Ogden Daily Standard | 1917-03-10 | Page 5 | Many Lives Lost on a Transport

oo MANY LIVES LOST ON A TRANSPORT London, March 9. The British transport Mendi, carrying South African Afri-can native laborers was sunk alter a collision on February 21, ten of the persons lost were Europeans, according accord-ing to the announcement today to the South African parliament by General Louis Botha, the premier. The olficial announcement sas: "Premier Rotha Btated to the South African parliament today that the transport Mendi, carrying the South I Atrican native laborers' contingent, (the rest of whom were landed safely in France) collided with another vessel ves-sel enroute from England to Havre and sank in 2G minutes. The collision occurred off the Isle of Wight, February Febru-ary 21. The escorfs searchlight could not penetrate the fog. but the survivors surviv-ors were rescued by passing vessels. Twelve European officers and 191 na-, na-, itves were saved. Ten Europeans and Glfi natives were lost. "iifliculty in obtaining authentic in-formation in-formation caused the delay in making he announcement public. Premier Botha added that the magistrates and t native commissioners bad been in-Mructed in-Mructed to inform the chiefs, head i n and people so that they might know the truth and nor heed idl and j I mischievous stories, which experience Proved might be circulated m duluus- i y" The Mendi was a British steamer ! j1 .23t ions gross, built in Glasgow "11905 and owned by the British and j i African SteamNavination company of I '''verpool, (the Elder Dempster roin-I roin-I ). The last entry in shipping re-j re-j I cords rerjaMmg her movements was i J1 becembor 27 last when shft was WorteoV-arriving at Port Natal from l "ar-as-Salam