Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-06-17
QUITE SATISFIED
ON VITAL POINTS
Baron Mersey Has His Mind
Made Up as to Loss of
Lusitania.
VESSEL RUNNING SLOWLY
Six Boilers Had Been Cut OFF
to Reduce Coal Con-
sumption.

LONDON. June 16.-Baron Mersey,
president of the court of inquiry into
the sinking of the Lusitania. intimated
soon would be ended. The baron said
his mind was quite satisfied as to the
most important questions-the speed
of the vessel at the time she was at
tackled, and the absence Of British de-
stroyers AS an escort He believed the
court had before it all the evidence it
was likely to obtain relative to the
alleged shortage OF officers and tho
use of boats.
Counsel connected with the case was
inclined to believe tomorrow would
be the last day.
One Of the points ELECTED to-day was
that there was only one boat drill dur
ing the voyage. On that occasion some
members of the crew. in life belts,
swung out lifeboat and jumped in.
This drill lasted only a few minutes.
COAL SAVED ON VOYAGE
AMOUNTED TO 1000 TONS
The coal saved during the voyage by
cutting off six of the twenty-five
boilers amounted to 1000 tons. accord
ing to the testimony Of a passenger,
" iio Said ne IeCelNeN InlS nIOrn9tlOn
from Staff Captain Anderson.
Examination OF the Lusitania by
divers from neutral country. with
view to settling disputed questions as
to her equipment and cargo. was sug-
gested in the House Of Commons to-day
by Laurence Ginnell. The practica-
bility of the suggestion was questioned
by Walter Runciman. president OF the
Board 0f Trade 70 ha
which the vessel is lying. and because
that locality is not free of hostile
craft.
Alfred a. Booth, chairman Of the
board OF the Cunard Steamship Com
pany. was the first witness examined
at the inquiry to-day.
The Attorncy-General. Sir Edward
Carson. asked Mr.. Booth why the Lusi-
tania vas economizing by using only
nineteen of her twenty-five boilers at
the time she was torpedoed.
$50 far as submarines are coecerned.
there is no difference between twenty
one and twenty four knots" Mr.. Booth
replied.
Mr.. Carson then asked whether there
was any difference between eighteen
knots. the speed at which the Lusi-
tania was proceeding when attacked,
and twenty-one knots. Mr.. Booth re-
piled that never before had any
steamer making more than fourteen
knots been struck. by a torpedo from
n submarine.
UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE
EXCEPT THROUGH ADMIRALTY
The witness said the Cunard Com
pany was BILE to communicate with
the vaqSa1 hy r,ir
the admiralty, and. therefore, had
given no wireless instructions to Cap
tain Turner. General instructions
given previously covered the closing
OF the water-tight compartments, the
swinging out OF boats on entering the
danger zone and an order not TO slow
down TO take on pilot or to lie off
Liverpool for the tide. He said all he
knew relative TO warnings issued to
intending passengers was what he had
read in English newspapers.
Mr.. Booth was asked by an attorney
representing survivors whether the
company took any steps to prevent the
Lusitanta from entering the war zone
on schedule" The witness replied he
did not know what schedule time
meant, but Captain Turner had been
given entire discretion.
Mr.. Booth said he received no word
from Captain Turner during the voyage.
On the morning of the day the Lusi-
tania was torpedoed. the Cunard Com
pany asked the admiralty to com
municate with the ship concerning
threats against it.
The attorney for the survivors asked
Mr.. Booth why he had stated yesterday
that the Lusitania was being run, for
reasons of economy. m.rely to pay
expenses. The witness said the book
ings OF first and second class passen-
gers were nearly normal, but that the
number of steerage passengers was
only one-third normal, which caused
n loss.
Mr. Booth said no instructions had
been sent to the Lusitania TO run at
full speed through the danger zone.
He also said that there were many
poorly trained men in the crew.
TOOK STEPS TO PREVENT
PRESENCE OF SPIES
The attorney for the Stewards Union
asked whether there were Germans
working on the Cunard dock in New
York. Mr.. Booth replied that perhaps
German-Americans or Americans OF
German descent were employed there.
The attorney asked whether a spy
could have boarded the Lusitania to
signal submarines. Mr.. Booth an
swered that he was not prepared to
say that would have been impossible.
but the company took all necessary
steps to prevent such action.
Baron Mersey elected from Mr..
Booth that the Lusitania had neither
coal nor frcmen enough on board m
make the trip across under full boiler
power. Addressing Sir Edward Carson,
Baron Mersey asked whether arrange
ments could not have been made for
the ship to traverse the danger zone
In the dark. Tho Attorney-General
promised to endeavor to supply this
information.
Able Seaman Quinn. who was in the
crows nest of the Lusitania when she
was struck then took the stand. He
said he saw the torpedo coming, and
expressed the opinion that the Lusi-
tania could not have esca ned even IL