The Washington herald., 1915-11-22

Special to The Washington Herald
New York, Nov 2l-Capt. William T.
Turner. who commanded the Cunard Incl
Lusitania when she was sunk by q
German submarine on May and now
commands the steamship UltOnia, which
is unloading at Quebec, came to this
city to visit some OF his friends, whom
he has not seen for seven months. The
captain appeared to be in very good
health. and said that he was glad to see
New York once again
At the home of DR.. Edwin Sternberger.
4s East Sixtieth street. Capt. Turner
told his story OF the destruction OF the
has given out To- newspapers since the
disaster. In doing this the captain said
he was actuated by a desire to clear the
reputation of his officers and men who
survived and also the memory OF those
who lost their lives in trying TO save
those intrusted to their care Capt Tur-
ner asserted that he could not speak in
any way regarding the instructions given
to him by the admiralty before the Lu-
sitania was sunk or make any comment
on the activities of the German subma-
rines off the Irish coast. After the war
was over. however. everything would be
cleared up.
when 1 read in the newspapers the
warning that had been issued to the
travelling public by the German Embassy
at Washington 1 did not believe that the
threat OF torpedoing the Lusitania was
to be carried out by the submarine COM
manders, but I decided to take every
precaution possible in case Of accident
Sailors Knew Their Duty.
Comment has been made by various
persons since that the crew of the Lusi-
tania was composed Of green hands and
that they did not know their duty.
That Is not correct. The usual crew of
the Lusitania. like those OF other big
British liners. were all naval reserve
men, and when the war started they
were all called. with the reserve officers.
to serve their country. / had n scratch
crew to take their places but they were
about as good as most sailors that go to
sea nowadays. The old-fashioned able
seaman who could knot, reef, splice, or
steer disappeared with the sailing ships.
What green hands there were on
board were among the coal trimmers in
the stokehole, as 1t does not require a
nautical training to push a barrel full
OF COdl along n ueCh. All ndnUS were
well drilled in their duties regarding the
ifeboats in case of accident and knew
their stations.
Life Boats All Ready.
AT $50 o'clock on Thursday morn
ing. Capt Anderson, who was re-
sponsible for the boats and life-saving
apparatus and general discipline OF the
ship, came to me and reported that all
the lifeboats had been swung out ready
for lowering, and the boat falls were
down on the funnel deck in Flemich
coils ready for running when the order
was given to lower away. Each fall
was attached 70 the rail by one turn of
Irvine that could be easily broken with
q jerk
II gave the order that all buIkhead
doors should be closed then and all
side ports from way below the water
line right I'D to the ''B'' deck. and later
that morning the chief steward reported
that II had been carried out. II any ports
were opened afterward In the staterooms
IT was done by the passengers them
selves.
1T has been suggested that I might
have slowed down on Thursday and thus
passed the Irish coast at night. In reply
to that criticism all ] can say Ia that my
from the Cunard company
were to arrive at the lightship In the
River Mersey at 4 o'clock on Saturday
30 that could take the ship
over the bar without stopping for Q pilot.