Evening star., 1915-02-22
EvELYND|SASTER
IS TO Be PRObED
BYNAVAL ATTACHE
Secretary Daniels Orders In
quiry to Supplement That by
Ambassador Gerard.
PURPOSE is TO OBTAIN
DATA THAT is TECHNICAL

Would Determine Whether Mine Of
Submarine Caused Sinking of
United States Vessel.
FAR FROM THE WAR ZONE
circumstances Lead officials Here to
Believe Germans Did Not Inten-
tionally Destroy Cot
ton Ship.
Secretary Daniels today ordered
Commander Walter R. Gherardi
American naval attache at Berlin
TO investigate and make full re-
port on the destruction of the
American steamer Evelyn, which
was sunk by a mine off Borkum
Island in the North sea, Saturday
So far official advices merely
have reported the sinking of the
vessel and her cargo, but gave no
details.
Wants Technical Details.
Secretary Daniels explained that his
purpose in directing this inquiry to
Cor--nander Gherardi. after the State
Department had called upon the am
bassadors at London and Berlin, for
report upon the sinking of the Evelyn.
was to obtain technical information
which. perhaps. might not be included
in the ambassadors reports 1t was
of co -rse understood that Commander
Gherardi. s attacEe a the American n
embassy at Berlin. would be guided
entirely by Ambas dor Gerard's
wishes in making his investigation.
1t Is said at the Navy Department
Tehat from present indications 1t will he
Hdificult for the naval officer to obtain
Information regarding the sinking of
the Evelyn Unless Capt. Smith or
some OF the members of the crew of
rhe steamship actually saw the con-
ming tower or periscope of a subma-
iidine 1t would not be possible to deny
that the Evelyn was sunk by contact
with a mine
The only possibility of clearing up
Ahat point would be, perhaps dis
rovery within the hull of the ship, or
alongside on the bottom of some frag-
ments of the warhead of a torpedo.
euch as Is used in the submarine
Difficult to Examine Hull.
Pieces of the container of the high
explosive frequently are driven into
the ship by the explosion
But the fact that the EVELYN lies at
the bottom OF the North sea would
make IT difficult even to examine her
null unless she is well within soundings
and consequently can be reached by a
diver.
Commander Gherardi. even if he felt
disposed TO do so. probably would not
be allowed to employ a diver without
the consent of the German military
authorities but it is suggested that the
German authorities. after all, might
easily settle a doubt as to the cause of
the explosion by disclosing to the
american naval officer, confidentialIy-
the map of their mine fields in the
vicinity where the Evelyn was sunk.
The minister from the Netherlands
called at the State Department today
10 inquire as TO what reports this gov
ernment had received about the EVELYN.
He said he had no official report of the
destruction of the vessel After CON
pressed the opinion that the sinking
apparently must have been entirely
accidental
Critical Turn of Affairs.
Sinking of the American steamer
Evelyn off the German coast Saturday,
presumably by a mine. although the
crew was saved. brought vividly be-
fore official Washington today the dan
gers to which American vessels are ex-
posed in the waters adjacent TO the
belligerent coasts of Europe.
The prevailing opinion in admins
fration circles today was that the
United States government would stand
firmly on its warnings to Great Brit
ain and Germany. respectively, con-
cerning tne misuse of neutral flags and
possible attacks on American vessels
or lives by submarines This policy
vas regarded as significant of a pos
sible critical turn of affairs should any
violations of the warning ensue
The American note to Germany
warning that country against attacks
on American vessels in the sea zones
of war applied only to subrnarin
Since the outbreak of the war the
North sea has been mined by both Ger
many and Great Britain and an added
warning was given to neutral com
i@rce by the German reply to the
Ah.ciiCdH note idSt week IN announcing
that mines would be strewn in the wa
ters surrounding Great Britain and
ireland and in the English channel
Manner of Sinking Sought.
Hitherto, In the notification of areas
mined. pilots have been offered for
neutral vessels Whether or not Oh.
Evelyn had AN opportunity to obtain
pilot or whether she struck a r,,na
with pilot aboard were question. -,
which officials expected to receive d.a
nite information today or tomorrow
from Ambassadors Page at London and
Gerard AT Berlin to both of whom RI.
state Department had directed in
.quiries.
The only message before the den.rt
nent today was from American Cons,,r
Fee at Brennan, who reported that the
Evelyn had been blown up." b,t did
not give the cause. His cahIepram
stated that the ship and cargo had
been lost, but that the crew were safe
Officials believed the crew had been
landed in Germany a Borkum is near
the German coast.
Right to Sow Mines.
II was said by officials that it is unlikelv
that there will be any diplomatic
ocfioU resulting from the los, 90 .. -