THE LUSITANIA GRIME.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 3985, 19 July 1915, Page 5

THE LUSITANIA GRIME.

LORD MERSEY’S JUDGMENT.

GAPTAB M NOT BLAMEWORTHY.

ADMIRALTY’S INSTRUCTIONS NOT STRICTLY FOLLOWED.

VESSEL NOT VIOLATING AMERICAN LAW.

(Received. July 38, 5.5 p.’in.) LONDON, July 38. It is mentioned *in Lord Mersey’s judgment in the Lusitania case that tiie submarine intended to destroy.the Lusitania also the people unwarned and unarmed. The captain was not blameworthy. The whole of the blame for this cruel catastrophe rested on the perpetrators of the crime. Lord Mersey declined to discuss 'the evidence concerning the. Admiralty’s precautions, but it was, he said, plain that the Admiralty devoted anxious care and thought to the submarine peril. It had collected all information likely to affect the Lusitania’s voyage and had fully advised Captain Turner. The latter in some respects had not followed the advice. Rut it was doubtful if the vessel would otherwise have reached Liverpool. The Admiralty’s advice did not deprive him of the right to use his skill and judgment in a difficult situation." The omission to follow the advice was not attributable to negligence. Everything had been done to get out the boats. Complaints there uncut and also allegations as to the boats were ill-founded.

Lord Mersey added: ■‘No opportunity to escape was afforded. The Lusitania curried a number of cases of cartridges, which were shown in the manifest. She was not violating any American law.”

'The- torpedoing was ‘done not merely to sink the ship;, hut to destroy the lives of the passengers,” he continues. “Gorman' statements that the Lusitania was armed are baseless inventions condemning those. who used them. The warning against passengers sailing on the Lusitania aggravated the crime, proving that it was deliverately planned. Sir Edward Carson’s statement that the act was deliberate murder was not a whit too strong. The defenceless creatures aboard were doomed to death by a submarine’s crew acting under the direction of the German Government’s officials.” In his opinion none of the cargo exploded. Lord Mersey pays a tribute to the heroism of Leslie Morton, an 18-year-old sailor, who first sighted the torpedoes and was„ afterwards thrown into the water, hut was instrumental in saving SO or 90 passengers. Mr Clem Edwards, on behalf of the Lusitania’s crew’, suggested that the costs of tin* seamen’s representation at the inquiry should lie borne by the nation in the hope that it- might ultimately he included in the enemy s indemnity. Lord Mersey invited Mr Edwards to discuss the point with him at a more convenient season. THE AMERICAN PROTEST. ATTACK ON THE 01M)ENA. RKG A 111) I'M) As I) KL ITERATE INST; LT. (Received Juiv 18, 5.5 p.m.) WASHINGTON, July IS. . The torpedoing of the Ordinal is regarded in America as_a distinct insult, from Germany. Tt is as coiihdeutly deeply believed that ponding the exchange of Notes Germany will refrain from attacking passenger ships on which Americans are travellingIt. is presumed a further Note has been despatched on the subject. |’a!'Sem r ors arriving ox the Ordinal report that the ■German submarine attempted to sink the Orduna. hut the captain steamed up and escaped both torpedoes and shells. The passengers made a presentation to Captain layloi for his bravery on the occasion. There were many Americans aboard. Captain Tavlor, of the Orduna. reports that the submarine was three miles south of (Queenstown and eiflht minutes after a torpedo had been Jivecl. There was not the least. winning. The torpedo missed owing to the" Germans misjudging the speed and allowing for fourteen knots instead of sixteen. Nearly alt the passengers were asleep. It was a - most another ease of brutal m.mlei . \fter the torpedo had passed tin stewards woke up the 22G passengers and them on the upper deck with lifebelts. Shells passed over the passengers* heads while the <aj tain was sending out the wireless call “5.0.5.” ’ The newspapers point out the («u man Note with, reference to the Nebraskan seeks indirectly to stemi. recognition of previous contentions, inasmuch as it explains it was an accident due to the absence ol means ol identification. This is a duect con tradietion of the captain s testimony . The explanation is silent regarding the fail’ll re to search an unarmed merchantman.

SWEDISH PROTEST AGAINST IN! lUMANITY.

\ communication to the- British |> r ;. ss , signed by many prominent Swedes. says:— , . + ‘English people know that t-m Swedish ..mat-ion is practically unanimous in supporting the o nmont in its policy of strict nomialit. • y,q ;1 . large section of the people, whether the majority or not we cannot say, are anything hut nouti < in their feelings m regard to J methods of warfare winch have been adopted in this terrible war and have culminated in the sinking, the Lusitania. The misconception that war suspends all laws of lmrranitv must prove fatal to the I'nturc-of civilisation arid dmastiou.s for that human solidarity that ts such vital interest, to the smaller natrons especially-. The signatories include: Svan * A.rrhombs (professor). Baron Athward Victor Alniqmst (thief I>u eetor of State Prisons), Gunner Amlcrsson (professor). Tor Hotlberg (author), an* !fjalmar Soderberg (au,hrtr).

5N THE BLACK SEA. RUSSIAN NAVAL ACTIVITY. (Received July 19- 1-20 a.m.) ' PETROCRAD July 18. Official: Our torpedoers attacked 1 lie reconstructed batteries at /nnguklak. , Wo destroyed two steamers and several coal-laden sailers-' 1 , The submarine Mori sank a- loaded steamer at, the entrance to t-ho. Bosphorus and also several sailers.

THE ITALIAN OFFENSIVE.

GOOD PROGRESS: REPORTED

(Received J.uTv 19, 1.20 a.tn.) ROME July IS. Official: Wo continue a successful offensive against the group forts neai Faiv.arego and Livfallongo and are now capturing the difficult country between tiie forts. * , Our infantry, under a. 'murderous fire charged with the bayonet and captured the advanced trenches of the Lana. Pass in the Anoraz Valley. Two 'dirigibles bombarded the Austrian camps at Gorizia with satisfactory results. /