South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-02-23
Boat Load of Survivors of the
American Steamer That
Started to Row for Holland
Coast Fail to Arrive.
ENGLAND JOINS u. S.
IN DISASTER PROBE
Investigate Alleged Statement
That Ship Met Disaster
Through Following Advice of
British officer as TO Course.

WASHINGTON. Feb. 2@.-AnMcty
at the state department. and AT the
capitol ove~ the blowing up OF the
American steamer Evelyn off the
coast Of Germany today was increased
with the arrival of the report that a
boat load of the crew that started TO
row To Holland had not reached there
In view of the death from exposure
of one of the men i'm the boat picked
up by "a German patrol ship. officials
feared that The boat still missing may
have encountered such heavy seas off
the coast AS 10 have met with dis
aster
one theory for the nou-arrival OF
the boat load cf survivors was that
in the thick fog prevailing i'm the
North sea along the north Holland
shore the men may have lost their
course. and are driftn2 helplessly,
waiting for clear weather to enable
them 10 find the way 10 land. But IL
is feared that when the boat does
reach land. after its long cruise be-
ginning last Friday morning. there
viii be a story OF tragedy among lis
crew.
Must show Course Followed.
Officials here are iu agreement up
on one point in the matter of the de-
structiOn of the Evelyn. The ground
for diplomatic protest must he some
proof that the ship actually was fol-
lowing the course through the North
sea prescribed bY the official nouhca-
tions from the belhgerent governments
10 neutrals A civil suit viii be He'd
on behalf of the United States war
risk insurance bureau and br the
owners. if ii can be determined which
nation planted the mine which de-
stroyed the Evelyn
IA fh.ra. ..H an I a.a-
day for report from the naval at
tache at the American embassy in
Berlin as TO the location ot German
mine fields with reference Go the spot
where the Evelyn went down.
LONDON. Feb. 23.-England today
Joined the United States i'm an inyes-
tigation i'm the sinking of the Ameri-
can steamer Evelyn of Borkun
island i'm the North sea. The British
action was due to a dispatch from
Berlin sent 10 the United States by
wireless and transmitted here by
cable 10 New York. This stated that
Capt. Smith Of the Evelyn had de-
cIared that the loss OF his ship was
caused because ne followed the ad-
vice of a British boarding officer as
TO the route he should use.
Admiralty officials believe that this
information was given out ln Berlin
in order to cause tension between the
United States and England. That
this was the opinion at the foreign
office also was shown by the fact that
the English minister ct The Hague
and consular officials in Holland We're
requested 10 transmit here at once ali
details they could secure as TO the loss
OF the Evelyn and its causes. both
direct and indirect.
Silence was maintained at the for
eign Office and at the admiralty az
TO the Berlin report. but IL was inti-
mated that a statement would ne
forthcoming as soon as the govern
ment's agents i'm Holland had re-
ported any definite information
Impatience as 10 the government
DELAY in announcing definitely its re-
prisal methods against Germany is
growing greater daily here. The state
ment Of Premier Asquith yesterday
in response 10 inquiries in parliament
was asserted by the London news
papers today 10 be a step in the right
direction. but they urged an immeui-
ate avoWal OF the government pur-
pose to place food and raw materials
on the list OF absolute contraband.
Premier Asquith's statement that
negotiations are being conducted FOR
joint action by TIE allies explains the
delay. but the newspapers urge that
England state her position without
waiting for France and Russia 20 do
so.
Eve are laboring under a delusion
that Germany Is being subjected 90
strict blockade. says the Mail,
while the very reverse is the fact