Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-15
LOOKING UP A CAUSE
Preliminary Inquiry Into
Russian Attack.
BRITISH COURT OPENS
INVESTIGATION OF NORTH SEA
INCIDENT IN OWN BEHALF.
Learned at Outset There is No Evidence
to Suggest Presence of
Torpedo Boats.
BRITISH COURT OPENS

NULL, England. November 15-The in
quiry which Great Britain conducts on her
own behalf into the North sea incident
opened today. Vice Admiral Bridge and
Butler Aspinall an admiralty court law
yer. who was appointed to conduct the in
quiry and whose report will form the basis
OF the British case before the international
commission at Paris. sat at large table
surrounded by maps showing the Dogger
bank and the North sea. In front was an
array of counsel and government officials.
The correspondent of the Associated
Press learned at the outset that the board
of trade solicitors who have been prepar-
ing the case have found no evidence to
suggest the presence of the torpedo boats
among the fishing fleet. The inquiry Will
therefore merely be an ampiflcation of the
evidence at the inquest and 1t will be ad-
journed 10 London in the course of few
days the proceedings here being confined
to a narrative of the shooting.
Assessment of Damages.
The assessment of damages, which will
be dealt with in London. cannot be com
pleted for some time. as many of the
trawlers are still at sea. The findings of
the court will be sent to the board of trade
and will be submitted to the international
commission 1t is not likely that they will
be published before the commission COM
mences It's sessions. but with the exception
of the amount of the damages. 1t can
scarcely add to what is already known
careful examination OF all the witnesses in
private having suhstantiated in all essen
tial details the story the fishermen orig
inally told
No Speeches Admitted
Admiral Bridge started matters with busi-
ness promptness. briefly announcing the
method OF procedure an stating that there
would be no speeches. Various counsel
representing the trawler companies and
the victims received permission TO examine
the witnesses. and Mr.. Pickford, counsel
for the board of trade, summarized the facts
connected with the 'lamentable occur
renee" saying there was nothing connected
with the trawling feet which could proba-
bly, account for the shooting.
lie added that in addition to the Witnesses
to be called a careful inquiry had been
ma de among the entire fleet, and the state
ments made agreed in all essential respects.
Mr. Pickford highly commended the PLUCK
shown by the men of the trawler Gull in
saving the wounded from the sinking traw-
Ter Crane.
The first witness was Mr.. Beeching. man.
aging director of the Gamecock feet. He
testified that for twenty-five or thirty years
the fishing fleets had been trawling off
Dogger bank
Model of Trawler Used.
The Russian consul. who was accommo-
dated with a seat on the platform. asked
the first two witnesses if the men of the
trawler fleet had reported seeing other war
ships besides the Russian vessels. but ap-
parently only the Russian vessels had been
met
irgs by the introduction of tiny model of
a trawler. Photographs showing the large
lettering and numbers on the tunnels and
sides of the trawlers attacked were also
presented.
Tie witnesses all denied that any arms,
ammunition or contraband were on board
the trawlers There was no room. 1t was
added. to carry torpedo.
Several maritime storekeepers swore that
nothing was put on board the trawlers ex-
cept supplies and coal.
Vice Admiral Carr's Testimony.
''Vlce Admiral Carr. who was in charge
of the trawling fleet at the time of the at
tack, said he had been in the naval re-
serve for seventeen years and was accus-
toned to men-of-war and naval signaling.
The only warship he had seen on the trip
In question besides the Russians, was the
regular British cruiser stationed off Hull.
This was several days prior to the trawling
feet falling in with Vice Admiral Rojest-
vensky's squadron Carr reiterated that
the first Russian division passed close to
the trawlers without firing and that the
second division, after starboarding and
keeping their searchlights steadily on the
vessels, fired with the result known
Carr also said that when he first heard
the firing he Thought they were having a
bit of game with themselves. repelling
boarders or something like that" The war
ships were close that he could see men
passing the open port holes of the Russian
ships. He kept sending up green rockets
which are not only known throughout the
world as a sign that they come from a fish
Ing fleet, but as they burst they lighted up
the trawlers so that their numbers could
be seen.
About one vessel which came up on his
port quarter Carr was very uncertain 1t
might have been. he admitted another
trawler, but he at first thought 1t was one
OF the Russian warships.
Russians Did Not Signal.
Answering the Russian consul. Carr
maintained that the Russians did not sig
nal TO the trawlers TO stop and stoutly de-
cared that there could not have been a
strange vessel among the fishing fleet
At hrst Carr thought the Russians were
British warships practising
AIter luncheon Ii was announced that DR.
nerbert Woodhouse would represent the
Russian embassy at the inquest
commander q. c. Frederick was the frs,
witness IN behalf Of the admiralty He had
ardwn up diagram showing the proba HE
posluons OF the Russian vessels and the
na"iers. Commander Frederick said the
.tussian squadron was thirty miles out of
way out replying TO DIR. woodhouse he
auhiI'eu that III IL apprehended danger n
ordinary course INV iioin the
A home office expert in explosives ,aer,,
Ned the shells as Russian '"eh'i-