Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1915-05-12

from eight to twenty lone knots.
When forced. the liner could do
twenty-five knots, Outstripping even
the fastest and latest submarines,
hence it is the belief of survivors and
Cunard line officials that a battery OF
underwater craft numbering perhaps
four or five lay in wait in the clear
sunshine, posted advantageously
along the route it was surmised the
vessel would take. 1t was easy to
keep all but the tips Of the periscopes
submerged and then the craft nearest
her to let go tOrpedoes.
An UnsoIved Question
There can be no. doubt, survivors
say, that the disaster was caused by
a German torpedo, but the unsolved
question is why there should have
been such terrible loss of life. Mean
while here are serious questions which
demand answers.
First there is a well -defned report
that the Lusitania had orders to take
the mid-channel course, which would
place her approximately 140 miles OF
the Irish coast. Instead she was
within eight miles Of land, where two
vessels had been tOrpedoed within
the previous twenty -four hours. 1t is
known that four submarines, in all
probability, were waiting for the
Lusitania. They had been lurking
there for three days.
The survivors agree that at noon
on Friday the Lusitania made a sud-
den turn in a great half circle, car
rying her far north from the course
she had been pursuing up to that
time. Passengers thought at the time
the captain had seen a submarine or
had been warned of the presence OF
one. Two hours later the vessel was
torpedoed.
Ship Had No Convoy
The Lusitania approached the dan
gerous neighborhood absolutely I'M
escorted, despite the warning issued
by the German embassy at Washing
ton. There was no patrol of any
kind to safeguard her. Except for
the coast Of Ireland. eight miles
away, and one tiny pilot boat at an
equal distance in the opposite direc-
ton, the horizon was absolutely clear
when the submarine launched the
torpedo, and not until two hours later
did two destroyers arrive with flock
of othe"< 'escuing vessels.
The passengers had been talking OF
the possibility Of submarines all the
way over, and more anxiously as the
end OF the voyage approached. All
| the lifebOats were swung out on
Thursday. but the liferafts remained
securely in their places.
The Lusitania was not in the British
navy list for April among the mer-
| auxiliary craft, and the officials OF
the Cunard company deny that she
ever was used for that purpose.
Captain Turner of the Lusitania
asked the newspaper correspondents
to say to the American people:
y have heard that the Germans
have already begun to spread the
story that the Lusitania was probably
sunk by an internal machine from the
IISlu6. IulS IS dDSOIuIely untrue.
4 saw the periscOpe of the subma-
rino and saw the torpedo coming to-
ward us through the sea. I watched
its course and followed the bubbling
wake until it disappeared beneath our
counter.
You might say I saw the torpedo
strike the Lusitania and the next in
slant the explosion occurred"
Crowds Surround Morque
All day long morbid crowds sur
rounded the temporary morgues
where the bodies Of 149 victims await
| identification. Although few have
been Identified, many bear evidence
Of having occupied the tirst-class
cabin.
In striking contrast to most his
tOric sea disasters, the rate of NOR
tality among first-class passengers
seems to be heavier than among any
other class on board. A large proper
ton Of those saved are members OF
the crew, but this is not evidence OF
lack OF discipline, as most of them
were picked up from the water.