The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-07
Capt. Dow, Warned by Bal
tic Wireless. Hauls Down
British COlOrs.
ACT Is JUSTIFIED
BY FOREIGN OFFICE
Government Claims Right
Granted Foreign Ships to
Avoid Capture.
PASSENGERS HURT
IN ROUGH PASSAGE
Prominent Americans on
Board Thrilled by Start
ling Incident.

LONDON, req. u i ne Auudru hhet
I.usitania, which sailed from New
York January &c. arrived at Liverpool
this morning flying the American flag.
Capt. Dow received wireless on
Friday morning from the Baltic of the
White Star Line saying that German
submarines were in the Irish Sea.
whereupon the captain of the Lusi-
tania hauled down the British ensign
and holsted the Stars and Stripes. The
Lusitania stopped off Queenstown and
was busy for an hour sending wireless
messages.
Capt. Dow's explanation of his
action in hosting the American flag
was that he took this action in order
to save his passengers and the malls
owing to the German threat to sink
British ships.
The use Of the American flag was
Immediately called tn the attention OF
| the Foreign once by American news
paper correspondents. Neil Primrose,
! the Under Secretary for Foreign AZ
fairs. exempllfying the friendliness
felt for America, had previously ar
ranged with the censor to transmit
anything by cable that the correspond
ents might desire. He said:
4 Refers to Act of 1894.
England desires neither the sup
preston nor compression of news.
Tho TNnrpifvft nltrp Il ~
Lusitania incident. but the merchant
shipping act of 1894 says that II a
person uses the British flag and as
sumes the British national character
aboard "a ship wholly or partly owned
by persons unqualified to own q
British ship. for the purpose of making
the ship appear to be British, the ship
shall be subject to forfeiture unless
the act was done for the purpose Of
escaping capture by an enemy or by
a foreign warship in the exercise OF
its belligerent right. Therefore, IL
England acknowledges and grants the
right of non English ships to escape
capture England holds that she is en-.
titled to the same privilege.
Undoubtedly Capt Dow, as well az
other English captains and shipown-
which Is a perfect answer to the Ger
man charge that England is notifying
her ships TO use neutral flags No
such orders were ever issued by the
British Government"
The LuSitania arrived after an eN-
citing passage. The ship was dark
ened and ran at reduced speed. Only
two turbines were working on the
fourth day of the voyage. The
weather was terrifying. Buifeted by
great rollers. which tossed the pas
sengers about like dolls, the Cunarder
struggled through the night. More
than a dozen saloon passengers were
hurt, the injuries including broken
heads. broken ankles and black eyes.
Dash Through Irish Sea.
After leaving Queenstown Capt.
Dow worked every boiler and turbine
at top speed as the Lusitania drove
through the Irish Sea. The passengers
were awake all night and were
gravely anxious. Even the iron
hound rule that a pilot must be taken
on was disregarded as the ship dashed
into the Mersey.
Marx sullivan, editor of Golfers
WeckiD. Of New York. describing the
change of flag, said that the pssser.-
gers were delighted. - a submarine
got the Lusitania 1t would bring dan
gerously near a war between America
and Germany because Miss Mona Nc
Adoo Miss Britton and Col f. NJ.
House were passengers. Miss McAdoo
is doubtful as to when she will go to
the front to take up her work as .
nurse. Col House automatically re-
fused to discuss the subject. Cues
toned about his mission, which was
= reported to be for the purpose OF
p sounding Great Britain on her attitude
regarding the shipping bill pending in
the American Congress, Col House re-
piled thai that was one bill in whcih
he had never taken any interest.
Ambassador Page met Col. House at
l2uston station.
All Of the Lusitania's passengers
were thankful that Captain Dow had
used the device as protection against
torpedoes.
AZ the American Embassy no one
in authority would discuss the Lusi-
. tanis's change Of flag.
nITrnTIDkF DIrDA5yTnr,r