the launch could get
away the Hogue was struck on the starboard side amidships by two
torpedoes at intervals of ten to twenty seconds. The ship at once began
to heel to starboard. After ordering the men to provide themselves with
wood, hammocks, &c., and to get into the boats on the booms and take off
their clothes, I went, by Capt. Nicholson's direction, to ascertain the
damage done in the engine room. The artificer engineer informed me that
the water was over the engine-room gratings.

"While endeavoring to return to the bridge the water burst open the
starboard entry port doors and the ship heeled rapidly. I told the men
in the port battery to jump overboard, as the launch was close
alongside, and soon afterward the ship lurched heavily to starboard.

"I clung to a ringbolt for some time, but eventually was dropped on to
the deck, and a huge wave washed me away. I climbed up the ship's side
and again was washed off. Eventually, after swimming about from various
overladen pieces of wreckage, I was picked up by a cutter from the
Hogue, Coxswain L.S. Marks, which pulled about for some hours, picking
up men and discharging them to our picket boat and steam pinnace and to
the Dutch steamers Flora and Titan, and rescued, in this way, Commander
Sells of the Aboukir, Engineer Commander Stokes, (with legs broken,)
Fleet Paymaster Eldred, and about 120 others.

"Finally, about 11 A.M., when we could find no more men in the water, we
were picked up by the Lucifier, which proceeded to the Titan and took
off from her all our men except about twenty who were too ill to be
moved.

"A Lowestoft trawler and the two Dutch ships Flora and Titan were
extraordinarily kind, clothing and feeding our men. My boat's crew,
consisting mainly of Royal Navy Reserve men, pulled and behaved
remarkably well. I particularly wish to mention Petty Officer Halton,
who, by encouraging the men in the water near me, undoubtedly saved many
lives.

"Lieut. Commander Phillips-Wolley, after hoisting out the launch, asked
me if we should try to hoist out another boat, and endeavored to do so.
The last I saw of him was on the after bridge, doing well.

"Lieut. Commander Tillard was picked up by a launch. He got up a
cutter's crew and saved many lives, as did Midshipman Cazalet in the
Cressy's gig. Lieut. Chichester turned out the whaler very quickly.

"A Dutch sailing trawler sailed close by, but went off without rendering
any assistance [Transcriber: o