LUSITANIA TRAGEDY.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 January 1920, Page 10

LUSITANIA TRAGEDY.

EVIDENCE OF THE CAPTAIN.

INSTRUCTIONS NOT OBSERVED.

Some of the evidence given by Captain VV. T. Turner, of the Lusitania, before the Wreck Commissioner (Lord Mersey) at the secret inquiry, held on June 15 and 18, 1915, at the Central Hall, Westminister, is published in a Parliamentary paper just issued. The Lusitania was sunk by a German submarine, with the loss of 1134 lives, on May 7, 1915, and at the inquiry Captain Turner was examined at length as to the course he took and the instructions he received

ii regard to the avoidance of Bubi..„rines.

Captaiu Turner said he received an Admiralty instruction of March 22, saying: "Most important that vessels passing up the Irish or English Channels should keep mid-Channel course." On May C he got an Admiralty wireless telegram saying that submarines were active off the south coast of Ireland. He also received that day a message saying: "Take Liverpool pilot at bar, and avoid lie .lands. Pass harbors at full speed; steer mid-Channel course. Submarines at Fastnet."

On the 7th, the day of the disaster, he received the message, "Submarines active in southern part of Irish Channel. Last heard of 20 miles south of Coningbeg Light Vessel." Later came another wireless message: "Submarines five miles south of Cape Clear, proceeding west when sighted at 10 a.m." Asked why, with this information before him he went so close to Old Kinsale Head, witness said he did so to get a fix. They were not sure what land it was; they were so far off. He had an approximate idea where he was, but wanted to be sure, so that he could get a proper course and navigate the ship safely. He considered that he followed the Admiralty instructions as well as he could. When the ship was torpedoed he was in what he would call practically mid-Channel. He now thought he was about 10 miles off land. He did not think it was necessary to go farther out. He thought 10 miles a sufficiently wide berth to give the Old Head of Kinsale, though he thought at the time he was 15 miles off.

The Commissioner: Off Old Kinsale Head, what is the width of the channel there?—l4o.

The Attorney-General: You really do not think, do you, that you were in mid-Channel, or anywhere near it?—l did not think it was mid-Channel exactly, but I thought I was far enough off the land.

You did not think it necessary to be in mid-Channel ? No.

Why did you disobey the Admiralty instructions?—My aim was to find the land.

You never for a moment tried to carry out what the Admiralty had laid down? —I thought I wan trying my best, anyhow.

In reply to other questions, witness said that a thick fog might have come on, and, not knowing the exact position of the ship, he might have gone ashore. Therefore, he wanted to know his proper position. He had received a general warning that zigzagging was a safeguard against a successful submarine attack, but he did not zigzag because he understood that "it was only when you saw a submarine that you should' zigzag." [The warning said that "this couns (zigzagging) is almost invariably adopted by warships when cruising in an area known to be infested by submarines."] _ The Commissioner: But the whole point is that it is the submarine that is looking at you?— Yes.

The Commissioner: And if you are zigzagging you confuse him and put him into difficulties.

The Attorney-General: When vou are torpedoed it is too late?—Of course. Do not you see now that you really disobeyed a very important instruction?

Witness made no answer, but later he said that, having heard the instruction read over again, he was sure that his previous interpretation of it was wrong. He did not put on greater speed lest he might have to wait for a pilot at the Mersey Bar, where the ship would be a better target for lurking submarines. When stopped-because of fog on the morning of the disaster, he sounded his foghorn every minute automatically. It oid not occur to him that this might be very dangerous, having regard to the submarines.