40 Merchant Ships Sunk in German 'War Zone' by Submarines and Mines; 13 British Warships Destroyed, 4,400 Lives Sacrificed in Under-Sea War

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Date: 1 April 1915

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40 Merchant Ships Sunk in German 'War Zone' by Submarines and Mines; 13 British Warships Destroyed, 4,400 Lives Sacrificed in Under-Sea War

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FORTY merchant vessels have been destroyed by torpedoes or mines since the German "war zone"’ was established on February 18 and German submarine commanders were ordered to sink all enemy ships at sight. Except in the case of the Falaba, torpedoed March 25, the loss of life has not been great, but 200 persons in all have perished. The key numbers refer to the map above, which shows where each vessel went down.

1—BELRIDGE, Norwegian (torpedoed), February 19. All saved.
2—DINORAH, French (torpedoed), February 19. All saved.
3—BJARKA, Norwegian (mine), February 20. All saved.
4—CAMBANK, British (torpedoed), February 20. Four dead.
5—DOWNSHIRE, British, (torpedoed), February 20. All saved.
6—EVELYN, American (mine), February 21. One dead.
7—REGIN, Norwegian (torpedoed), February 23. All saved.
8—CARIB, American (mine), February 23. Not known.
9—BRANK, Chinese (mine or torpedo), February 23. All saved.
10—OAKBY, British (torpedoed), February 23. All saved.
11—HARPALION, British (torpedoed), February 23. Three dead.
12—RIO PARANA, British (torpedoed), February 23. All saved.
13—DEPTFORD, British (mine or torpedo), February 23. One dead.
14—WESTERN COAST, British (mine or torpedo), February 24. All saved.
15—NOORSEDYK, Dutch (torpedoed), March 5. Not known.
16—TANGISTAN, British (torpedoed), March 9. Thirty-seven lost.
17—BLACKWOOD, British (torpedoed), March 9. All saved.
18—PRINCESS VICTORIA, British (torpedoed), March 9. All saved.
19—INDIAN CITY, British (torpedoed), March 11. All saved.
20— HEADLANDS, British (torpedoed), March 11. All saved.
21—ANDALUSIAN, British (torpedoed), March 11. All saved.
22—FLORIZAN, British (torpedoed), March 11. One dead.
23—INVERGIL, British (torpedoed), March 13. All saved.
24—HAANA, Swedish (torpedo or mine), March 12. Six dead.
25—ATLANTA, British (torpedoed), March 14. All saved.
26—FINGAL, British (torpedoed), March 15. Six dead.
27—LEEUWARDEN, British (torpedoed), March 17. All saved.
28—GLENARTNEY, British (torpedoed), March 18. One dead.
29—BLUEJACKET, British (torpedoed), March 19. All saved.
30—CAIRNTORR, British (torpedoed), March 21. All saved.
31—CONCORD, British (torpedoed), March 22. All saved.
32—MEDIA, Dutch (torpedoed), March 24. All saved.
33—HYNDFORD, British (torpedoed), March 26. One dead.
34—VOSGES, French (torpedoed), March 27. One dead.
35—DELMIRA, British (torpedoed), March 25. All saved.
36—FALABA, British (torpedoed), March 28. One hundred and eleven lost.
37—AGUILA, British (torpedoed), March 28. Twenty-three passengers and crew missing.
38—AMSTEL, Dutch (mine), March 29. All saved.
39—FLAMINIAN, British (torpedoed), March 29. All saved.
40—CROWN OF CASTILE, British (torpedoed), March 29. All saved.

THIRTEEN British warships and more than 4,000 lives have been destroyed by the German under sea raiders, with a loss of about 200 men. The key letters in the subjoined list refer to the map, showing where each vessel went down.

Class. Tonnage. Lives Lost.
A—Aboukir........Armored cruiser........12,200 \
B—Hogu........ Armored cruiser........12,200 > 1,450
C—Cressy........Armored cruiser........12,200 /
D—Bulwark........Battleship........15,000 800
E—Audacious........First line battleship........24,000 2
F—Speedy........Torpedo boat destroyer........800 22
G—Amphion........Protected cruiser........3,440 131
H—Niger........Torpedo gunboat........850 —
I—Bayano........Auxiliary cruiser........6,000 200
J—Hawke........Protected cruiser........7,350 471
K—Hermes........Armored cruiser........5,660 40
I—Formidable........Battleship........15,500 579
M—Pathfinder........Protected cruiser........3,000 246


Source:
World War history: daily records and comments as appeared in American and foreign newspapers, -1926. (New York, NY) 29 Mar. 1915, p. 146. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/item/2004540423/1915-03-29/ed-1/.

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