Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-02-22
Naval Attache at Berlin VIII n
vestigate and Forward Report
to Washington
MAY HAVE BEEN ACCIDENTAL
Chairman Stone, of Foreign Rela-
tons Committee, Can See No
Complications
BY Associated Press

Washington, Feb. 22.-Secretary
Daniels to-day ordered commander
Walter r. Gherardi, American naval
attache at Berlin. to investigate and
make a full report on the destruction
of the American steamer Evelyn. So
far official advices merely have re-
ported the sinking of the vessel and
her cargo but gave no details.
Secretary Daniels explained that his
purpose in directing an inquiry after
the State Department had called upon
the ambassadors at London and Ber-
lin for a report was to secure techni-
cal information which, perhaps might
not be included in the ambassador 5
replies. 1t was, of course. understood
that Commander Gherardi, as Amer
lean attache at the American embassy
at Berlin, would be guided entirely by
Ambassador Gerard in making his in
vestigation.
1t was said at the Navy Department
that from present indications it will
be difficult for the naval officer to Sc
cure exact information of what actual
ly destroyed the Evelyn. Unless Cap
tain Smith or some of the members
of the crew of the steamer actually
saw the coming tower or periscope of
a submarine, officials say 1t would not
be possible to deny that the Evelyn
was sunk by mine.
May Show Mine Map
The fact that the Evelyn lies at the
bottom of the North Sea would make
it difficult to examine her hull 1t was
pointed out, however, that German Of
fcials might disclose to the American
naval officer in confidence the map
of their mine fields in the vicinity
where the Evelyn was sunk
The minister from the Netherlands
called at the State Department to in
quire what reports this government
had received about the Evelyn He
said he had no official report of the
obstruction of the vessel. After con-
ferring with Counsellor Lansing he ex-
pressed the opinion that the sinking
must have been entirely accidental.
Chairman Stone. of the Senate for
eign relations committee, said he could
see no complications arising from the
destruction of the Evelyn.
An American vessel said the sem
ator, ''ventured into an area known to
be mined and unfortunately struck
one So far it is not known what ma
tion laid the mine. 1t is probable that
a national claim for damages might be
made when the facts are established,
But | cannot see how serious compli-
cations could come from the incident =
Dangers Pointed Out
Sinking of the American steamer
Evelyn off the German coast presum-
ably by a mine, although the crew was
saved, brought vividly before official
Washington to-day the dangers to
which American vessels are exposed in
the waters adjacent to the beiligerent
coast of Europe.
The American note to Germany
warning that country against attacks
on American vessels in the sea zones
OF war applied only to submarines.
Since the outbreak of the war, the
North Sea has been mined by both
Germany and Great Britain and an
added warning was given to neutral
commerce by the German reply to the
American note last week in announc-
ing that mines would be strewn in
the waters surrounding Great Britain
and Ireland and in the English chan
mel
Hitherto, in the notification of areas
mined, pilots have been offered for
neutral vessels. Whether or not the
Evelyn had an opportunity to obtain
pilot or whether she struck a mine
with pilot aboard were questions on
which officials expected to receive
definite information to-day or to-mor-
row from Ambassadors Page at Lon
don and Gerard at Berlin. to both OF
whom the State Department had di-
rected inquiries.
The only message before the de-
partment early to-day was from Amer
lean Counsul Fee, at Bremen who re-
ported that the Evelyn had been
blown up but did not give the cause.
The Evelyn is the first ship insured
with the United States Bureau of War
Risk Insurance to be lost since it began
operations several months ago. In
surance on ships and cargoes amount
ing to more than 55,O0O,000 has been
written.