The farmer and mechanic., 1915-07-20
THE CAPTAIN EXONERATED
Lord MerSey Declares Also
That Cunard Line Did All 1t
Gould To Safeguard Lives Of
Passengers, Holds That
German Warning Only Az
graVateS Crime
tRy the Associated Prt4zl


by submarine Of German national
lty' caused the loss of the steamship
LuSltanla and its passengers. accord
ing TO the findings Of the court of IN
quiry appointed TO investigate the dis
aSter
The court, announcing its opinion
today, held that no blame attached
either to Captain Turner commander
Of the vessel. or the Cunard line, It's
owners.
In the opinion Of the court the
act was done not merely with the
intention of sinking the ship. but also
with the intention of destroying the
lives of the people on board The
opinion saws.
The court held that the Ifeboat ani
hfebelt facilities were adequate: that
the demeanOr of the crew as above all
| blame, and that the conduct Of the
| passengers, barring a slight panic
when the steerage passengers camo
| on deck, was pra1SeWOrthy.
The court also found that the ship
was unarmed and that the cargo was
| a general one, the ammunition aboard
consisting only Of 5000 cases of car
tridges, from which there was no eX-
ploSion.
Americans Disappointed.
A small gathering composed almost
entirely of Lusitania survivors and
their relatives listened to the reading
Of the findings by Baron Mercy. 1t
was a distinct disappointment to the
American survivors, who expressed
, indignant surprise at the portion
which exonerated Captain Turner and
the Cunard line from all blame and
commended the discipline of the
crew
Several attorneys representing
American clients listened closely to
the reading of the Judgment which
| hoy off
: brought against the steamship COM
, pany.
Among the spectators were Walter
Webb Ware, representing the Wander
bllt family; Major +. Warren Pearl
, and Mrs. Pearl of New York, and f.
E. Jenkins Of Chicago, survivors, and
! William Crichton Of New York whose
wife was lost.
NO doubt there were mishaps in
, handling the ropes of the boats Baron
/ Mercy said, but in my opinion there
was no incompetence or neglect
Captain Turner ExOncrated
Baron Mercy found Captain Tur-
ner was fully advised by the British
+ admiralty as to the best course. but
added that in some respects he did not
follow it. The court pointed out. how
ever, that the admiralty Instructions
I were not intended to prevent Captain
Turner from exercising his individual
: judgment and that his failure 10 fol-
: low the admiralty advice to the letter
5 was no resson for blame.
e Reduction CT the Lusitania's s speed
from "a IL to 81 knots still left the
q vessel faster than any other boat on
q the Atlantic. said Baron Mercy and
) he found there was no reason to
blame the Cunard Company for that
5 economy during war time.
a Relative to the admiralty instrgc-
q tons the court said that phase Of the
4 inquiry was in camera ard that L
q would be contrary to public interest
n to discuss it.
i Some passengers attempted TO as
IS sist in launching the boats, and in my
opinion they did more harm than
n good Lord Mercy said. 1T is how
k ever, quite Impossible to impose any
1t blame on them They were all work.
y ing for the best
Warning Aggrayates Crime.
The warning issued by Germany be-
fore the ship left New York, the court
found, only aggravated the crime Of
her sinking.
70 OF the testimony Of a passenger de-
ir scribing himself as a French subject,
/ who stated he had heard an explosio ion
r similar to the rafting Of a Maxim gun,
he Lord Mercy said:
N Il do not believe this gentleman
His demeanor was very unsarlsfactor ~
ie and there was no confirmation OF has
u story. In my opinion there was no ex-
plosion Of any part of the cargo.
ID "CompIaintS were made by some
ut witnesses about the manner in which
se THE boats were launched, and about
a their leaky condition. | do not ques-
ticn the good faith of these witresse,
but | think their complaints were i'll
% founded. There is satisfactory
evidence that any Of the boats leaked =