It is believed that every man on the _Antilles_ who got into the water alive with life-belt on was rescued. Attention is invited to the excellent work of the _Alcedo_ and _Corsair_ in picking up survivors who were in the boats, on wreckage and life-rafts, floating over an area of several square miles. The _Corsair_ picked up fifty persons from outlying wreckage and lifeboats without lowering a boat. The sea at this time was getting rough. Officers from the _Antilles_ have informed me that there was a fire on board the ship during the early morning, just before dawn, and that nearly all hands had turned out. This may account for the comparatively small loss of life, as the _Antilles_ sank in seven minutes or less. It is not known whether the lights which had been turned on at the time of the fire were visible from outboard, and whether this has anything to do with the submarine attack. The _Corsair_ reported no lights on the _Antilles_. The statements of the survivors are that several of them had seen the torpedo just before it struck the ship. It is worthy of mention that the conduct and bearing of the Armed Guard were a credit to the service. No visual signals of any kind were made by the _Corsair_ or _Alcedo_ after nightfall at any time, and only one PDL flash-light signal was noted in the convoy. Only one radio signal was made and that at low power to the _Henderson_ in thick weather, at night. Commanding officers were all thoroughly indoctrinated before getting under way in regard to the course, zigzagging, etc., and the escort vessels were unusually alert and attentive. The senior naval officer on board the _Antilles_ was Commander Daniel T. Ghent whose report to the Navy Department contained many incidents of interest in the story of the _Corsair_. Of the sixty-seven men who perished with the ship, he stated that forty-five of them belonged to the merchant crew, four were members of the armed guard, sixteen were soldiers who had been sent home, one was an ambulance driver, and one a colored stevedore. It was strange that the detonation of the torpedo was unheard by the escort vessels and that there was no visible disturbance, for on board the _Antilles_, according to Commander Ghent, the explosion was terrific. The ship shivered from stern to stem, listing immediately to port. One of the lookouts in the maintop, although protected by a canvas screen about five feet high, was hurled clear of this screen and killed when he struck the hatch below. [Illustration: A BOAT-LOAD OF SURVIVORS FROM THE ANTILLES COMING ALONGSIDE] [Illustration: NAVAL OFFICERS RESCUED FROM THE ANTILLES, WITH GENERAL McNAIR, U.S.A., IN THE CENTRE]