Evening journal., 1915-08-17
STEAMSHIP merton
SUNK IN DARDANEbLES
Turkish Submarine Ends
Career of Philadelphia
Liverpool Boat
WAS DISGUISED
AS BATTLE CRUISER

PHILADELPHIA, Pa, Aug. lin
formation of the sinking of the Brit
ish steamship Merton of the American
Line which piled between this port
and Liverpool for years, was brought
to this city yesterday by a member of
the crew of the British steamship Do
minion. According to this man the
Merton was torpedoed by a Turkish
submarine in the. Dardanelles two
months ago.
At the time the Merton was tor
pedoed it was reported from Constan-
tinople that the British battle cruiser
Tiger was sunk. When the Merton
was commandeered by the British Ad-
miralty all Of her characteristics had
beer changed. Turrets were placed
fore, aft and amidships on her and
dummy guns mounted in them. On
deck ere four 6-inch guns, which were
the only real guns carried by the Mer-
ion In appearances, according TO this
man, the liner could hardly be distin-
1 guished from a British battle cruiser
This, he said, was responsible for the
report from Constantinople that the
Tiger had been sunk.
This man gave the information only
on the condition that his name was
not to be used While officers of the
Dominion refused to discuss the
statement, it was learned thar the
American Line office in this city had
4 40 la.e eIa
| sci was lost.
The seaman obtained his informa-
ton from a member of the crew of the
British steamship Haverford, OF the
American Line, a sister ship of the
Merton, which is being used as n
transport between England and the
Dardanelles. At the beginning of the
war the Merion Haverford ana Do
minion we're all in the American Line
service between this port and Liver
pool. Shortly after the war the Mer-
ion and Haverford were commander
ed and the Dominion was the only
vessel left in the service.
According to his account, the
Merion had gone to the Dardanelles
With troops, and after they had been
anded, she was placed in the line as
dummy battle cruiser, taking the
olace Of one OF the warships. which
withdrew from the line az nient so
hat it would appear to the enemy
hat the British battle line had not
)een weakened. II was while on this
iuty that she was torpedoed The
Turkish submarine commander re-
ported to his government that he had
iunk the Tiger.
The Merton attempted to sink the
submarine, but could not depress her
'eal six-inch guns sufficiently. She
ired fifteen shots, but none Of them
vas effective None OF ner crew was
/ ost
The Merton last sailed from Phila-
ielphia November 10. 1914 and ar
B lived in Liverpool November 26. She
/ vas soon fitted up as a dummy battle
ruiser and used to patrol the
4 Thames and Mersey 10 scare OFF hos
4 lie warcraft After being kept ir
his service she was last used tc
transport ammunition 10 Russia.
In September of last year this YES.
iel almost caused international trcu.
q Die when she arrived in port wisl
our siX-inch guns mounted on hel
iecks. She was then running be.
.ween Philadelphia and Liverpool
carrying passengers ana freight Tn,
= ierman Ambassador maintained thai
he guns on the Merton made her
var craft and that she should be al
owed 10 stay in the United States
only "a hours, or If she remained
onger she should be interned unit
after the war. He filed a protest witt
he State Department to this effect
81 Il was decided the vessel could Ieav
bort if the guns were dismounte6.
The Merton is well-mown 10 Will
81 mingtonians, having been a popula
81 ship out of Philadelphia among Della
wareans who have gone abroad.
81 Irving Handy is among the many Del
awareans who have sailed on th'
steamer.
AnRU HTKEG