▁Holland ▁and ▁pulled ▁to ▁within ▁about ▁. ▁Despite ▁the ▁fact ▁that ▁the ▁ship ▁had ▁a ▁pass ▁of ▁safe - con duct ▁from ▁Germany , ▁was ▁marked ▁with ▁the ▁words ▁" Bel g ian ▁Rel ief " ▁on ▁her ▁side , ▁and ▁was ▁flying ▁a ▁white ▁flag ▁with ▁the ▁same ▁word ing , ▁G ross ▁tor ped o ed ▁the ▁vessel ▁without ▁warning . ▁Har pal y ce ▁s ank ▁in ▁about ▁five ▁minutes , ▁which ▁allowed ▁no ▁time ▁to ▁launch ▁any ▁of ▁the ▁lif eb o ats . ▁The ▁Dutch ▁steam ers ▁Elisabeth ▁and ▁Const ance , ▁and ▁the ▁American ▁ste amer ▁Ruby ▁picked ▁up ▁surv iv ors . ▁Herbert ▁Ho over , ▁head ▁of ▁the ▁relief ▁committee , ▁reported ▁that ▁his ▁organization ' s ▁char ter ▁of ▁the ▁ship ▁ended ▁after ▁delivery ▁of ▁the ▁cargo ▁in ▁Rot ter dam , ▁but ▁expressed ▁dis bel ief ▁that ▁the ▁ship ▁could ▁have ▁been ▁the ▁victim ▁of ▁a ▁tor ped o ▁attack , ▁given ▁the ▁" dist inct ▁ass urance " ▁that ▁ships ▁engaged ▁in ▁the ▁relief ▁effort ▁" w ould ▁not ▁be ▁mol ested ". ▁Har pal y ces ▁master ▁and ▁ 1 4 ▁others ▁from ▁the ▁ 4 4 - man ▁crew ▁died ▁in ▁the ▁attack . ▁Har pal y ce ▁was ▁the ▁largest ▁ship ▁s unk ▁by ▁U B - 4 ▁during ▁her ▁career . ▁ ▁U B - 4 s ▁followed ▁up ▁the ▁s inking ▁of ▁Har pal y ce ▁by ▁s inking ▁the ▁Greek ▁ship ▁Ell isp ont os ,