Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-05-11


dreaded disease to be reported in this
state during the past few weeks.
The sinking of the Lusitania was
the signal for serious demonstrations
against German inhabitants Of London
and other parts Of England. At the
beginning Of the war England arrest
ed all German citizens Of military age
who were liable to service in the Ger
man army, on the theory that all were
soldiers, and has since been holding
them as prisoners. Germans who had
passed the military age or who for any
reason were exempt from military SER
vice, were allowed to continue In the
pursuit of their business except that
they were kept under more or less
close observation for the reason that
all Germans are supposed to be sym
pathizers with Germany and likely 10
do anything in their power that is cal
culated to further the cause OF the
fatherland. Germans own thousands
of shops and manufacturing plants OF
various kinds in England and also 9TH
er businesses. Upon the sinking OF the
Lusitania there were numerous at
tacks on the German places or ousl-
ness, mostly by women, and In some
instances relatives Of people VINO went
down with the sinking ship The au-
thorities made such efforts as were
possible to prevent attacks OF all
kinds: but the police forces, weakened
by transfers to the army were able 10
do but little. Many German shops
were destroyed.
- Statements by American survivors
of the Lusitania cabled to the state
department at Washington by Consul
Forest at Queenstown gave brief'
graphic declarations Of the destruction
of the great liner by German SUB
marine. Robert Rankin Of New YORK,
told of seeing the submarine, OF
watching the white trail left by the
torpedo as it sped toward the Llsitan-
la and of the bursting Of the liners
boilers Immediately after she was
struck. Mr.. Rankin's statement fol-
lows: AT IL noon, ship began to zig,
gag course off Irish coast. l walked
deck until LOO. / went lunch ~
minutes. After rear starboard oeck
at about o'clock, ships time. AT
exactly 2.1O D. m, one of our group
of four sighted submarine, low, black
ridge about quarter mile starboard
bow. Lusitania going slow all morn.
ing. Had been blowing fog horn TILL
about 10 a. m, and was still steaming
about Is knots. Torpedo left sub
marine almost instantly and Travelled
rapidly toward boat, leaving white
trail. Struck ship not far from
line below bridge and through boiler
room. Explosion tore through deck,
destroying part Of forward life boat
The boiler exploded Immediately. No
second torpedo. Boat listed immedi-
ately end began filling through open
parts and hole caused by explosion.
Ship sank at 2.33 by watch Of pas
senger who jumped in sea. Torpedo
fired without warning while most Of
passengers were below at food"
Torpedoes such as are used by the
German submarines cost from $3,5
to $4,000 to construct. The internal
mechanism includes a high-speed
rotating engine, shafts and gears,
gyrosC opic apparatus and from 200
to $50 pounds Of high explosive. In
some of the latest German Subma-
rines torpedoes with a diameter Of 21
inches are carried. They travel at
the amazing speed of 4S knots, having
an effective range of nearly seven
miles and contain a contrivance for
warming the air during their flight.
The latest estimates in London,
says a dispatch, put the death roll
in the sinking Of the Cunarder Lusi-
tania, at we'll up to $500. Superin-
tendent Dodd of the Cunard line. dash
ed lingering hopes that there might
be further survivors in a statement
that said: THE only problem now is
to identify the nameless dead" So far
as can be ascertained about 700 per-
sons escaped when the liner sank
after being struck by German tor
pedoes, but Of these IS have died
from exposure or from injuries Lord
Mersey is to conduct an inquiry into
the disaster and until that begins,
official opinion as to how the Lusi-
tania came to be caught and why so
many lives were lost, will remain a
secret. The general unofficial opinion
is that several German submarines
were assigned to the task of attacking
the liner and that they maneuvered
her into position where she could not
escape. Passengers say that for some
time before the first torpedo was fired
the Lusitania had altered her course
and they ascribe this to the fact that
one German submarine had shown
herself, sending the big liner in the
direction where others were waiting
to strike. Beyond anger at the Ger
mans, the catastrophe has had no ef-
feet on the British people. Steamers
are arriving and departing as usual
and even steamers to Ireland are be-
ing freely patronized. The heavy
loss of life on the Lusitania was due,
passengers believe, TO the fact that
some officers at least reassured them,
after the first torpedo struck, that the
Lusitania would remain afioat. Prep
arations were made to launch the
boats, but before this could be done,
a second torpedo hit the steamer and
she listed so badly that the crew could
only work the boats on the side or the
ship. Another factor was the extreme
confidence of the passengers them
selves in the infallability of the water
tight compartments. The Lusitania
was not in the British navy list for
April among the merchant vessels
commissioned as naval auxiliary craft
and Cunard officials deny that she
ever was used for that purpose.
Silence rigidly maintained by the
Japanese embassy at washington
throughout the long course or ne
gotiations over Japan's demands on
China was broken Saturday night py
the issuance Of a statement prepared
by the Toxic foreign office, outlining
the Japanese governments reasons tor
submitting demands at this time and
reviewing various stages or the nego-
tlatlOnS. since lnlS SldleHiSHl "oe
written, Japan has presented an ultl-
matum resulting in China's acceptance
of a revised draft of the demands anu
the averting of a great crisis in the
far east. AS accepted the draft elimi-
mates or puts aside for future con-
sideration some of the demands most
Objectionable to China; and il is un-
derstood to contain no features which
American officials regard as contra
vening American treaty rights. THE
imperial government has, in the pro-
posals lately presented to the Chinese
government" says the Japanese
statement, made it their main object
to adjust matters relating to and to
meet the new situation created by the
war between Japan and Germany
to strengthen the friendly relations
subsisting between Japan and China
and thus to insure permanent peace
in the Orient. They, in formulating
these proposals, had taken special
care to avoid those which might be
deemed to conflict with the principles
of territorial integrity, equal opportu-
nifty and the open door which Japan
had occasion, time and again, to de-
clare to the powers. Accordingly
these proposals include, among others
,boca ralot ting IN the diSpOSitiOn of the