FLOTSAM AND JETSAM.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 10, 12 May 1915, Page 5

FLOTSAM AND JETSAM.

Tubs and Sydney Sun Service. London, May 10. Stories from survivors from the Lusitania stress a number of facts calling for explanation. Despite the warning of the German Lmbassy at Washington, the Lusitania had no naval escort. This is more than remarkable when it is remembered that the submarine had already found victims in this part of the Atlantic. Cork newspapers reported a submarine reconnoitring close inshore on Thursday. Observers on the land declare that fifteen minutes before the disaster a patrol boat passed the Lusitania and turned and followed her, while immediately after she sank another patrol boat darted up from the west. These statements directly conflict with the unanimous assertion of survivors that, though they felt sure that the navy was taking care of them, they saw no warships or a patrol boat before or after the sinking. The warship Juno passed over the spot two hours earlier. The moment she was moored at (Queenstown she received tlie Lusitania’s call, and steamed out, but shortly returned, as faany of the Admiralty tugs and small craft were swarming to the scene. The evidence is clear that the survivors were without assistance for two hours. A survivor states that no smoke 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 was involuntary has not been ascertained. It is a most important point in view of the reliance placed on her speediness. Others consider that the crew might have done more, but make allowances for the difficulties owing to the heavy list. The fact remains that several boats were smashed, and swamped while they were being lowered. No attempt was made to lower others. A curious statement, independently made by two American passengers, is that an order was received not to launch the boats. There was one case of passengers already in the boat, and they had to return to the deck. The narrator threatened to shoot anyone attempting to prevent a boat being lowered. Isaac Jackson stated that an officer ordered several to quit the swung out boats, where they were awaiting events, and shouted that there was no danger. Apparently the officers believed the Lusitania would not sink because she had ceased to heel. The Cuban Consul came ashore at Queenstown accompanied by an athletic lady in sailor’s trousers and a jumper. Her swimming powers had saved her life, but her husband was drowned. A lady passenger pays a tribute to Mr Vanderbilt’s gallantry. He devoted /himself with his valet to collecting ■ and placing children in the boats from the sinking Lusitania.

GERMAN SYMPATHY. Unitbd Pr"m Ansi-n< .Ttow Now York, May 11. Hen - Dernberg, in a message to the 'American people, declares that Amerijcans are only safe if they travel in American vessels not carrying contrahand. An American ship with contrahand will he torpedoed exactly the I same as a British ship, except that an attempt will be made to give a warning in t ime for the passengers and crew 1 to escape. Amsterdam, May 11. The Berliner Tagehlatt laments the hard fate of the Lusitania’s victims, hut claims that Germany is completely devoid of blame and hopes that upon calm reflection the world wil' pronounce a verdict of condemnation against the | British Admiralty and Mr Churchill,

whoso conscienceless instructions must have been expected to bring a cuise upon mankind. Count Reventlow says the disaster is the American Government’s fault I°* not taking the Germany war tfone declaration seriously. Washington, May 10. The German Foreign Office has s a wireless message to Washington expressing the deepest sympathy at the loss of Americans. The message states that the responsibility rested with Great Britain, as the Lusitania carried SK)U cases of ammunition, and the rest of the cargo was chiefly contraband. NEW ZEALANDER SAVED. Auckland, May 11. 51 r S. Hanna, son of Mr Andrew Hanna, solicitor, who is going Home to enlist in company with Jack Mackay, and is presumed to have been a 1 passenger on the Lusitania, has cabled ■to his parents, the one word, “Well!”