No lives were lost; this was the redeeming feature, and the eighty-five officers and men of the Californian were all safely aboard the yacht where they were as hospitably cared for as the crowded quarters permitted. On the decks of the lost steamer were hundreds of Army motor-trucks, and one of the Corsair’s men, for lack of anything better to say, was heard to murmur as the sea swallowed them up:
“There’s some water in your carbureters this trip, and that’s no foolish jest.”
The dog rescued from the Californian remained aboard the Corsair as a souvenir and mascot, but the life in the Bay of Biscay was not to his taste, in spite of the efforts of the crew to make him feel at home. He was therefore detached and assigned to the U.S.S. (Auxiliary) Balti and sent to the United States, but fell down a hatch at Hoboken and was a total loss. For an epitaph, Kipling’s line seems apt, “We’re safer at sea again.”
Commander Porter’s official account of the loss of the ship reads as follows:
June 22, 1918
From: Commanding Officer,
To: Commander U.S. Naval Forces in France,
Via District Commander, Rochefort.
At 4.50 A.M. observed the U.S.S. Californian stop, turn to the eastward, and abandon ship. The Corsair immediately went about and closed on the Californian. At 5.15 A.M. two boats from the Californian were alongside and survivors came on board. I informed their Executive Officer that we were close to land and suggested that it might be possible to get the ship into port. He immediately ordered his firemen into a boat and returned to the Californian. The Corsair circled about the ship.
At 7.05 A.M. all hands abandoned the Californian and came on board the Corsair. The captain informed me that he could do nothing as the engine-room was filling with water. I told him that we would attempt to tow. He returned to the Californian with a boat’s crew, taking the end of our tow-line with him. As the Californian was down by the head and we had a fair wind, our tow-line was made fast to the stern.
At 7.55 A.M. we started ahead. At 8.20 A.M. it was found that we could not handle the ship by the stern; stopped and attempted to take the line forward. Before it could be made fast, the ship settled so rapidly that the crew was obliged to abandon her, and we hauled the tow-line on board. At 8.54 A.M. the bow of the Californian went down, apparently resting on bottom. At 9.04 A.M. the stern disappeared and Corsair proceeded. While waiting we hoisted two of the Californian’s boats on board. During these operations one French destroyer stood by.
It is believed by the Commanding Officer of the Californian that the damage was caused by a mine. Nothing was seen. No radio message was sent as antennæ was disabled by the explosion. There were no casualties.