Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-05-08
STEAMER LUSITANIA
SUNK BY TORPEDO;
Continued From Page ~

torpsdoed In tho Atlantic ocean Of
the Irish coast. This was on April 20
TWO other vessels were sunk more
recently, the Centurion and the candl.
date. Just where these ships were
attacked has not been made known
but their destinations lead to the be.
lief that one or more German sub.
marines have been operating In the
lines OF transatlantic travel. II
may be that they were waiting for the
Lusitania and In the meanwhile at.
tackled such other vessels AZ came
within their range.
The Lustania was a produ- Of the
race for speed, which was Ca ed on
for years among transatlantic steam
ship companies, particularly Of Eng
land and Germany. When tho Lusl-
tania was launched she was the won.
der Of the maritime world. Her mas
terry Of the sea, from the standpoint
OF speed was undlsputed.
The progress Of the Lusitania on
her frat voyage to New York waa
watched by the world.
She made the voyage In five days
and firty-four minutes, at that time q
record. Her fastest trip, made on the
western voyage, was 4 days, II hours
and ~ minutes. This record, how
ever, was wrested from her subse-
quentIy by the Mauritania, her sister
ship, built few months later, which
has been In service for the British
navy during the war. The Mauretania
set the mark Of 4 days, 10 hours and
~ minutes, which stiIi stands.
Tho LusitAnia had accommodations
for $50 first class passengers, 500 sec
ond class and 1900 third class.
First Flew Y. s. Flag.
It was the steamer Lusitania whose
flying of the American flag in the
month Of February on her way from
Queenstown to Liverpool In order to
protect her against possible attack by
a German submarine caused consider
able establishment on both sides of the
ocean and resulted In the issuing of a
statement by the British foreign once
justifying the use Of neutral flag un-
der circumstances such as these.
The Lusitania was one of the largest
of transatlantic liners, as well as one
of the speediest. She was built in Glas-
gov in 1905. She was 1856 feet long,
50 feet beam and 60 feet deep. Her
gross tonnage was 1880 and her net
tonnage 9.145. She was owned by the
Cunard Steamship Co., limited, Of
Liverpool. Her captain was w. T. Tur-
ner.
New York, May THE Cunard
Steamship Co. announced today that
1t had been notified by its agents in
England that the steamship Lusitania
had been torpedoed OF the coast Of
Ireland.
The Lusitania sailed last Saturday
from New York and was due in Liv-
erpool today.
A dispatch from London, printed on
the Dow and Jones News bureau tick
er says the Lusitania has been sunk
on Kinsale, Ireland
Many Passengers Aboard.
When the Lusitania sailed she had
aboard 1910 passengers. Some ner-
vousness had been caused because OF |
the publication in the morning papers
Of Saturday Of an advertisement warn
ing intending travellers that state
of war existed between Germany and
Great Britain and her allies, that the (
zone Of war includes the waters ad-
jacent to the British isles; that in
accordance with notice given by the
German government, vessels flying |
the flag OF Great Britain are liable to |
destruction in those waters, and that
travellers sailing In the war zone on |
ships OF Great Britain or her allies do |
SO at their own risk. The advertise |
ment was signed Imperial German
Embassy"
Warninoa Unheeded |
This warning apparently did not |
cause many cancellations for the ship |
sailed with full passenger list. Just !
before the steamers departure num-
Der of the passengers received tele- |
grams at the pier, signed by names |
unknown to them, and presumed to |
be fictitious, advising them not to sail |
as the liner was to be torpedoed by
submarines. Alfred Gwynne Wander
bilt was one Of the passengers who |
received such message. He destroy
ed the message without comment.
Charles P Sumner, general agent of !
the Cunard line, was at the pier and In
a statement made then said that the
voyage of the Lusitania would not be
attended by any risk. as the liner had
a speed of twenty-five and half knots
anu was prOVlueu Will uuuSudi "oIoi-
tight bulkheads.
In commenting on the report OF the
torpedoing of the Lusitania today, ma.
rine men pointed out that the Lusi-
tania could not be sunk by single
torpedo.
The Lusitania was delayed for more
than two and a half hours in sailing
for Liverpool last Saturday on account
of having to take over the 1913 passen.
gers from the Anchor liner Cameronta,
which was shattered at the last min
ute by the British admiralty.
Wilson is Worried.
WASHINGTON D. c., May 7-Presi-