Battleship Sinks Unknown Steamer.

New York Times 100 years ago today, December 11, 1912:
British Dreadnought Centurion Runs Down a Vessel, Apparently of Considerable Size.
SEARCH FOR HOURS IN VAIN
One Man on the Doomed Ship Makes A Desperate Effort to Jump on the Centurion and Just Falls.
By Marconi Transatlantic Wireless to The New York Times.
    LONDON, Dec. 10.— "The Secretary of the Admiralty begs to state that a report has been received from the Captain of H. M. S. Centurion to the effect that his ship collided early this morning with a small steamer, name unknown, off Portland Bill. After the collision the steamer was seen astern, but was lost sight of in the funnel smoke and was not sighted again, although search was made for about two hours until after daylight, and searchlights were used.
    "No one on board the Centurion was injured, but the battleship received certain damages."
    In these measured, cold, official words is contained the story of a tragedy of the sea, the sudden destruction with all hands of a ship by a dreadnought, rushing at the rate of 19 or 20 knots through the water and the night on a speed trial.
    So sudden was the disaster that none in the doomed vessel escaped. No indication of her name or nationality remains except a port light which was found, still burning, after the collision in the Centurion's forecastle.
    As the Centurion's bow rises to a height of about thirty feet above the water the light must have been carried in the vanished steamer at or about that height. This is indirect evidence that the lost vessel was of some size. The following account of the collision is given by one of the Centurion's crew: "The Centurion was steaming on a westerly course at a speed between 19 and 20 knots. The weather was fairly calm, the sea moderate, the wind only from four to five knots. It was a very dark night, but the lights of the oncoming vessel were made out at some distance. She was seen to have stern and side lights burning brightly. Apparently she attempted to cross the bow of the Centurion, which struck her with great force.
    "The battleship's starboard bow struck the steamer on the port side well forward. She is believed to have been sunk at once. The collision occurred at 5:38 A.M. Nothing was seen of the steamer after the first impact. Probably she was hurled on her beam ends by the blow and at once toppled over and went to the bottom. "The Captain of the Centurion had the collision mats out, as it was found that the battleship was taking in water to some extent. The sea boats crew were called, and they manned the boats, but although the Centurion cruised in the vicinity until daylight, nothing was seen either of the steamer or of wreckage.
    "Judging from the shock, which was felt all over the warship, the vessel struck was a fairly large one. Whether she was a passenger vessel or a tramp steamer is not known. The shock roused those of the crew who were below asleep, and they hurried on deck, fearing the great vessel had gone ashore. Only a few minutes sufficed for the watch below to reach deck, but by that time the steamer had disappeared."
    Others of the crew believe the ship sunk was a tramp steamer, and deny that she was seen from the Centurion till the moment of the collision.
    It is said that one man was made out on her deck, and that he jumped and made a desperate effort to reach the deckrail of the Centurion. He almost touched it, and then fell back between the two ships. He was seen no more, though the searchlights were switched on and played on the spot.
    The Centurion was traveling at such speed that she covered a considerable distance before she could be stopped.
    The Centurion arrived at Plymouth this afternoon. An examination shows that her starboard bow struck the unknown steamer a glancing blow. The impact was sufficient to snap one anchor and drive the shank of the second anchor through the plating on the starboard side. Two months will be required for repairs.