Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-04-20

RouIornc. Rochcfort and Toulon, ana
British naval authorities at Portmouth
These officers are positive in their opin
ion that these pieces of metal were not
parts of IA mine, report of Lieutenant
smith, cabled April and 81.
Among these 10 pieces of metal were
two screw-bolts showing the effect of an
explosion, which were stamped with IA
and SO" on faces of the head of one
and "Il' and 49, on faces of the head
of the other. On examining German tor
pedoes in the possession of the French
naval authorities ut Toulon. and OF the
English naval authorities at Portsmouth
the American officers found that Identical
screws with the letter ~" and n num-
Der were employed to fasten the war
head to the air chamber. Uheutcnant
Smiths report cablcd April .. and 1D.
THO screws used in French and Eng
fish torpedoes have no markings ana are
of a slightly different size tsamc rcports).
Furthermore, the American officers were
able By comparison and close examine.
ton to positively identify and locate all
he remaining IL pieces Of meta, as parts
of German torpedo as follows;
Fragment 3. part of inner scat of water
l,lief valve OF engine valve,
Fragments i amd s, punto bands OF en-.
GinC room.
Fragments TO TO- inclusive. and 12
parts of engine cylinders.
Fragments II. IS. II and 10 parts of steel
.warhead still bearing the distinctive rod
raint common to German torpedo war
heads. report OF Lieutenant smith.
cablcd April -.
WAS A GERMAN TORPEDO.
In view of these authenticated facts
there can he no reasonable doubt but
that the Sussex was torpedocd and
that the torpedo was Of German manu-
facture. AS no vessel was seen by any
persons on the Sussex tho conclusion
is irresistible that the torpedo was
launched without warning from sub
marine which was submerged at the
time OF the attack and remained be-
meath the surface after the explosion
GERMANY \ L. :. WITNESS
The conclusion thus reached from
The evidence Cthc affidaVits being those
of American citizcns) collected by the
department of state is substantiated by
the statement in the imperial govern
ment's note Of April 10. 1916 Accord
ing to those statcmcnts'
'a) German submarine torpcdoed a
steamer II miles southeast Of Bull
Rock band.
Departments Commcnt--Thc point of
iattack is exactly in the course which
was taken by til" Sussex after passing
| bunpencss and about half mile from
tho place where the captain Of the
sussex states he was torpcGocd.
thr The attack took place at 3:5j
J'r'ock y. IN. Central European time.
Departments comment-3: p. M,
central European time would cores
pond tn $50 p. N. western European
time The time of the striking of the
torpedo according to the captain of the
SUSSEX, and the stopping of the clocks
on board the vessel. was $50 p. H.
! Western time.
! ,c) Tho torpedo, when it struck
caused an explosion which tore away
the whole foreship up to the bridge
Departments commcnt-The fore
part of the Sussex was wrecked as fan
| back rs the first water tight bulkhead
according to the official reports
t td) The German Submarine was
submerged when the torpedo was
it came to the surface after the at.
tack.
Departments Comment--The con
clusion was reached that the suhmar
inc was submerged from the fact thai
no one on the Sussex saw n submar
inc though the weather was fine.
(e) No warning was given and M
attempt was made to give one sine,
it is not mentioned.
Departments commemorative evidenc.
collected shows atiirmatively no warning
was given.
GO \ sketch by the submarine com
decd does not agree with II Photograph o
the Sussex in the London Graphic.
Departments commentaries sketcl
was apparently made from memory of M
observation of the vessel through n peri
scope. As the only differences noted h,
the commander who relied on his mem
Dry. were tho position Of the smokestacls
and the shape of the stern. it is to b'
presumed the vessels were similar II
other respects
| Co No other German submarines oil
that day attacked steamers in that local
lily.
! Departments Conrment-AS no vessel Il
reported to have been torpedocd with
ont warning by Il submerged submarine
other than the Sussex it is beyond ques
ton that that vessel was torpedocd by tn,
submarine whose commanders report il
| relied upon in the note of April TO-