THE LOSS OF THE LEINSTER

Waikato Times, Volume 89, Issue 13888, 14 October 1918, Page 4

THE LOSS OF THE LEINSTER

687 LIVES LOST. (\ustralian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) Received October 13, 5.3 p.m. LONDON, August 12. Official: Of the 780 aboard the Leinster, there are only 193 survivors. MURDER ON THE HIGH SEAS. GERMANY'S LATEST INFAMY. PRECLUDES FURTHER NEGOTIATIONS. Received October 13, 5.5 p.m LONDON. October 11. Sinking oi the Leinster and Hirauo Maru are apparently incidents in the new submarine campaign recently inaugurated by much larger and more heavily armed U boats on the routes of the American transports. The stories of the survivors emphasise that it was nothing short of murder on the high seas. Rain was falling in torrents when the Hirano .Maru was torpedoed without warning on Saturday night. The seamen hurriedly attempted to launch the boats, but they were smashed against the sides. The passengers realised the disaster, and rushed up on decks to find huge waves sweeping men. women, and children into the sea. Soon a couple of hundred were fighting for their lives in the waves, piteously shrieking for help. The Hirano Maru sank in five minutes, with the captain and all the officers.

A hig explosion finally shattered ihvessel. Doors, seats and other woodwork, loosened by th(. explosion and flung into the sea, served as mnkesliift rafts. .Men and women struggled towards thetn and lump; on desperately despite the high waves. The wireless operator continued to send rnossntres until liis cabin was flooded, and he, being unable to < searte. was drowned. His messages brought an American destroyer, hut she was forced to discontinue the rescue as a submarine was lurking watching the victims in the water, and fired a torpedo against the cWtroyer. Meanwhile the unfortunates were dropping off the woodwork", drowning every minute. The propeller of the sinking vessel cut a nuinher of people in pieces, and the mutilated bodies were tossed on the water. When the destroyer stared off the submarine she was able to resume the rescue, hut the cries of the victims had almost <■■ axed, am! tin re were only twenty-nine alive. The attack oil the l.einsn r was equally deU-rinined. She namivlv escaped tornedoing on Monday. Kinally the fJermans used three lorn-docs, though the vessel was only a fragile cross-channel packet. The newspapers are of the opinioa that l"'s i* |! "' Ml " st shocking sea crime miw tlv Lusitanh. '•liis latest infant disqualifies Max's Government from conducting further negotiations. Latent, information shows tliit of l"i() men aho.-.rd the fifteen were latide I, hut several have since died.