The Hawaiian gazette., 1915-07-30
.CUNARD COMPANY
DLAMELESS FOR
LUS|TAN|A Loss
Americans Indignant At British
Official Report Clearing
Captain Turner (.

LONDON, July l7.--"T orpedoes
fred by submarine of German ma
tionality" caused the loss OF the
steamship Lusitana and its passen,
gers, according TO the findings Of the
court Of inquiry appointed to investi-
gate the disaster. The court held that
no blame for the tragedy attached
either to Captain Turner, commander
of the vessel, or the Cunard line, the
owners. Fs
"In the opinion Of the court the act
was done not merely with the inten-
ton of sinking the ship, but also with
the intention Of destroying the lives Of
the people on board says the report
! Other salient features OF the report
are that the lifeboat and lifebelt IA
eilities were adequate; that demeanor
of the crew was above all blame and
that the conduct of the passengers,
barring slight panic when the steer
age passengers came ON deck, was
praiseworthy.
Finds There Was No Explosion
The court also found that the ship
was unframed and that her cargo was
a general one, the ammunition aboard
consisting only of 5000 cases Of cart.
ridges, from which there was no explo.
sion. .s..,.at Ill. ,sa. t'Es
The report was distinct disappoint.
ment to the American survivors, who
expressed indignant surprise at the
portion Of the report which exonerated
Captain Turner and the Cunard line
from all blame and commended the
discipline Of the crew. aJs apIfp AZ
Several attorneys representing Amer
lean clients listened closely TO the read
ing of the judgment, which may have a
great effect ON actions brought against
the steamship company. tF't
Among the spectators were Walter
Webb. Ware, representing the Wander
bilt family; Maj. F. Warren Pearl and
Mrs. Pearl of New York, and F. B.
Jenkins of Chicago, survivors, and Will
liam Crichton of New York, whose wife
was lost. . We w lF'
Before the reading began Major
Pearl expressed the opinion that the
decision would sharply condemn the Of.
f""rs Of the ship and Of.5the Cunard
line for negligence. , 4 s" -.
"No doubt there were Hmishaps in
handling the ropes of the boats,fs Lord
Mersey said, "but in my opihioh there
was no incompetence or negleet2" Z
Didn't Follow Course AdyfsedIfh, - g,
Baron Mersey found that sCHptain
Turner, was fully advised byotKe a3titish
admiralty as to the best couftsei 6dfofs
low, and added that in sonic respects
he did not follow these out. The court
pointed out, however, that the admiral
y instructions were not iiit6hA edti "a
prevent Captain Turner ftoiiie d1hfcis.
ing his individual Judgment ana THAT
his failure 10 follow the admiralty q ad
vice to the letter was no reason fol-
blame. The reduction Of 'theo4 uSitaa
mia 3 speed from "a to 10 knots still
| left the vessei raster thanranyft other
boat on the Atlantic, said Baron Mer
sey; and he found there was no reason
to blame the Cunard company for this
economy during war time. st2,'
Relative to the admiralty instfue
tions, the court said this phase of the
inquiry was private and that II would
b.. contrary to public interest to dis
cuss il. . T..9 =. Y
Lord Mersey said~in part; -
"The captain Of the ship, Mr.. Thomas
Turner, gave his evidence truthfully
and well. am quite satisfied that th,
two captains and the officers are com
petent men and that they did theiI
duty. Captain Turner remained on th,
bridge until he was swept into the sei
and captain Anderson was working OF
deck until he went overboafdra wal
drowned" '".' X
Tribute to Young Hero
The court praised Leslie F. Morton
a member of the crew, who shipped a
New York and who was acting as extri
lookout man at the time the Lusitanii
was torpedoed, saying: e
"He was only Is years old but b.
seems to have exhibited great courage
self possession and resource. He wa
the first to observe the approach of thu
tOrpedoes and before they had touchet
the ship he had reported them to tn
bridge by means of a telephone rs, &
Though knocked of his feet when ,
torpedo hit the Lusitania and late
having to swim for his life, Lord MeF
sey said the youth, aided by q mem
Der Of the crew named Parry, righted |
collapsible boat and was instrumental
in saving nearly 100 lives. The, cour
here analysed the passenger list, givinl
the saved and lost by sex, by national