Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-05-05
INSIST GU[F[IGHT
GOT NO WARNING
Secretary Bryan Gets Mes
SAGE of Chief Officer and
U. S. Consular Agent.
HULL OF LOST VESSEL
WILL BE EXAMINED
American Naval Officers to Partici-
pate in Investigstion-Mr, Page
Orders Deposition Taking.

The American steamer Gulf'ght was
flying "a large American ensign and
was "torpedoed without warning by
submarine. whose nationality has not
yet been established. according TO
ca bled statement received by Secretary
Bryan today. signed By Chief Ofcer
Smith and Consular Agent Banfield.
Amba ssador Page reported that Lieut..
John II. Towers. one of the naval at
taches of the American embassy at
London. and Naval Constructor Lewis
T. Mcbride were to make an investiga
tlon of the hull of the Gulfiight. now
in charge of the British admiralty.
He also ordered the American consul
at Plymouth to take dispositions from
the officers and crew Of the Gulflight
The statement received by the State
Department from Chief Officer Smith
was cabled originally to the owners of
the vessel. the Gulf Refining Company.
who telegraphed it here today
Makes Statement Public.
Although there is no record here of
Consular Agent Banfield's post, It is
presumed he was sent by Consul Ste
phens from Plymouth or was stationed
at the port where the Gulf1ight was
brought. The statement OF the first
officer of the Gulfiight and Consul Ban
feld, as made public by Secretary Bryan,
follows:
s'One pm Saturday. heavy weather.
fifteen miles west of Bishops, flying
large American ensign. following Brit
lsh patrol boats to Bishops, was tor
depoed without warning Submarine
was seen twenty-five minutes, about three
ana one-half miles ahead. Submerged
ABOUT ftve minutes later. Nothing more
seen OF her. Number on submarine in
bow below load water line. Reported
extensive. Forehold full one foot over
stoke hole plate. Cargo in tanks ap-
parently undamaged.
wireless Operator Short and Seaman
Chapaneta jumped overheard imme-
diately after the explosion and were
drowned. The captain died sixteen
hours later. apparently from hear<
trouble. as he received no injuries
Seek Cause of Damage.
Ohcials want to establish beyond
doubt whether the vessel was STRUCK
by a torpedo or mine and, il possible
the nationality OF the explosive Secre
tary Bryan stated that until these fact.
| were in hand no predictions could b,
made as to the course of the Cnitee
States government.
To enable the German government t
present any information il may have
Secretary Bryan explained that an in.
quiry had been directed to Amba ssa
dor Gerard. This action, he said. should
not be construed as implying that the
United States assumed that a German
submarine had attacked the Gulfight
Identity Can Be Esta blished.
Naval officers here do not think il
will be difficult to establish whether
the damage to the Gulfight was caused
by torpedo or mine. as the vessel
has been towed into port. Some think
it will be possible to determine from
the nature of the damage the nation
ality of the explosive.
Charles {. Short. the wireless op-
orator, who jumped overheard to his
death when the Gulfiight was torpedo
ed, learned wireless telegraphy while
serving in the Philippines as an en-
listed man in the Army Signal Corps.
He was son of Mrs. l.. A. Short of
Chicago and was twenty-five years old.
He was discharged at Fort Bayard. n
NJ. last October with an excellent rec