many infants in arms, with their ayahs. Women would have been more numeri ous but the order forbidding women to land in Egypt caused a number 'to cancel their passages at tho eleventh hour. • Many Army officers were travelling home to Egypt and India. There were two Americans on "board.

The number of the crew is uncertain. The company 'estimates it at between 200 and 300, of whom Europeans num» oered 77.

The Persia carried a very heavy mail, .but little cargo, and no war material.

(The Persia was one of the smaller P. and O. liners, having a gross tbimago of 7974 tons. She was built in' 1900.)

FEELING IN AMERICA/

ADMINISTRATION "AROUSED AS ' NEVER BEFORE."

(Rec. Jan. 3, 8.25 a.m.) WASHINGTON, ,Jari. 2.,

The Administration is aroused as. never before by the torpedoing of the Persia at the moment of the supposed adjustment of the Ancona case. The incident recalls thefact that while President Wilson' was negotiating on 7nc Lusitania massacre, the Arabic was sunk. Officials feel that Austria, since the Ancona reply, had ample time to notify her submarines not to torpedo vessels before removing non-combatants.