Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-07-19
British Slow to Send Aid

The attack lasted IS minutes; then
che submarine gave up the chase II
was four hours before the small armor-
ed yacht Jennette appeared in response
to the ordunas s. .. s.
II was jus; after sunrise on a beau
tiful morning. calm and clear, when
-he CUnarder was steaming at IS
knots aoou, 3 miles south by east by
the wreck Of the Lusitania. She was
as prepared as an unarmed passenger
vessel could be for just such an at
tack Her boats Were swung out ready
for instant use. Her captain was or the
bridge with his chief officer and the
third officer. and four special lookout
men were on duty.
4 few minutes earlier the Orduna
passed a sailing vessel with two Amer
lean flags on her sides. and the lock-
out men made out the name Norman
-Cy, Liverpool" /. was doubtless the
bark Normandy. which sailed from
Gulfport on May 4. and arrived in
Liverpool on Jrliy r.
Attack Was Without Warning
There was no warning Even the
Orduna's officers with powerful glasses
saw nothing on the sea except The sail
ing vessel they had just passed. Sud-
denly one of the lookout men on the
after bridge saw a torpedo coming
through the water directly toward
them. He sounded the alarm and a
few seconds later the torpedo sped
harmlessly across the Orduna's course,
- feet astern.
Even then. following with his eye
the wake of the torpedo for 200 yards
out on the port beam. Captain Taylor
could distinguish no periscope. It was
eight minutes later when the subma-
rine began to appear. rising slowly
out OF the sea about three-ouarters Of
q mile off the starboard quarter. Half
q dozen men Immediately appeared on
her deck and began to unlimber her
gun.
AT the first alarm. Captain Taylor
had ordered full speed ahead. and
Chief Engineer Gowans was getting
every possible ounce Of speed out Of
his engines. The passengers. now thor
oughly alarmed, began to appear on
the decks. many Of them with life
jackets The boat crews stood ready.
Probably every one from Captain
Taylor down. believed that the Ordu-
ma would be hit Yet there was no dis
order. Stewards assisted passengers to
adjust life jackets and helped them to
the decks. Every man Of the crew
stayed a, his post.
Lus;tania Spectre Before Them
The spectre Of the Lusitania with her
Hundreds ~ h,,r, a.1
many miles to the north arose in MANY
minds. but there was nothing for the
passengers to do but wait and hone.
1t was the engineers who really saw
ed the ship Captain Taylor said that
today. Captain Taylor was thanked by
the passengers for his skilful work.
but he in turn gives the engineers all
credit.
Ten minutes after the torpedo s,,uned
by the orduna's stern, the first sho,
from the submarines gun struck the wa
ter about % feet from the forecastle On
the starhoari A second sho. dropped
Just under the bridge where Captain Tay-
Tor stood naneuvering his vessel SO that
her stern was toward the submarine. Thu
third shot fell close to the side of tho
vessel, then dropped under the stern
sending up a water spout 20 feet high
BY this time the orduna Was getting ou,
Of range. The rest Of the shots fell sher.
and finally the submarine gave up the
chase.
rs Minutes Of Suspense
The passengers had all been ordered to
the decks and they had been keeping IN
der cover as best they could, yet stand
ing ready to take to the boats when the
time came, as most Of them were SURF IL
would come They had been told to re-
main on deck until further orders. Now
the orders came. Is minutes after the
alarm had been sounded
"All danger is past. The submarine has
given UP the chase"
Those Is minutes seemed hours. the
passenger said. Now the Orduna pro-
ceeded on her course, still at top speed.
until she was well out Of the possible
submarine area
The ordana carried - passenger,
hEAt sa1ing Mt. evsa Tor cunaEsar In
l|111a 49,