OFFICIAL MESSAGES.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 13773, 10 May 1915, Page 2

OFFICIAL MESSAGES.

LUSITANIA SUNK.

i'ORPEDOED BY GERMANS

? EARLY 1500 LIVES LOST,

The Prime Minister has received the following by cable from the High Commissioner:— London, May 8, 2.45 p.m. The Cunard liner L'usitania was torpedoed and sunk off the coast of Irelaud. The Admiralty announces that between 500 and 600 survivors of the Lusitan'a have now landed at Queenstown. There an; many hospital cases and'several have died. Eleven survirors have .'also landed at Kuisnle. London, May 8, 8.20 p.m. The Auminilty states that the total nuni lM?r of survivors landed from the Lusi^anirt is 658. Possibly fishing boaii may have » few more. Forty-live dead have • been landed, and trawlers signal bringing 100 more bodies. j Otilv a few of the first-class passen-j gers \^ere saved. "' The ship sank in from 15 to 26' minutes.

It is reported that she was struck by Uyo torpedoes. Th> Cuuard Company give the number who were on board the Lusitania as 21.60, including 956 British, 188 Americans, 62 Russians, and some French, "Italians, Belgians, Persians, Greets, and Scandinavians. -London. May 8, 3.25 p.m. Forty-five more survivors ■ from the Lusiumia have landed at Queenstown from *.i drifter. Tli" Admiralty deny that the Lusitruua was armed.