Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-05-11
GERMANS SINK LUSITANIA
Giant Steamship Goes Down off coas.
of ireland.

Giant Steamship Goes Down off coas
Of Ireland.
The Germans got the Lusitania.
That was the startling. but not alto
gether surprising news that came over
the Atlantic cable last Friday after.
noon.
The Lusitania was one Of the larg-
est, finest and fastest steamship afloat
being surpassed by only three or four
ships built since 1906.
The ship sailed from New York on
Saturday, May l, having on board
1881 passengers, Of whom 1873 were
Americans, and crew OF SIG. HeI
cargo was valued at $3.50, 600 and con-
tanned a large quantity OF war sup
plies, including 100000 pounds OF
brass and copper wire, $4,000 worth
of military goods and 5,471 cases OF
ammunition, valued at $200,O24, and
all Of 1t contraband Of war.
| 1t had been known for some time
that the Germans were especially anx-
| ious to sink the Lusitania, and there
was no secret of the fact that they had
made especial and particular prepar-
atoms for carrying out their desire on
this trip. Already the German gov
ernment had declared its purpose to
sink all and every merchant vessel
within the territorial waters Of Great
Britain and France, and on the day OF
the sailing Of the Lusitania from New
York, the German embassy at Wash
New York daily papers an advertise
ment that read like this:
Travellers intending to embark on
the Atlantic voyage are reminded that
a state of war exists between Germany
| and her allies and Great Britain and
her allies; that the zone Of war in
cludes the waters adjacent to the
| British isles; that in accordance with
| the formal notice given by the impe-
rial government, vessels flying the flag
of Great Britain or any Of her allies
are liable to destruction In those wa
ters, and that travellers sailing in the
war zone on ships Of Great Britain or
her allies do so at their own risk"
| Notwithstanding the foregoing ad-
vertisement, and the use Of means to
assure its being brought to the per-
sonal attention of every American,
there was not a single cancellation of
a passage. Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt
one Of the passengers, sneered at the
| advertisement as a vain attempt at
bluff, and expressed his belief as be-
lieving the British government able to
make good its promise Of protection
for the Lusitania. Other Americans
expressed themselves In a similar
| manner.
AS the big ship proceeded across
the sea, 1t exchanged wireless mes
sages Of greeting and ordinary busi-
ness with New York and other points,
and sped along without mishap until
Friday afternoon 1t was struck by a
torpedo from the German submarine
| U-39. The submarine gave no warn
ing. Most of the passengers were at
dinner, and the first they knew of
trouble was when they heard a terrific
explosion, and felt the giant ship shiv-
ering from the shock. There was q
general rush to the upper deck by
means of stairways and elevators. The
| officers of the upper decks said there
was no danger and many Of the pas
sengers were disposed to return to
their state rooms; but they soon
changed their minds.
| Within a very few minutes after the
ship had been struck 1t became ap-
parent that she was sinking. There
| followed a rush for the boats and life
preservers. The ship had already be-
gun to list to starboard and many OF
the boats on that side were crushed.
Some Of the people got away in boats
and others jumped into the sea, some
with life preservers and others with
out them. Within less than half an
hour, some say only fifteen minutes,
the mighty ship sank beneath the
| waves.
With the first shock of the torpedo
| from the submarine, the wireless ope-
rators began to send out information
| Of the disaster and ask for assistance,
| The Irish coast was only eight miles
away and vessels of all kinds began
| to hurry in the direction of the dis
tressed vessel, arriving n time to pick
up many of the passen gers and crew
who were still struggling in the wa
| ter.
The Cunard agents on Saturday
gave 2,160 as the total number on
board the ship. By nationalities they
were:
Saloon passengers: British, III;
American, 1876; Greek, 3; Swedish, l;
Mexican, l and Swiss, l. Second
class: British, SO; American, 65; Rus.
sian, g.; Belgian, l; Dutch, 3; French
5; Italian, l. unknown, 2. Third
class: English, 204; Irish, 80; Scotch
13; Russian. SO; American, II; Per-
sian, 21; Greek, g. Finnish, 1; Scandi.
navian. and Mexican, /.
| According to the figures available
Sunday morning, 1,19S, including
about 20 Americans. were unaccount.
ed for and among the more prominen
Americans missing were: ALFRED
Gwynne Vanderbilt, Charles Klein
Justin y. Forman, Elbert Hubbard
nd ,t,,f Innlyirc ~
the Newport News Ship Building ant
Dry Dock company
The Lusitania was built in Glasgow
in 1906. She was 7S5 feet long. had {
gross tonnage Of 32,500 tons and a ne
tonnage of 9,145. Her indicated
horsepower was 10000. She was 6
product of the speed rivalry between
the great ocean transportation com
panies of England and Germany. She
had accommodations for 1850 pas.
sengers, exclusive of the steerage. Or
her first trip across she made the dis
tance in S days, hours and 54 min
utes, and later established a record o
days, l hours and AZ minutes. Thi.
was one Of the few large British yes
sells to escape requisition as nava
auxiliary at the beginning of the war
and she has been making trips be-
|
more or less regularity up to the time
Of her final disaster. 1t was this yes
sci that flew the American flag be
tween Queenstown and Liverpool dur
ing February.
The Lusitania was provided with 6
double hull and numerous air tigh
compartments. 1t was fondly believed
that she was unsuitable.
On board the Lusitania were &
number of naval guns with which
much execution could be done. There
was no ammunition, however, because
if she had carried guns and ammuni
ton both, she would have been in
termed in New York harbor.
The Business viewpoint.-The bust
ness people Of the country should hav
protested against the sailing of tn
Lusitania out Of the very knowledge o
| what would haDDen tn buSineSS ShOult