Evening star., 1915-05-28
CAPTAIN CERTAIN
TORPEDOED
Master of Nebraskan Saws
Chief Engineer Believes He
Saw Missiles Wake.
NONE OF CREW, HOWEVER,
OBSERVED A SUBMARINE
Vessel Badly Damaged and Three
Men Hurt When Explosion
Halted Trip.

LIVERPOOL, May 2s. 7I1 am
while none of the crew OF the Ameri-
can steamer Nebraskan. disabled Tues
day night by an explosion off the coast
OF Ireland. say a submarine. the chief
engineer believes he saw the wake Of
a torpedo on the starboard side, ac-
cordnig to Capt. Greene Of the steamer.
Il saw no submarine, but am certain
1t was a torpedo. which hit u.s." he said
Moreover. submarine could not have
failed to see our name and nationality,
which was outlined in huge letters on
our sides" The members Of the crew
of the Nebraskan are agreed that the
explosion was undoubtedly caused by
a torpedo.
Capt Greene told this story Of the
damage to his ship:
We left Liverpool Monday. The next
night. forty weight miles off Fastnet. at
s:24 o'clock, we were torpedoed. Only
the American flag. but it was quite
light, and the submarine must have
seen the big white lettering on our
sides. which read, Nebraskan Of New
York
Three Are Injured.
"I was below at the time There was
a terrible shock. which threw every
body aboard off their feet Immediately
afterward came a tremendous explosion,
which slightly injured two quartermas-
ters and the boatswain, hurled the der
ricks thirty feet high and blew UP the
matches.
The ship rapidly filled with water in
fHn Inn hnl oy@
We thought the ship was lost and got
into our four lifeboats. Two armed
British vessels came up in reply to our
distress signals
"As the vessel still foated we returned
on board and made a more careful ex-
animation. We found the No. bulk
head holding firm. and decided to re-
main aboard and try to bring the ship
into Liverpool under her own steam,
which we accomplished successfully"
Vessel Badly Damaged.
The damage to the vessels upper
structure is so severe it is evident the
shock the ship suffered must have
been terrific. Great derricks were torn
up and flung across the deck, smash
ing the rail on one side. Strong steel
girders forming part of a hatch were
blown out and some went overheard.
In the deck flooring near the hatch
two large holes were made. revealing
the naked steel girders, two Of which
were cut through cleanly.
The hunks occupied by the boatswain
and two Quartermasters, all of whom
were injured, are a mass of wreckaee
and the men are wondering they escap-
ed more serious hurts. All the furni-
ture and woodwork in the room were
broken into fragments. The boatswain
suffered injuries on the head. arms
and legs. Both quartermasters were
badly bruised.
The American consul and representa-
tives of the American embassy board
ed the ship from a tender yesterday
afternoon. meeting the steamer off the
bar and coming with her to the dock
Saw Fishing Boats Torpedoed.
cRooKHAvEN. Ireland, via London,
May %. 1927 a.m.-Captains Of Crook
haven schooners and fishing boats who
were in the vicinity of the American
steamer Nebraskan when she was
damaged by an explosion Tuesday oven
ing claim to have witnessed the tor
pedoing of three small fishing boats
while they were shooting nets Soon
afterward they say they saw steamer
flying the American flag going west
Then they heard loud report follow
ed quickly by a second. after which
the steamer began blowing her whistle
to summon help.
The fishermen say two patrol boats
soon appeared and then they lost sight
of the steamer.
Capt. Mccoy Of schooner which ar
rived here last night reports that he
twice sighted a submarine.
No Information From Berlin.
BERLIN. May 27. via London. May
81, 12:45 ammo information is avail
able here regarding the reported tor
pedoing of the American steamer Ne
braskan OF the southern coast Of Ire
land last Tuesday night.