Evening star., 1915-05-10

the neutral country most closely af-
fscted by this latest outra ge- The sim
pie Tact is that citizens of that great
country have been barbarously murder
4 ed. 1t is not for me TO say what their
action ought to be. but I feel sure the
United States will he guided not mere
~ by the interests Of the country. bat
feelings To what is due 10 u great
nation among other ratious of the
world
Mr.. Bouar Law said that if the sink
ing of the Lusitan!a had the effect he
believed il would upon the feeiings
not only of British soldiers. but of the
whole nation. then we can thank the
Germans for this last instance of their
barbarous methods"
Lord Mersey to Investigate
Lord Mersey is to conduct an inquiry
into the sinking of the vessel. and until
that begins official opinion as to how
the Lusitana came to be caught. ana
why so many lives were lost. will re-
main secret. The general unofficial
opinion is that several German sub
marines were assigned to the task of
attacking the Cunard liner, and that
they maneuvred her into a position
where she could not escape.
Passengers say that for some time be
fore the first torpedo was fired the
Lusitania had altered her course ard
they ascribe this to the fact that one
of the German submarines had shown
, feFSe1lr StHulHR the blR inner IN the d.
rection where other underwater craft
were waiting to strike with their dead
ly torpedoes.
These submarines. naval experts be-
lieve, are of the latest type. of prob
ably 400 tons, and much more power
ful than any possessed by other navies.
Method of Deed.
The Lusitania.s speed at the time she
struck is variously estimated from TO
81 knots. When forced the liner couid
do % knots, outstripping even the
fastest and latest submarines, hence it
is the belief of survivors and Cunard
line officials that battery of under
water craft, numbering perhaps four OF
I'VE. lay IN wait in the clear sunshine OF ,
Friday, posted adyantageously along
the route which il was surmised tn.
vessel would tax II Was easy TO keep
all bur th. lips Of the periscopes sub
merged and then for the craft nearest
her to let go torpedoes.
The SURVIVORS do not agree as TO
whether the submarine fired one or two
torpedoes. A few say they saw the
periscope. though many attest to tracing
the wake of foam as = projectile came
toward the vessel! The only points in
which all concur is that the torpedo struck
the vessel vital blow amidships caus-
ing her to list almost iinnediatel, to the
starpoa-d. In this careening fashion she
plowed forward some distance, sma shng
the lifeboats davits she did So and
making the launching Of the boats well
nigh impossible until headway had ceased
Queenstown WAS almost as much ,iazed
by the tragedy as those aboard the l.usi-
tania. The question on every lip is: "Why
did capt. Turner pursue the usual We'll
known Cunard line course SO close TO the
Irish coast al medium speed and why
was not the big liner conveyed ,''
Several naval officers here stat. ;hst
the Lustania received wireless orders
Ia III.
but the ships wireless operator de-
clned to say whether he received such
orders.
The dragging Of the lifeboats was ex-
planned by number of passengers ana
members OF the crew by the statement
that the second torpedo severed several
steam pipes from the engines. Tie
Lusitana had been sent full snee.t
ahead when the first torpedo was seen
and il was impossible to stop her head
way by reversing the engines when the
necessity for lowering the boats was
realized
The f.usitania was not in the British
navy list for April among the mar
chant vessel. commissioned as naval
auxiliary craft. and the officials OF the
Cunard company deny that she ever
was used for that purpose
Caus. of Heavy Loss.
The heavy loss of life on the I.us.-
tania was due, in the belief of rescued
passengers. to the fact that some OIL
GERS assured them, after the first tor
pedo struck. that the Lusitania would
remain af1oat and could make Queens
town Preparations were made 10
launch the boats, but before this could
be done n second torpedo hit the
steamer and she listed so much that
the crew could work the boats only
on one side of the ship. Another fac
tor was the extreme confidence of the
passengers themselves in the infalli-
bility Of the watertight connpartmsnts.