The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-03-29
British Steamer, Manchester
Engineer. With Two Amer
cans On Board. I orpedoed
NO MORE DEBATE ON
SUBMARINE ISSUE
II Germany Has Broken Her
Word President Will Take
Matter to Congress for
Action

wnsltnxson, March 2s.-The
Submarine issue Was further
complicated today when the state
Department was advised Of
fctaIly that the British steamer
Manchester Engineer. with two
Americans ON board, was torpe-
doed without warning
This makes the third case In
FIVE days of Americans placed
In jeopardy by mines or submh-
rine attacks The Others were
the channel steamer Sussex and
the steamship Englishman-
After the receipt of the dis
patch concerning the Manchester
Engineer. Counselor Frank l.
Polk. OF the State Department,
was summoned TO the WHITE
House for n conference WIN
President Wilson and Colonel
Edward VI. House. who visited
Germany recently ON n conftden-
tial mission for the President.
Earlier in the day the President
hitter discussing the matter Wi h the
cabinet, directed that instrU ctfon'
should be cahled. TO Aubassaco u
Gerard TO get all facts obtainabb~ a
berlin on he destruction OF the SUE
|sx and the Enslishrnan
Ambassador Gerard was Informed
that the evidence now before this
state Department indicated the two
vessels were torpedoed Mr. Gerard
will ask the German government
whether its submarines attacked
them.
The state Department made It plais
that the communication was not for
|maity directed TO the German gov
|srrment The United States, IL was
declared. had not opened up debate
Torpedoed without Warning.
Al she tins the cable 70 Mr. Carr I'd
was sent, the State Departm ens had
|no information OF the torpedoing d
Manchester Engineer. THIS cams
later IN the following caeiegram frc'r
United States Consul Wesley Frost, al
Queenstown;
chester Engineer. Vas torpedosd with.
|out warning of waterproof yestsrda y
WITH two American cistrens negroes
on board. No casualties
Consul Frost did not transmit fhs
evidence on which he based his un.
|eou!vooal statement that the vesse
vAs torpedoed without warning Pres,
Aispntches. however. said the tive
Americans had made afidavit 70 thi.
|s1Seot The press dispatches said also
M was q German submarine.
II was announced that the Stats De.
|rartmsnt will send another cable.
gram 30 Ambassador Gerard, direct
Ing him to mako inquiries concerning
the reported torpedoing OF the Man
chester Enxinser which was consider
ia the most pressing case before tbs
state Department because the proof OF
torpedo attack was more apparent
than in the others,
Clear Case Not Made Out
White Ambassador Gerard was IN.
fxmed THAT present evidence indicat.
"a that the sussex and the English
man were torpedoed the State Depart
IN On. was far from feeling that a clear
case OF submarine attack had beer
made in either case,
Only one sworn affidavft in the Sus-
seq case has reached the state De-
pArtrrent This was the Joint state
nient OF Edward 8. Huxley and
Francis F. Drake. which merely re-
ported that the captain OF the Sussex
said an officer OF the boat had seen
she torpedo
Ambassadors Page and Sharp, In
their ca,hlegrans. said the Sussex had
feen reported torped 4, One
American. Samuel Bemis IL said &c
have made the sworn statement &c
Am ba ssador sharp that he saw the
wake of the torpedo before the ex-
n.osion. This affidavit has not reach.
"a the State Department. nor have the
sffdavits of other passengers who had
been told the boat was torpedoed
The STATE Department was advised
that the Sussex evidence Is comins
forward In addition to the affidayitz
II was presumed this evidence woule
include report by the American
nayal attaehe at Paris on the examina.
ton OF the pieces of brass found or
the SUSSEX which French officers "a i'd
were parts OF torpedo.
4 state Department officials said there
was no direct testimony or affidavits
that the Sussex might have
been sunk by a mine.
Think ship Mine Victim
Nevertheless. with very few excPp'
lions. the present impression among
ssava' experts is that the Sussex wa'
aestroyed by a mine They insist that
such a small boat as the Sussex could
not have remained afloat after being
tc-pedoed The fact that the vesse
vas struck In the bow they held TO be
n, further indication that il came in
4 on,rct with mine.
The sinking of the Manchester
sF.agfi eer may he the deciding factor
u the submarine situation
vsIf the preliminary report received
i.day is suhstantiated by legal evil
dence this case may be the one or
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