The Washington herald., 1915-02-24
EVELYN SINKING
Being PR0bED
Britain and u. S. Join Hands,
Smith Statement May
Tighten Tension.
FOREIGN OFFICE SILENT
Newspapers Chafe at British Delay in
Announcing Its Reprisal Methods
Against German War Zone Order.
By HERBERT TEMPLE.

London. Feb. 2.-Britain today joined
| the United States in the investigation
| of the sinking of the American steamer
Evelyn OFF the Borkum Island. in the
North Sea. The British action was due
| to a disp& fch from Berlin. sent to the
United States by wireless and transmit
| ted here by cable from New York. 1t is
| stated that Capt. Smith. of the Evelyn.
had declared the loss of the ship was
caused because he followed the advice
of a British boarding officer as to the
route he should use.
Admiralty officials believe this informa-
ton was given out in Berlin in order to
cause tension between the United States
and Britain. That this was the opinion
at the foreign office also was shown by
the fact that the British minister at The
Hague and consular officials in Holland
were requested to transmit here at once
all details they could secure as to the
loss of the Evelyn and its cause. Doth
direct and Indirect
Silence was maintained at the foreign
Office and the admiralty as to the Berlin
report, but it was intimated that a state
ment would be forthcoming as soon as
the governments agents In Holland had
reported any definite information.
LaborinE Under Delusion.
Impatience as to the governments s
delay in announcing definitely it's re-
prisal methods against Germany is
growing greater daily here. The state
ment of Premier Asquith yesterday in
response to inquiries in Parliament was
asserted by the London newspapers to-
day to be a step in the right direction,
but they urged an immediate avowal
of the governments purpose 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 the allies explains the
delay, but the newspapers urge that
England state her position without
waiting for France and Russia to do
so.
We are laboring under a delusion
that Germany is being subjected to a
strict blockade" says the Mail, while
the very reverse is the fact"
1t declares that food and raw ma
terials are being imported into Ger
many continually. and that the arrival
of every cargo strengthens Germany's s
power of resistance.
Asks of EveIyn's insurance.
In a resolution offered yesterday
Representative Moore, of Pennsylvania.
formally directed the attention of the
House 10 tne case OF tne ENeiyH- 1 Hc
resolution calls upon the Secretary Of
the Treasury to inform the House how
much government insurance was car
ried on the Evelyn and her cargo and
to whom 1t was issued.
Mr.. Moore presented another reso-
luton requesting the Secretary of the
Treasury to inform the House how
much business had been transacted by
the War Risk Bureau of the govern
ment up to date. Mr.. Moore charged
that the government, through the
War Risk Bureau, the bill admitting
shipwrecked foreign vessels to Amer
ican registry, and the prominence given
the ship bill now pending in the Sem
ate, had encouraged "adventurers" to
buy ships for service in the foreign
trade He declared that such vessels
were now being sent to war zones"
with the possibility that some acci-
dent might happen to them that would
involve the United States in difficulties
with belIigerents of Europe.
The War Risk Insurance Bureau let
it be known yesterday that the total
insurance issued by the government
on the freight steamer Evelyn amounts
to $401, 900. The ships cargo was in
sured for $301,o and her hull for
100000. 1t was pointed out that the
profits Of the bureau to date exceed
the loss on the Evelyn py nearly
100000.