THE LUSITANIA HORROR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2459, 12 May 1915, Page 5

THE LUSITANIA HORROR

-« . VERDICT OF WILFUL MURDER AGAINST THE KAISER EVIDENCE AT -THE / STATEMENT BY THE LINER'S COMMANDER - (By Telegraph.—Press Asaa.—Copyright.) London, May 10. At the inquest on the victims by the sinking of the Lusitania, Captain Turner, commander of the liner, gave evidence that when -the vessel approached the danger zone tho boats were swung out. the bulkhead doors closed, and the vessel slowed down. Fifteen knots was the fastest speed, owing to a haze. He received' wireless messages, including a warning that a submarine was off the Irish coast, and carried out his special instructions. Ho saw the wake of the torpedo almost on the surface. There was a second explosion, but it might have been internal. Smoke and steam rose, between the third and fourth funnels. He ordered the boats to be lowered to' tho rails, and the women and ohildren were placed aboaxd. Ho then ordered the engines to be stopped, but they were out of commission. ■A verdict of "Wilful and wholesale murder against the Kaiser, the German Government, and the submarine's crew" was returned. PACTS CALLING FOR EXPLANATION CRITICAL COMMENTS BY.SURVIYORS:. 1 (Rec. May 11, 5.25 p.m.)'" ' ' : * •• m . . . . „. ..London, MayJ.l. The surnvors in their stories of the outrage stress a* t3er*-of• facts- calling for explanation. . Despite the warningof the German Embassy at Washington the Lusitania had no naval escort., This was the more remarkable when, it is remembered that the submarine, had already found victims in this part of the Atlantic. _ "-The Cork newspapers reported that the submarine was reconnoitring close inshore on Thursday. ' ■ ' > Observers on the land deolare that fifteen minutes before the disaster a British patrol boat passed the Lusitania, and then turned and followed her, while immediately after she sank another patrol boat darted, up from the west. ' i These statements'. a,te in, direct conflict with-the unanimous assertion of the survivors that though they felt sure that the Navy was taking care of them they saw no warships or patrol boat before or after the sinking of the liner. I The warship Juno passed , over, the spot two hours earlier, and the moment I she was moored at Queenstown she received the Lusitonia's call, and steamed out, but shortly returned, as mans. Admiralty tugs and small craft were ( swarming to the scene. , " The ovidenco is clear (that the survivors were without assistance for two t hours. One survivor states that no smoko was coming from the rearmost funnel, and little from the next. Whether the engineers were economising _ coal in order to reduce the smoke trail, or whether the slow speed of the liner was . involuntary, has not been ascertained. This is a most important point, in view of the reliance placed on the liner's spottiness. . Others consider that theorew might have done /more, but make allowances for their difficulties owing to the heavy list. The fact remains that , ' several boats were smashed or swampod while being lowered, and there was no attempt to lower others. _ • _ One curious statement is independently made by two American passengers, that an order was received not to launch the boats. In one case the passengers ; were already in a boat, and had to Teturn to the deck. ■ In another instance the narrator threatened to shoot anyone attempting to prevent tho boat being lomjred. Mr. Isaac Jackson states that one officer ordered several people to quit the out-swung boats, where they were awaiting events, shouting out that there was no danger. Apparently the officers believed that she would remain afloat, because she had ceased to heel. • MR. CHURCHILL QUESTIONED IN THE HOUSE i ; ARMED ESCORTS CANNOT BE PROVIDED. London, May 10. Replying to questions in the House, Mr. Churchill (First Lord'of the Admiralty) said that it would be premature to discuss the sinking of the Lusitania pending an inquiry. It was impossible to disclose the naval disposition along the coast. The Admiralty's resources were inadequate to supply escort to i merchant or passenger ships. The Admiralty, owing to Germany's warning, had sent the Lusitania directions regarding her course. Excepting the Lusitania the entire seaborne trade had been conduoted without appreciable loss. No exception had been made in the Lusitania's case to the regular methods of safeguarding seaborne vessels. The Prime Minister, Mr. Asquith, in reply to questions, said there would be no object in approaching neutrals regarding Germany's breaches of The Hague Convention unless they prepared to take action. f ' I METHOD IN THE HUNS'MADNESS 5 3 POLICY OF TERRORISING NEUTRALS. s London, May 10. ) Mr. Bonar Law,' Leader of the Unionist Party, speaking in London,.asked: ■ i "What did the sinking of the Lusitania mean? It might mean that the Ger--1 mans were simply running amok, and that their deeds were those of desperate 3 men; hut he thought there was method in their madness. Germany, having failed to secure the sympathy of neutrals, was determined to terrorise them. . "The Lusitania. outrage," "added Mr. Bonar Law, "must convince us that not only soldiers, ■ but the whole of the nation are at war, and that every ounce of strength must be direoted to bringing the war to an end." WHAT WILL AMERICA DO? EXPECTED DEMAND FOR PLEDGE AND CASH INDEMNITY Washington, M?y 10. President Wilson has allowed it to be known that, he does, not intend io call a special session of Congress. This shows clearly-that the United States intends to avoid war with Germany, as Congress must be consulted before war is declared. It is understood that the President will demand a pledge that Germany will abandon methods of warfare contrary.to modern civilisation, and pay ai full cash indemnity for every American lost by the sinking of the Lusitania, the Gulf Light, and the Falabn. 5 The suggestion .that the "United States seize all Germany's interned ships : in-revenge for the'ioss of the Lusitania is being seriously mooted by the ' Amefican Press of all shades of politics. Others suggest that' American war- '' ships he allowed to convoy all ships on which there are American passengers Bailing for Europe. ' » CROCODILE SYMPATHY FROM BERLIN . COUNT BERNSTORFF AND THE PRESS' REPORTERS. , ' i.; London,. May io. The German Foreign Office has sent a wireless message to expressing deepest sympathy at the loss of Americans, and stating that the responsibility rests with Britain, as the Lusitania carried 5400 cases of ammu. nition,- the rest of the cargo being chiefly contraband. (Rec. May 11, 11.5 p.m.) ' London, May 11,The "Berliner Tageblatt" laments tho hard fate of the Lusitania vio tims, but claims that Germany is completely devoid _' of blame. The "Tageblatt" hopes that upon calm reflection the world will-pronounce a- verdict of condemnation against the British Admiralty and Mr. Churchill, whoso con- ; scienceless instructions must have been expected to bring a curse upon mankind. Count Reventlow says that the disaster is the .American Government's fault in not taking' Germany's war zon9 declaration seriously. BETTER LEFT UNSAID. Washington, May 10. * Count Bernstorff called on Mr. W. J. Bryan (Secretary for State) and expressed regret that events of the war had caused the deaths of so many Americans. Count Bernstorff throughout tho conversation avoided all mention of the Lusitania. BERNSTORFF INVITES THE AMERICANS TO THINK, _ ■ New York, May 10. When reporters asked Count Bernstorff (the German Ambassador) whether lie had considered what Americans would think, he replied: "Let them think," and, with an oath, told his chauffeur to drive on. HER.R DERNBERG ATTEMPTS TO JUSTIFY THE CRIME. , Cleveland, May 10. Herr Dernburg justified the sinking of the Lusitania because she carried contraband of war and was classified as a British auxiliary cruiser. The warnings issued ought to have been heeded. Tho destruction of the American steamer Gulf Light was also justified. \ (Rec. May 11, 11 p.m.) New York, May 11. Herr Dernburg, in a message to tho American people, declares that Ame•ricans are only safe if they travel in American vessels not carrying contraband, An American ship with contraband will bs torpedoed in exacts tie ss.me ss 3.. British slup will be, except that an attempt will bo u ade to ■ - aire iwuiflS » time tor pajaeniernand crew to escape,