away his galley. At the same time the Captain was calling to Lord
Kitchener to come to the boat, but owing to the noise made by the wind
and sea, Lord Kitchener could not hear him, I think. When the explosion
occurred, Kitchener walked calmly from the Captain's cabin, went up
the ladder and on to the quarter deck. There I saw him walking quite
collectedly, talking to two of the officers. All three were wearing
khaki and had no overcoats on. Kitchener calmly watched the preparations
for abandoning the ship, which were going on in a steady and orderly
way. The crew just went to their stations, obeyed orders, and did their
best to get out the boats. But it was impossible. Owing to the rough
weather, no boats could be lowered. Those that were got out were
smashed up at once. No boats left the ship. What people on the shore
thought to be boats leaving, were rafts. Men did get into the boats as
these lay in their cradles, thinking that as the ship went under the
boats would float, but the ship sank by the head, and when she went she
turned a somersault forward, carrying down with her all the boats and
those in them. I do not think Kitchener got into a boat. When I sprang
to a raft he was still on the starboard side of the quarter deck,
talking with the officers. From the little time that elapsed between my
leaving the ship and her sinking I feel certain Kitchener went down with
her, and was on deck at the time she sank."

[Illustration: WHERE EARL KITCHENER MET HIS DEATH]

The British Admiralty, after investigation, gave out a statement
declaring that the vessel struck a mine, and sank about fifteen minutes
after.

The news of Lord Kitchener's death shocked the whole Allied world. He
was the most important personality in the British Empire. He had built