New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-05-04
CALLS ON GERMANY
FOR FULL DETAILS
Wilson Will Wait for Facts Be-
fore Taking Action on the
Gulflight Attack.

Washington, May 3.--While only few
Of the details Of the torpedoinC Of the
American tank steamer Gu!fhght were
received at the State Department to-
day, message was sent 20 Ambassador
Gerard at Berlin telling him TO ask the
German government for whatever IN
formation il had on the sinking OF the
vessel. A message was also sent 10
Ambassador Page al London, asking
him 70 make an investigation Of the at
tack on the tanker. Ambassador Ger
ards report and more definite reports
from the American consular and dlpIo-
matte authorities IN Great Britain are
eagerly awaited.
Ambassador Gerard has also been d.
rected to demand an explanation o! lle
dropping Of a bomb b. German ar
shin on the American steamer Ou'"'"6
a couple OF days $50. ,,-L..,
Secretary Bryan called at the NhIle
House tonight Iu accordance WIN
previous appointment to discuss VIZ
the President the instructions ""'S"
viii be handed TO Paul Fa.er, IT, VINO
- Going 10 Havti On q special MISSION
furnished the principal topic OF as
cussion during The Secretary's stay us
;mportauce obsCurng the lesser mat
Nothing definite was decided upon
with regard TO the future course OF lAe
Government, and 10 was agreed between
the President and his Premier thay
policy Of waiting for the complete de-
tails from the SURVIVORS OF TIE ATTACH
was mandatory.
1t is understood that Commander
Powers Sym.Hgtou, naval ailacIe' or
Naval Constructor Lewis b. Mcbride,
attached 10 the embassy at LONDON OF
both. will make an expert investigation
Of the circumstances Oh the IoIpeuo'"s
Of the Gulf!ight.
The torpedoing Of the CClaicht, fol-
lowing so closely the Cushing incident
/ and the recent German advertisements
warning the public against Ia't.t."e
on Allies vessels, has caused CONSIDER
able irritation among oiucIals Aete' VINO
fear public sentiment may De aroused
10 a pitch that viii be mara 10 tohNIOI'
There is also much dlsqulet IN aomlAiH-
,rstion circles over the attack on the
GulAight for other reasons than the an
cident itself. Ii Is feared the attack is
only the beginning oil more actlNe ana
daring undersca warfare by Germany
than anything heretofore seen.
Lusitania Near War Zone.
The Lusitania, which sailed from New
York last Saturday, Will be IN the war
zone. passing within lew mAes OF
where the Gu.A.ght was torpcdoed' WIN
in the next sixty hours. Among Htl
messengers are large NUMBER Oh
Americans. and what the admins tfalIoh
fears now more than all the lndlFtduaI
attacks on American property VITA IN
cidental loss OF lie, IS the cHtC' ."
public sentiment OF the loss OF AIHgi
can passengers Iu u great sea war as
aster. II is frankly admitted that the
United States would lind grave olH-
cult in handling such an aHaIF
through q diplomatic Interchange.
No word was received at the German
Embassy to-day from Berlin relative
10 the torpedOing Of the OulaIghI. II
was said al the embassy that u was ~
no means certain the American tanner
had been struck by TORPEDO, alhoueh
IL was not improbable, II was REGARD
ed as somewhat Significant tnat no re-
mort OF submarines in that vicinity had
heen made in dispatches received here;
IL was said that If submarines hau
been there. no good reason existed why
the British patrol cruiser which rs re-
ported 10 have towed the GulhIght into
mort had not been tOrpedocd also. Inc
German report on the incident prop
ABLY will be delayed. IS It Will be nee
essary for the Berlin Office 70 get re-
ports from all its submarines now IN
the war zone.
The State Department received only
two official dispatches on the subject
Of the attack to-day. They came from
limited States Consul stephens at
Plymouth, England, and appeared from
their context 20 be based on second
hand information only. The first dis
patch, received at 1855 p. m, said:
American tank steamer Gulhight
torpedoed of Scilly lst inst. Captain
died Of heart failure. Body landed.
Two crew drowned. Thirty-four saved.
Vessel ahoat, patrol boats attempting
tow her into Sicily
The second dispatch arrived at $3.50
p. m. and caid:
"Gulhight towed into Crow Sound,
Sciily, BY patrol. Torpedo struck bluf
bow. Vessel down by head, freeboard
forward about two feet. Forehold full
Cargo apparently unchanged. Blowing
gale southeast"
Most Serious Complication.
The attack on the Gulhight is re-
garded in official circles as the most
serious complication in which Ameri-
can ships or American citizens have
been involved since the outbreak Of
hostilities in Europe. At the State De-
partment IL was said that no hasty ac-
ton could be expected, as the case re-
ouired the most thorough inyestiga-
ton. II was added that the American
public might rest assured any action
taken would be in line with the policy
defined In the series Of notes the
United States has sent TO Germany at
various times, beginning with the note
Of February 10, IN which u was said:
~ such n Ger lorsble situation should