Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-07-01

/ tIoHtinued rom rage One.1
ing of the Armenian either directly or
indirectly by, the British government
would have on the vessels status,
| caused much speculation today There
has been. it was said at the state de-
partnent, no explicit rules concern
ing the treatment of chartered vessels
in time of war, but from various cases
in the past the general practice has
been TO regard vessels as part Of the
military or naval forces of a belliger-
| ent only when either manned by COM
missioned or naval officers and when
| the vessel is on the naval list Of a bel
ligerent.
| Collectors OF American ports have
! had orders to prevent the departure
of foreign military officers on board
ships transporting horses or mules
from the United States, and similarly
| clearance has been refused to all Brit
| ish vessels which were armed. Off
Gals were inclined to believe that the
| chartering of the vessel by the British
government would not affect vitality
| the merits Of the case, because the
| character of the ship was that of a
peaceful merchantmen when it left the
shores of the United States, and the
crew was therefore entitled TO be re-
moved to 3 place of safety before the
ship was destroyed.
Shows German Policy.
The case of the Armenian constitutes
the first since the sinking of the Lusi-
tania in which American lives have
again been lost The expectation here
has been that Germany's reply to the
last American note would make some
| Concessions that would insure the
safety of Americans on the high seas
and especially on passenger vessels.
Comparatively little attention has been
given to the case of Americans on
board beIIigerent ships which primar-
lily carried freight and contraband.
The new aspects developed by the
sinking of the Armenian we're the sub
iect of widespread comment, since it
was pointed out in various quarters
that the incident was most likely to
draw forth some definite expression
on the attitude which the United
States will take concerning the asso-
citation of American citizens with the
carriage of contraband or ships chief
ly devoted 20 such trade.
Armenian Tried to Escape.
When sunk by the German subma-
rine the Armenian was carrying
cargo Of lap mules from Newport
News to Avonmouth, the animals to be
used by the French armies in Belgium
and France. The vessel had crew of
II men and carried IS men as mule
teers.
The submarine was first sighted by
the man at the wheel and though the
ship was pushed to the limit the mos
quito craft rapidly overhauled her
and commenced Smelling. The Armen-
ians efforts to keep her stern TO the
submarine were futile.
Eleven Americans Lost.
Avonmouth. England, July There
were II Americans among the 10 mem
bers of the crew who lost their lives in
the sinking of the Leyland line freight
steamer Armenian by the German sub
marine U-3s off Trevose Head, Corn
the crew were killed outright when the
German torpedo struck the ship.
Life Boat Shot AWAY.
The faster vessel circled the freigh-
er and the German commander. speak |
ing through q negaphone, ordered the |
Arnenian's captain 10 surrender or |
he would sink the ship.
The captain OF the Leyland liner |
struggled hard to evade the under-sea
boat, but the latter dropped she'll
through a skylight into the steamers |
engine room. putting the engines out |
OF action. The Armenian then sur
rendered.
Life boats were lowered and the
crew end 10 mule tenders. nearly all /
Americans, scrambled into them.
AS enc of the boats was being low
cred q she'll from the submarine cut
the falls OF the boat. The occupants /
we're spilled into the water and pre-!
sumably were drowned
Five boats loaded with survivors
got away. The submarine then fred
two torpedoes into the Armenian and
the vessel sank within 80 minutes.
The survivors rowed around In the
boats until Tuesday morning when a
steam trawler landed them at Avon
mouth L
j. q. Reeves OF Fon du Lac, Wis, has Il
. muskrat farm Not entirely satis-