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Show torpedo cbciseb scxiu r carrot to,. r iar. , Cjtpe rjn. lalerre. London, Nov. 12. The Britiih torpedo cruiser Serpent foundered orjlbe coast of Spain. Tbe fate of the crew la unknown. The&ynf was a twi n sere w vessel of 1770 tomt and carried six guns. Tbe Serpent was lost twenty miles north of Cape Finlsterre. Out of a total of 250 souls on board only three were saved. The Serpent went on the rocks during a storm Monday night. Owing to tbe violence ol the storm it was Impossible to send any assistance from the shore. Tremendous Tremen-dous seas swept the decks of the doomed vessel, carrying away the army of unfortunate men on board. The Serpent's complement was 170 offlcera and men. The others were aloDg to relieve nien now on the African elation. Later dispatches say tbe three survivors sur-vivors are of the opinion that none of the others got ashore. Four bodies have come up on the beach, three of them women. Lord George Hamilton, First Lord of the Admiralty, ou risiugto speak at a conservative banquet thli. evenlmf, announced tbe loss of H. M.S. Serpent. The announcement caused a sensation, liut there was no action to postiione the banquet Lord George Hamilton led lu the toasts with an unusually Jolly speech. The news of this aflaii reached the London clubs and excited ex-cited much adverse criticism. It is considered that Uamllton'a conduct may caue a scandal against himself anil the Tories. The Duke of Edinburg was at tending a Patti concert at Plymouth when the uews of tliti disaster reached town, lie was Immediate ly Informed add at once lift the concert con-cert hall. After reading oil of the dispatches that bad been receiveu concerning the disaster, bo vreul directly borne without returning to tbe concert.ball, lie expressed tbi utmo-t sorrow. The newspaper offlcea at Plymouth were anxious U hear further news of tbe disaster Amontr these were eobblnir wivet and daughters of many cf tbe lost eamen. The Serpent was built after the ideas of Admiral Cooper Key, who InsUted upon an immence horsepower, horse-power, which, according to previous notion! was out of all proportions tc her dbpLiceuicu't. fibe could main tain a speed of seventeen Knots an hour. Lord ilrassey, in his naval annual, adversely criticised tbe vessel. lie said the. economy of weight bad been carried to excess II her construction, that the platinv was too thin and the armament overdone. over-done. Inaseaher heavy top weight would be a detriment to speed and Huuld unduly strain the hull, fn-vessel fn-vessel was 225 feet long, w bile she had a draught of only H feet. The relatives of the crew of th Serpent at Plymouth and the dockyard dock-yard people are full of gossip about the lost cruiser. It Is claimed tba she was uneawortby and brokei down. The&rpenf has a had record, she broke down more than once In the maneuvers of lbSS. Several admirals ad-mirals condemned tbe vessels of bet clas. The Lloyd agent at Corunua telegraphs: tele-graphs: 'It appears tho Serpet t war running for shelter In one of tin bays north of Finlsterre. If th. foundered nobody need bo eurprisce but tbe admiralty. If chegrounoei ona.ruofa.lie could not stand tei minutes battering lu at heavy a." |