The Oskaloosa herald., 1915-09-09

the clement of doubt in the ciTCum
stances of the sinking of the Allan
liner Hesperian removes * from the
category Of acute or dangerous diplo
matte incidents. The state department
indicated that it is not yet convinced
that the Hesperian was sunk by tor
pedo from a German submarine, or by
mine.
Washington, Sept. S.-Commanding
officers of the sunken liner Hesperian
in a joint affidavit forwarded to the
state department declared that from
the fragments of steel which fell on
the deck it was individually" shown
that the ship was wrecked by tor
pedo.
Captain Main and the first and Sec
ord officers of the Hesperian made the
affidavit, which was cabled by Ameri-
can Consul Frost at Queenstown. They
asserted that the torpedo struck the
chip about eight feet below the water
lie and that the steel fragments few
alGut the deck with large quantities
OF water. They also declared that
there was a strong odor Of high ex.
plosive.. The affidavit admitted that
the Hesperian had 'six-inch gun" on
board, but explained that it had been
painted service gray and would not
have been conspicuous even at short
range and probably would not have
been observed at all through the peri
scope Of submarine"
No American Passengers.
Consul Frost at Queenstown cabled
that the Allan line officials believe
there were no American passengers.
Two American stewards were saved,
Francis J. Dullas of Buffalo, n. Y, and
Barney McMillen of Grand Rapids,
Mich. Both were below when the tor
pedo struck,
Ambassador Gerard at Berlin has
not yet been asked to obtain report
on the case.
Says Hesperian Carried Gun.
IL is learned also that Consul Frost
in his latest reports reiterates that the
Hesperian carried a gun aft and this
statement is accepted by this govern
ment as true. A statement made by a
high government official indicates that
this may have a most important bear
ing on the right of submarine com
mander to attack a vessel.
U. S. May Change Its Policy.
Whether or not this government has
in mind differentiation between sub
marines and surface vessels is a mat
ter Of speculation here, but there is a
strong possibility that the United
States will change it's attitude toward
what constitutes arming a merchant
vessel and in the light of the develop
ment of submarine warfare will hold
that the mounting of small defense
guns may be considered armament
and remove the vessel from the non
combatant class.
State department officials gave
strong indications of this. They point
ed out that Al gun is of sufficient
size to sink submarine. Proof of
this fact, officials think, might be CON
strued as a purpose to challenge the
German blockaders.
Woman Saw Torpedo.
London, Sept 8.-According to the
Daily Mail. Mrs. Chantham of Mon
treal, one of the survivors of the Hes
perian, says she saw a torpedo COM
ing as she leaned over the ships side.
Probable Death Total Is Twenty-Six.
Queenstown, Ireland, Sept. Six
second cabin passengers, six third
cabin passengers and thirteen of the
crew of the steamer Hesperian, tor
pedoed $50 miles of Queenstown Sat
urday evening, are missing, according
10 the revised official figures issued by
the Allan line. This brings the prob
able death list, including Miss Car.
berry of st. Johns, Newfoundland,
whose body is here, up to twenty-six.
The names of the missing second
cabin passengers are: Miss Bannis.
ter, Mrs. Fisher, Joseph Fowler, Mrs. 1
Hannah Fowler, Maria Jenkins and
Miss Murray.