Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-05-11

."FoREieN OFFICE"
starboard. / stood on the bridge when
she sank and the Lusitania went
down under me She f1oated about
is minutes after the torpedo struck
her
No warship was conveying U.s. l
saw no warship and none was re-
ported to me as having been seen.
At the time ! was picked up. l no
ticed bodies floating on the surface.
but saw no living persons.
Going 1s Knots
Questioned concerning the speed of
the ship, Capt. Turner said:
MY reason for going is knots was
that l wanted TO arrive at Liverpool
bar without stopping and within two
or three hours of high water"
Was a lookout kept for submarines,
having regard to previous warnings"
Yes. we had double lookouts."
Were you going in a zigzag course
az the moment the torpedoing took
place."
NO, it was bright day and land
was clearly visible
Was it possible for a submarine
to approach without being SEEM
oh, yes, quite possible"
Prevented Launching Boats
Something has been said regarding
the irnpossibility of launching the
boats on the port side?'
Yes" said Capt. Turner, owing to
the listing of the ship
How many boats were launched
safely"
Il cannon say
Were any ,suched safely"
Yes, and oae or two on the port
side
Were your orders promptly car
ried out:"
Yes"
Was there any panic on board?"
No, there was no panic at all: it was
almost calm"
By the foreman Of the jury
Captain Complimen.ed
In the face Of the warnings at New
FORK that the Lusitan:2 would be torpe-
doed. did you make any application to
lHS dNilllf24t. 10! al eSttIi.
NO, l let tina; to them. 1t is thei-
business, not mine. ! simply had to carry
OF; MY orders 70 go and would do it
again.
BY the coroner:
II am very glad 10 hear you say that,
captain"
BY jurynlan:
Was the course CT the vessel altered
after the torpedoes struck her."
Il headed straight for land, but il was
useless. Previous to this, the water-tight
bulkheads were closed. ! suppose the eX-
plosion forced them open. ! don't know
the exact extent to which the Lusitania
was damaged"
There must have been serious damage
TO the wate:-tisht bulkheads?"
There certainly was. without doubt
LifeDeits Supplied
Were the passengers supplied with
life belts?''
Yes
Were any special orders given that
morning that life belts be put on?"
No"
Was any warning given you before
you were torpedosd?"
None whatever. 1t was suddenly done
and finished"
IF there had been a patrol boat about
might it have been Of assistance"
1T might, but it is one Of those things
one never knows"
With regard to the threats against the
ship. Capt. Turner said he saw nothing
except what appeared in the New York
papers the day before the Lusitania sail
ed He never had heard the passengers
talking about the threats. he said.
Was a warning given to the lower
decks after the ship had been struck ?"
was asked.
"Ail the passengers must have heard
the explosion" Capt Turner replied.
Capt. Turner. in answer to another
question. said he received no report from
the lookout before the torpedo struck the
Lusitania.
Ships Bugler Livermore testified that
the water-tight compartments were clos
ed. but that the explosion and the force
of the water must have burst them open.
After physicians had testified that the
victims had met death through prolonged
immersion and exhaustion, the coroner
summed up the case and the jury brought
in its verdict.