Bisbee daily review., 1916-10-31
Lansing Hopes Later Reports Will Deny Ship With Part American Crew Was Torpe- doed Without Warning. ADMITS HOWEVER, CASE
 MAY PROVE SERIOUS First Reports Resemble Sussex Case Over Which the United States Came Near Splitting With Germany.
(By Review Leased Wire.)

WASHINGTON, Oct. 30.- Prelimi nary reports of the sinking by Ger man submarines of the British steam CTS Marina and Rowanmore, partly manned ty Americans, were too in complete tonight to enable officials al the state department to form an idea of the violation of neutrality rights Secretary Lansing declined to com ment further than to admit that the reports appeared more serious than the usual routine dispatches announc' ing the destruction of belligerent mer' cbantmen and that full information would be awaited with interest.
 Situation Grave
 On its face, the case of the Ma
 rina. reported by Consul Frost at
 Queenstown. presents the graV-
 est situation that has arisen since
 the sinkinu Of the Channel steam
 CT Sussex. which brouoht the Am
 erican and German governments
 to the verge of a breakino int.
 Sunk Without Warning
 Although he cautioned that his in formation was purely provisional. the consul cabled that the Marina, a morse transpart" with a mixed crew of British and Americans. was report ed sunk without warning by German submarine gunfire. 100 miles west of Cane Clear. and that seventy of the crew of 1O4 were missing. Press dis patches have indicated that the miss ing men might reach shore in their boats later.
 SheIIed In g. Its
 Another message from MT. Frost said members of the crew of the Row anmore. including Americans. had been shelled in their boats while a. bandoning the ship after being chas- ed by submarine for fifty minutes. There were no casualties.
 50 Americans Aboard
 According to the agents in this country, of the Marina's owners, the Donaldson line. the vessel with some fifty American horse tenders aboard, was not under charter to the British government as a transport. but was engaged in her regular trade as a freighter and carried horses for the allies as a part of her general cargo. Under such circumstances she would be entitled to all the immunities of any other belligerent-owned merchant ship and an enemy destroying her and her contraband cargo would be requir ed to make due provision for the safe ty of the ship's company. unless she was sunk in the act of attempting to escape.
 Apparently all depends upon the accuracy of the first report; whether the Marina actually was attacked without warning or whether she is to be recorded as only another of the scores of British carriers that have gone to the bottom as the result of their shippers desperate efforts to outrun enemy shells.
 Until a full report has come from Consul Frost no steps will be taken by the state department. MT. Frost is regarded as a thorough investigat- or and has played part in determin- ing the facts in many of the most i'm portant submarine incidents, includ- ing the destruction of the Lusitania. Affidavits of American survivors are expected from him within a day or two
 U. s. Hopes For Best.
 Most of the officials of the depart ment are inclined tO be very optimis- tic They point out that time after time first accounts have made it ap- pear that a ship has been sunk ille- gally and that in every instance since the Sussex case, reports have proved that no laws had been violated by the submarine destroyer.
 Rowsnmore No Issue
 Comparatively little importance is attached to the case of the Rowan more, because it is admitted that the vessel attempted to escape and only stopped after fleeing for fifty minutes and having her steering gear shot a.