The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-08-24
Captain Finch Makes Statement

Liverpool. August 23.-u1:45 D. m)
Capt. William Finch of the White Star
liner Arabic tonight gave the Associated
Press statement bearing on cabled re-
ports that some German officials claimed
that there was no proof that the Arabic
had been sunk by a German submarine
and that she might have run into a Brit
ish mine. r
There is not the slightest. doubt that thu
Arabic was sunk by a torpedo" said
Captain Finch. Neither is there the
slightest doubt that it was fired at the
Arabic deliberately. 1t is quite true that
we never saw any submarine or any perl
scope but | saw the white streak made
by the passage of the torpedo through
the water-a white streak that COM
menced with air bubbles in the water SO
yards from us at the point where it was
discharged at lis.
There was no mistaking of the cause
of that white streak, which ended in
torpedo entering the ship and causing the
explosion which sank the vessel. l was
not alone In seeing 1t. The chief officer,
the second officer and many passengers
saw 1t. No one can doubt for a moment
that it was deliberately fired at the Ara
bic. Those aboard the submarine evil
IDENTIFY saw and got into position ready
to release their torpedo.
THE fact that nobody on the Arabic saw
submarine may be easily explained.
Those in command of 1t could submerge
and leave only small portion of the peri
scope showing above the water. When
the missile was sent at us under such
circumstances it would be impossible for
those on the Arabic to see either the sub
marine or the periscope.
THE suggestion that mine caused the
explosion is perfectly absurd. repeat
that there was only one thing that sent
the Arabic to the bottom. That was a
torpedo which left a clear white mark IN
the water 800 yards in length.
Captain Finch was seen at his home I'm
Liverpool where he had just arrived from
Queenstown for conference with offi-
cials of the White Star line,
Was Unwarned
London, August 23--01 :52 p. m.)-Of-
ficial and unofficial statements were made
today bearing on the precise status .of
the steamer Arabic at the time she was
sunk, the purpose being to show definite
~ that she was an unoffending merchant
ship proceeding on her course and that
without question she was struck by a
torepdo fired by a German. submarine.
The latter point became increa singly i'm
portant owing to cabled reports from the
United States stating that some Berlin
officials maintained that since no one
vessel might have hit mine.
The foreign office issued a brief state
ment summing up the facts without dis
closing all the details In its possession.
The statement said definitely that the
Arabic was sunk by German submarine
without warning and without any at
tempt on the part of the steamer to at
tack the underwater craft or to escape.
The announcement also declares that the
Arabic WAS unarmed and was proceeding
to a neutral port and, therefore carrying
no contraband. This is considered sum-.
ming up of the British official view Of
the essential facts and as showing the
culpability of the submarine
The most important direct testimony
came however, from members OF the crew
of the steamer Dunsley, who gave a cir
cumstantial account of seeing the German.
submarine while she shelled the DuDqley,
They declared that during her rnaneuver-
(Costisssd - Pags Tweavs)