Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-10-31
LOSS OF HESPER|AN
CAUSED BY TORPEDO
Fact Definitely Established by
Experts of Navy De-
partment.
GERMANY HAS MADE DENIAL
Result of Investigation Will Be
Immediately Communi-
Gated to Berlin.
GERMANY HAS MADE DENIAL

WASHINGTON. October 30.-Sccre-
tary Lansing announced to-day that
the Navy Department had definitely
established the fact that the fragment
OF the engine of war which sank the
Allan liner IIcsperian was n part of
torpedo. The German government has
persistcntly denied that the Hespcrlan
was torpcdoed.
In the opinion of the United States
naval experts the fragment could not
have been part Of marine mine.
The secretary said the result of tho
Navy Departments investigation would
Immediately be communicated either to
the German government directly or TO
Ambassador Bernstorff.
Tho secretary volunteered no in
formation regarding what form the
communication to the German govern
ment might take
WILL NOT DE ACCOMPANIED
BY ANY REPRESENTATIONS
While the report of the navy board
will be forwarded to the Berlin For
eign Office as a matter of information.
| 1T will not be accompanied by any
representations on the part OF the
United States. y link is missing in the
chain of evidence upon which the
Washington government could found a
statement that 1t was convinced that
Il torpedo sent the ship to the bottom.
! The fragment was turned over to Am
baSsador Page by the British admiralty
with the statement that it was found
on the Hesperian's deck after the ex-
plosion. and during her fruitless
struggle TO reach port before she sank
No sworn statement by the finder, how
ever, accompanied the bit of metal, and
until that gap Is filled it was indicated
to-day that no representations would
be made to Germany, which has con-
sistently maintained that the Hespe-
rian was not torpedoed by German
submarine.
QUALIFIED DISCLAIMER
MADE DY GERMANY
Germany has made to the United
States a qualified disclaimer OF rcspon-
sibility for the sinking OF the Hespe-
rian. In a note to Ambassador Gerard
on September Il. the Foreign Office
! said that on the evidence thon at hand.
| Germany was satisfied that the Hes
| perian was not sunk by a German sub
marine.
! The fragment Of metal examined by
the Navy Department experts was said
to have been picked from the deck OF
the Hesperian after the explosion
The Hesperian sank early in September
off the Irish coast, while making her
way TO port. after being disabled by
the explosion. The fragment was made
of polished steel. and was about nine
! inches long. It was sent to the State
Department by the American embassy
at London.
The State Department had been in
doubt regarding the direct cause of
the sinking of the Hesperian. 4 mum
ber of aftidavits from passengers and
officers Of the ship have been received
The sisners swore that the ship had
been torpedoed. The fragment OF
metal was sent along as proof that
the statements In the afidavits were
true.
The position OF the United States has
been to take no steps to question the
good faith of Germany's assurances
unless 1t was shown clearly that the
sinking was in violation of them The
President and Secretary Lansing have
been reluctant to believe that the Hes
perian was sunk deliberately, without
valid excuse.