LUSITANIA CRIME.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 48, 26 February 1916, Page 2

LUSITANIA CRIME.

CAPTAIN TURNER SAYS NOTHING

COULD PREVENT DISASTER

In. reply to criticisms especially directed against th e crow, Captain Wilson T. Turner, who commanded the Lusitania when she was torpedoed last May, and who now commands the eargo steamer Ultonia, has made a ]or>.<r statement regarding the pirates' crime. The gist of his story is that everything possible was don c to avoid disaster, but that the Germans had laid their plans so well that nothing could have prevented their success. Two, r even three, submarines in Captain Turner's belief were concerned in the affair. "It has been suggested," he remarked, "that I might hav c slowed down, and thus passed the Irish coast at night. All I can say is that my instructions from t'fl.3 Cunard Company were to arrive at the landing in the Mersey at 4 o 'clock on Saturday morning', so that I could tak e the ship over the bar' without stopping for a pilot. I did not slow down on Thursday (the J day before the disaster) because there is a good deal of fog off the Irish coast at that season of the year, but all Friday forenoon the Lusitania was down to 15 knots, and was put up to 18 knots about two hours before she was torpedoed. Going by at night would not have obscured my ship from the lookout, on the submarine beein that latitude in May the night only lasts two hours and a half and, fur->hc-rj there was a moon. No matter what we had done, or what speed the 'Lusitania had been going at, the submarines would have got her, as they had panned it all by getting the an--Ties on t-h? course approaching the Irish coast. Nothing could have presented one of the torpedoes from strik- ; ng the ship. They were fired from aiingle off the starboard bow, and they travelled at a speed of 45 knots, so 'hat no matter what speed the Lusitania had been going, she would h:. been sunk. If the fog had continued + hat day, tha German submarine:night possibly have missed her, but it cleared up at the -rong time." Captain Turner con- ■ '•hides: "I have no fault tc find with anything that occurred folloAviuQ- the "orpedoing of the ship. I am satisfied '•hat every precaution was taken, au<l 'hat nothing was left undone tint "night hav:> helped to save human lives that dav."