The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1916-01-07

Nk IN FIVE MINUTES
crs Landed At Alexandria In
50 Passengers, One Ameri-
End s4 Of Crew; Disaster
ss Washington Anxiety
- ~ HsssEsES WI 5N'11NV~sy
hinotOn.Late advices to Il

can Consul at Alden, Arabia, who was
on the steamer Persia when she was
sunk In the Mediterranean, was lost.
He was last seen In the water after
the vessel sank.
Consul Garrels reports that Charles
II. Grant, Of Boston, another American
aboard the Persia, was saved.
No submarine was seen by sur
vivors, according TO Gafreis' report,
but an officer of the Persia saw the
wake Of the torpedo which struck his
ship. She sank in five minutes.
Washington. The British steamer
Persia was torpedoed without warn
ing by an unknown submarine and
sank in five minutes with a loss OF
245 lives, according to an official dis
patch to the State Department from
| American Consul Garrels at Alex
andria, Egypt.
Charles III. Grant, of Boston, one
Of the Americans aboard. was saved.
Robert N. McNeely, American Consul
at Alden, Arabia, was last seen strugs
Cling in the waters and is believed to
| have drowned.
The state Department gave out the
following paraphrase Of the official
dispatch:
Persia sank 800 miles northwest OF
Alexandria at LOS on the afternoon OF
December 80. Steamer sank in i've
minutes. No submarine was seen, but
an officer Of the Persia saw its wake.
One hundred and fifty-tive out Of 460
passengers and crew were landed at
Alexandria January L. Charles H.
Grant iong survivors, but McNeely
waSl 6bably lost, as he was last seen
4 4Cle water"
Second To Lusitania Tragedy.
Receipt Of this official news dissi-
pated the hope officials had that ex-
tenuating circumstances might be
found for the Persia disaster. The
sinking Of the vessel without warning
and with such heavy loss Of life is
considered second only to the Llsi-
tania tragedy as an example OF pre-.
mediated maritime murder.
In view of the fact that the SUBJ
marine was not seen by officers or
| passengers of the Persia and its
identity therefore cannot be establish
ed, It was considered highly probable
that prompt demands will be made to
the German and Austrian Govern
ments for information with respect to
the submarines nationality.
Asks For Fuller Reports.
The dispatch from Consul Garrels
was brief and did not state from what
source the information contained
therein was obtained. Cabled instruc-
lions were Immediately sent to the
Consul to obtain afiidavits from Off
GERS and passengers, particularly from
| the American survivor, Charles H.
Grant, with view to determining all
of the facts in the case SO far as they
are known.
An intimation In unofficial sources
that the Persia was an armed vessel
was taken as an Indication that this
might be one defense set up by Ger
many or Austria for the attack. That
the United States would reject this
line Of defense was definitely indicated
by officials.
Attention was called to the fact that
the United States definitely placed it
self on record on the question of arn1-
ing merchant vessels of belligerents in
official instructions sent to port collec-
tors, September 10, 1914.
Ruling on Armed Ship.
In this oficial order it was declared
that the United States would consider
it an Indication that armament carried
Il not intended for and will not be
used in offensive operations if the fol-
lowing facts are shown:
.sThat the vesse.. carries passengers
who are, as whole, united to enter
military or naval service OF the bel
iigerent whose flag the vessel flies or
Of any OF its allies, especially IL the
passenger list includes women and
children"
This is the only defense that OIL
Gals conceive could be entered by the
submarine commander, as official in
formation thus far at hand makes it
plain that the Persia did not try to
escape and did not first make an at
tack ON the submarine.
Probably Austrian u-5oat
In view Of the statements by Count
Won Bernstorff that no German or
Turkish submarine has been operating
in the Mediterranean, 1t is accepted as
certain that am Austrian submarine
sank the Persia.
OHicials said that no Immediate de-
mand on the Central Powers viii be
made until further facts are obtained
either from American diplomatic and
consular officers or in response to in
auiries to the German and Austrian
Governments. 1t was strongly init
mated that decisive action would await