The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1915-06-08

animation of her hull after her arrival
back at Liverpool. Even then the
point may remain in doubt.
The question is one of gravest inn.
port and therefore will not be settled
hurriedly. All the facts obtainable
will have TO be considered. The de-
cision, il one is possible, Is awaited
by the entire country with patience.
but anxiety.
The Nebraskan carried a crew of for
ty-one hands all told. She had no pas
sengers. Besides Captain Greene her
officers are: III. Gillespie, first; w. M.
Fralie, second, and w. ii. Senior, third
officer. II. j. Dean is the wireless op-
orator, and the engineers are II. C. Yam
dell, II. Williams. ii. l.. Margay and L.
Parker.
Carried American Crew.
The Nebraskan, which belongs to the
American Hawaiian line, left New
York May Z with a general cargo for
Liverpool, arrived there May 10, dis
charged and started back in ballast to
Delaware breakwater May "a. Disas-
ter overlook her the evening of the
next day. The cable message from her
master, Captain j. s. Greene Of San
Francisco, said:
Struck either by mine or torpedo
forty-eight miles west OF Fastnet. Am
steaming under convoy to Liverpool.
Water In lower hold. No one injured.
Greene
-Four dispatches concerning the Ne
braskan were received at the state de.
partment In Washington-one from
Walter III. Page, the American ambas.
sador in London, and two from Rob.
ert +. Skinner, the United States con-
sui general In London. The dispatch
from the ambassador said:
Urgent. Report at midnight last
night TO British admiralty from Lands
End states that American steamer Ne
braskan torpedoed f~orty-hve miles
south by west of Southcliffe, crew TAX
ing TO boats. British trawler standing
by now reports Nebraskan still aloat
and making for Liverpool with four
holds full Of water. No lives reported
lost"
British Say Torpedoed.
The first dispatch from Consul Gen.
eral Skinner was as follows:
Admiralty reports American steam
er Nebraskan, Liverpool for Delaware
Breakwater, torpedoed forty miles
south by west OF Fastnet. Crew in
boats. Standing by. Weather fine"
Later the following cablegram came
from the consul general:
"Nebraskan proceeding to Liverpool
under own steam about eight and a
half knots, crew having returned on
board. Apparently no lives lost. Elk
tent of damage unknown"
The fact that the Nebraskan was
damaged while she vas forty miles at
sea in water Of a depth of about 500
feet, as shown by the British admiral
ty chart, at a place supposed to be re-
mote from any of the British mine
fields and with the water too deep to
plant mines, created the distinct I'M
preston that she must have been
struck by a torpedo.
Dispatches from Ireland say that a
submarine was sighted near Barley
cove, about ten miles from Fastnet,
between 8 and 10 o'clock at night. The
Nebraskan was struck between 8 and
8 o'clock.
Irish People Saw Submarine.
Several residents of Crookhaven turn
ed out and went along the shore. keep
ing a sharp lookout. They sighted a
submarine off the cove neal the mouth
Of a little creek. One of the men on
shore fired two shots with a rife at the
men in the coming tower of the sub
marine. The submarine dived immedi-
ately, but soon rose again farther out.
Three more shots were fired at her,
and she again disappeared.
The American embassy in London
will send one or more Of its naval at
taches to examine the Nebraskan, as
was done In the case of the ship Gulf
light. reported torpedoed by the Ger
mans They will make every effort to
establish how the injury was inflicted.
Such examinations are not always con-
elusive. although 1t Is believed that the
charge made by President Wilson in
his note to the German government
that the Gulfight was attacked by a
German submarine was based on the
report Of the naval experts after ex-
aiming the nature of the damage.
The Nebraskan was returning to the
United States In ballast to carry $500
tons OF coal for the United States navy
from Philadelphia to San Diego. Cal.
Officials OF the navy department ad-
mitted that they could not understand
upon what possible basis a German
submarine would attack an American
merchant ship bound for the United
2 Atat 80. A~l