Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-07-27
AMPLE WARNING
TO CREW BEFORE
ATTACK IS MADE
Men Allowed to Collect Per-
sonal Effects Prior to
Leaving Ship.
ONLY MEAGER DETAILS
OF INCIDENT RECEIVED
Vessel Carried Cargo of Flax,
Held to Be Contraband
by Berlin.
WASHINGTON IS SURPRISED
No Indication, However, That Case
Will Lead to New Turn in
WASHINGTON IS SURPRISED
No Indication, However. That Case
Will Lead to New Turn in
General Situation.

LONDON. July 26.-The crew OF the
American ship Leelanaw are expected to
reach Dundee tomorrow, when 1t will
be possible to obtain full account OF
the sinking of the vessel by n German
submarine off the Orkney Islands on :
Sunday night. The episode has created
widespread discussion in England. COM
ing. as 1t did. almost coincident with
the delivery Of the American note to
Germany.
Only meager accounts of the destruc-
ton of the Leelanaw have been re-
ceived here. but it is clear that the
submarine gave the commander of the
steamer ample warning, even permit
ting the crew to collect part of their
effects before taking them aboard the
underwater craft, which then sent the
vessel to the bottom by shell fire and
bombs.
The London evening papers, In tell
ing of the incident, employ in some
cases suggestive captions, such as
"Unfriendly Act" but because the
American note laid so much stress on
the demand that American lives on
merchant ships should not be jeopar-
died without warning 1t. was difficult
for the English mind to determine
whether the sinking of the ship after
the crew were taken off constituted
what America would regard as n repe-
tition of acts which she insists must
cease.
c. II. Dennison, the American consul
at Dundee. sent the Associated Press
the following message tonight:
NO details yet. except crew landed
at Kirkwall this morning. Have or
dered them sent to Dundee on to-mor-
rows boat"
When last seen the German subma-
rine was in pursuit OF a steamer. the
smoke OF which was observed after
the Leelanaw's crew had been towed
toward the shore
OFFICIALS TO MAKE
RIGID INVESTIGATION
American officials will make a rigid
investigation. especially with regard to
the point whether the crew was re-
moved before the torpedo was fired
as the Leelanaw was carrying a con-
trahand cargo from one helligerent
port to another
The Leelanaw left New York on Nav
Ia with cargo of cotton consigned to
Russia. She was detained at Kirkwau
hat was released on June IS with per-.
mission to proceed to Archangel, where
the cotton was discharged and a cargo
No details of the torpedoing of the
l-eelanaw have been received beyond n
message stating that the crew had been
safely landed at Kirkwal1: Scotland,
from which place they notified the
American consul at Dundee of the sink
ing of the vessel
An official statement of the German
government issued on April is, 1918. set
forth that flax is contra band of war.
The Leelanaw was commanded by
Captain D. r. Bclk. Her crew consisted
OF seven officers and thirty-two men.
ana she was owned by the Hardy
steamship Company
The ieeianaw was formerly called
the Earnwell. She was ESQ feet lonn.
and of 1924 gross tons.
Under the name OF E,arnwell sbe
was wrecked some years ago in n
tropical storm off Colon and the steam
snip company abandoned her to the in
surancc underwriters. The latter
brought the vessel to Norfolk, where
she was rebuilt and sold
London morning newspapers for the
most part refrain from editorial COM
ment on the sinking by a German sub
marine of the American steamer Leela
nav. but give it great prominence in
thc'r news columns.
nc ''"i'iaru' IN an editorial. thinks
the incident is bound to bring a crisis
between the United States and Ger
many arpreciably closer, and that the
sinking of the steamer will apnear m
Americans very like a deliberate de-
nance or President Wilson's protest
IN" newspaper adds that it realizes the
united states will keep out OF the Eu-
ropean conflict If IL possibly can. but
says that = rupture of relations with
Germanr seems inevitable
Tho editorial concludes by advising
the British government to alIay frtc-
tion with the United States by decIar-
ing cotton noncontraband and by re-
scinding the irritating orders in coun-