New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-24
Dunsley Was Unarmed
and Not a Convoy, Says
Admiralty.
SHIP TORPEDOED,
FINCH INSISTS
Captain RefuteS Berlin Report
That Mine Might Have
Sunk Vessel.
TBv Cable 10 The Tribune !

London. Aug. 2S.-The Admiralty
authorized to-day a denial of the re
port that the steamer Dunsley. tor
pedoed just before the Arabic was
sunk, was an armed patrol. The Ad-
miralty states the DunSley was a
peaceful and unarmed trader.
This statement refutes the last Ger
man defence that the Dunsley was act
ing as a convoy TO the Arabic and that
the latter, going TO her assistance,
also tried to ram the submarine. II
supplements denials of all German in
spired stories and removes the last
prop which Germany had to defend
the sinking Of the Arabic without
warning.
Supplementing official information
given out previously concerning the
sinking Of the Arabic. the British Ad-
miralty made the following announce
ment to-day:
"The Arabic was an unarmed pas
senger ship. outward bound to neu-
trail port. 1t was thus impossible for
her TO have been carving contraband
to this country.
"She was sunk by German subma-
rine without warning, and she neither
attempted to attack the submarine nor
TO escape from it."
TorpedOed. Witnesses Say.
Official ana unofficial statements
were made to-day on the precise status
of the Arabic " hen she was sunk, with
the purpose O. showing definitely that
she was an unOfTending merchant ship
proceeding on Ler course and that with
out question he was struck by tor
pedo fired by German submarine. The
latter point became increasingly i'm
por.ant TO-DAY, owing to cable reports
from the United States that some Ber-
lin officials maintained that there was
no proof that ally one aboard the Ara
bic saw the submarine, and that the
sinking might have been the result OF
striking a mine.
The Foreign Office also issued a
brief statement summing up the facts
within its knowledge without dlsclos-
ing all the details in its possession.
The statement said definitely that the
Arabic was sunk by a German subma-
rine without warning and without any
attempt on the part Of the steamer 10
attack the underwater craft or to es-
cape.
The most important direct testimony
came. howevec from members OF the
crew Of the steamer Dunsley,. VINO
gave a circumstanti>. account OF see
ing the German submarine while she
sbelled the Dunsley. They declared
that during TIE manpuvring astern OF
the Dunsley tie submersible came so
clearly into view that il was possible
TO note that she showed no number or
distinguishing mark. Later, they de
clared, the submarine submerged and
rounded the Dunsley's stern, showing
only her periscope.
Supplements Finch Testimony.
These statements are considered to
fiji the gap in the testimony given by
Captain Finch, the passengers and crew
of the Arabic, who did not see the sub
marine because she was astern OF the
Dunsley. Those aboard the Arabic have
declared that they saw the torpedo
speeding toward the ship, and the
Dunsley's survivors now assert that the
torpedo was fred from a German sub
marine they saw manuuyring behind
them.
All the afhdavits made by the Amer
can passengers on the ARABIC now
have been sent to the State Depart
ment. They give every detail avail
abe and relate chiefly to individual ex-
periences. All agree that no warning
was given The approaching torpedo
was seen. but not the submarine.
The funerals Of some o. the mem
bers Of the Arabic's crew whose bodies
have been recovered were held at
Queenstown to-day The services were
attended by members Of the City Coun-
ell, the Royal Irish Constabulary, rep
resentatives Of the White Star Line
and q great crowd Of citizens.