[Sidenote:  Water and food limited.]

The boats had been provided with water and food, but none was used during the day, as the quantity was necessarily limited and it might be a period of several days before a rescue could be effected.

The ship’s wireless plant had been put out of commission by the force of the explosion, and although the ship’s operator had sent the radio distress signals, yet it was known that the nearest destroyers were 250 miles away, protecting another convoy and it was possible that military necessity might prevent their being detached to come to our rescue.

[Sidenote:  Destroyers Warrington and Smith arrive.]

At about 11 p.m. a white light flashing in the blackness of the night—­it was very dark—­was sighted, and very shortly it was found that the destroyer Warrington had arrived for our rescue and about an hour afterwards the destroyer Smith also arrived.  The transfer of the men from the boats and rafts to the destroyers was effected as quickly as possible and the destroyers remained in the vicinity until after daylight the following morning, when a further search was made for survivors who might have drifted in a boat or on a raft, but none were found, and at about 6 a.m. the return trip to France was begun.

The performance of Lieutenant Commander Kenyon, commanding the U.S. destroyer Warrington, and Lieutenant Commander Klein, of the U.S. destroyer Smith deserves great commendation, as they located our position in the middle of the night, after having run a distance of about 250 miles, during which time the boats and rafts of the President Lincoln had drifted 15 miles from the position reported by radio, and it had been necessary for the commanding officers of these destroyers to make an estimate of the probable drift of the boats during that time.  The only thing they had to base their estimate on was the force and direction of the wind.  The discovery of the boats was not accidental, as the course steered was the result of mature deliberation and estimate of the situation.

[Sidenote:  Drift of the boats accurately estimated.]

[Sidenote:  The missing.]

Of the 715 men present all told on board, it was found after the muster that 3 officers and 23 men were lost with the ship and that 1 officer, Lieutenant Isaacs, above mentioned, had been taken prisoner.  The three officers were Passed Assistant Surgeon L.C.  Whiteside, ship’s medical officer; Paymaster Andrew Mowat, ship’s supply officer; and Assistant Paymaster J.D.  Johnston, United States Naval Reserve Force.

[Sidenote:  Two officers taken down with the ship.]