4 MARCH 1916, Page 3

We have to express our deep sympathy with the French

people in the loss of a transport in the Mediterranean on February 26th. It is assumed that she was torpedoed, but no submarine or torpedo was actually seen. There were about eighteen hundred men on board, including the crew. About eight hundred and seventy survivors have been landed at Malta and at Milo, whither they were taken by French and British trawlers and destroyers. The transport sank in about fourteen minutes. The weather was clear at the time and not much sea was running, so that the heavy loss of life must have been due to the rapid foundering of the vessel. Probably a very heavy list prevented many of the boats from being launched.