Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1915-09-07
Ambassador Page Asked
for Detailed Report on
Ships Destruction.
U. S. CONSUL INSISTS
VESSEL CARRIED GUN
Firm in Statement, Despite
British Denial Ordinary,
Passenger Steamer"

WASHINGTON. Sept T. - The
United States today ordered an m
Vestisation by its representatives
abroad to determine whether the AL
IAN liner Hesperian hit a mine or
was torpedoed. A long, confidential.
preliminary report from Consul Frost
at Queenstown, said there is much
doubt and that II was not at all con-
elusive that a torpedo caused the
loss.
Secretary Lansing sair his reports
We're inconclusive and failed to CO.
tablish exactly how the ship was de-
stroyed
One dispatch from Consul Frost re-
ferred TO the Hesperian as having
sunk where she was torpedoed AM
bassador Page transmitted inforn,a-
ton he had received from the British
admiralty which disclaimed that the
ship had been used In military serv-
ice at all since the beginning of the
war
The official disposition Is to give
full opportunity for receipt of Off
eial reports from both German and
| British sources. The consular on
GERS in England, meanwhile. will
gather statements from Americans
who were on board.
Ambassador Page at London cabied
that the British admiralty had IN
| formed him the Allan liner Hesperian
| was sailing as an ordinary passenker
vessel and had never been in the
government service since the war
began.
There were no troops aboard" the
| ambassadors message continued
Some wounded and invalid soldiers
were aboard, travelling on individual
tickets as other passengers
A cablegram from Consul Frost
stated:
THE Allan line believes there were
no American passengers" the mes
sage said. Two American stewards
were saved, Francis j. Dupa=.~ eff
Buffalo, and Barney McMillen. Of
Grand Rapids. Both were below
when the torpedo struck. Total loss
of life perhaps twenty"
1t was officially announced at ths
state department that Ambassador
Page had been asked to make a COM
plete and detailed report on the
actual cause of the Hesperian's de-
struction. A high official admitted.
however that all information was
coming from British sources and
with the exception of the two Ameri-
can stewards there were no Ameri-
can sources of information
In his report to the state DEPART
ment today Consul Frost settled the
dispute as to whether a Al inch gun
was mounted on the Hesperian's
stern. He said there was no oles-
tion but that she carried this gun
| Allan line officials had previously
denied that she carried any arma-
ment.
Affidayits from Survivors.
The state department announced
that affidavits are being secured from
survivors and that Ambassador Page
will report the British admiralty'a
conclusion
not yet been requested to inquire oN
the German admiralty or foreign Off
Ger concerning the circumstances of
| the Hesperian's sinking.
Until the reports from Page and
other officials are received and the
exact cause of the Hesperian's loss
is definitely fixed, it was officially
stated today that no action will be
taken and no comment made.
The presence of Canadian soldiers
returning home wounded it was
stated, does not complicate the case
and does not give the Hesperian tbs
status of a troop ship.
BY the United Press.
LONDON, Sept. THE Allan liner
Hesperian was not under convoy when
she was torpedoed while en- route to
Montreal Saturday evening, 1t was
stated on authority today. No patrol
ships so far as is known, were with
in many miles of her, and her officers
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