Daily Kennebec journal., 1916-04-20

torpedo declaration of Capt. Mouf-
1ett). 1t was also seen very clearly by
the frst officer and the boatswain who
were with the captain on the bridge
tReport OF Rear Admiral Grasset) I'm
meolately the captain gave orders to
port the helm and stop the starboarli
engine declaration of Capt. Mouf-
Iet), the purpose being to swing the
vessel to starboard so as to dodge the
torpedo by allowing it to pass along
the port how on a line converging
with the altered course of the steam
er Before, however, the vessel could
be turned far enough to avoid cross
ing the course Of the torpedo, the lat
ter struck the hull at an angle a short
distance forward Of the bridge. ex-
ploded, destroyed the entire forward
part of the steamer as far back as the
first watertight bulkhead, carried
away the foremast with the wireless
antennae and killed or wounded about
so of the persons on board (declara-
tion Of Capt. Mouffett); report of Rear
Admiral Grass, deposition of Henry S.
Beer). At the time no other vessel was
in sight (affidavits of Samuel F. Be-
mis-, T. w. Culberson, John H. Healey
and others).
The approach of the torpedo was
witnessed by several other persons on
the vessel (affidavits of Samuel F. Be
mis-. Henry S. Her, Gertrude w.
Warren). One of these, an American
citizen named Henry S. Beer. was
leaning on the port rail about 10 feet
behind the bridge and gazing seaward
when he saw the approach inG tope
do about 100 yards away, and exclaim-
ed to his wife and companion: "A
torpedo!" Immediately following his
eXclamatio the missile struck the ves-
sci dispositions Of Henry S. Beer and
Mrs. Henry S. Beer). In further cor
roboration of the fact that the cap
tain saw the torpedo coming toward
the vessel is the sworn statement Of
the engineers on duty that the order
to port the helm and to stop the star
board engine was received and obey
ed. (Report of Rear Admiral Grasset.
No reasonable explanation can be Civ
en- for this unusual order other than
the captain saw something which
caused him to change his course
sharply to starboard.
Found Pieces Of Metal
I'm addition to this evidence, which
would in itself appear to be conclusive
that the agent of destruction was
torpedo, is that of Lieut. Smith Uni
ted States navy. attached to the Ameri-
can embassy at PariS who, accompan-
led by Major Logan. United States army
of the embassy. went to Boulogne, in
spected the steamer Sussex and person
of ter
soaked debris of the wreckage - pie
ces of metal, which they retained In
their possession as they did not believe
the pieces formed part OF the vessel
The inspection Of the hull disclosed that
the vessel was wrecked by an external
explosion, the boilers being intact ana
that short distance forward or the
bridge was a large dent showing that
the vessel had received a heavy blow
the direction of impact being from
abaft the beam along the line at an
acute angle with the keel of the vessel
(Report of Lieut.. Smith, caoled April
~ This evidence comedies with ana
corroborates the statement that the ves-
sci was swinging to starboard' ana
away from the torpedo when struck.
The pieces of metal, which the Am
erican officers had collected were COM
pared by Lieut.. Smith. lleut-Co Commaho-
er Sayles and Major Logan, with mines
and plans of mines in possession OF 'he
French authorities at portsmouth,
These officers are positive in their opln-
ion that these pieces OF metal were
not parts of mine (Report OF Lieut..
Smith cabled April and %.
Two Bolts of Submarine
Among these 10 pieces of metal
were two screw bolts, showing the eff
fects Of an explosion. which were
stamped with *" and 90 on faces
of the head of one, and * and "oS
on the faces of the head of the other.
On examining German torpedoes In the
possession of the French naval author
tiles at Toulon. and of the English
naval authorities at Portsmouth the
American officers found that Identical
screws with the letter * and num-
ber were employed to fasten the War
head (Kopf) to the air chamber fLleut.
Smiths reports, cabled April ;, and
13).
THE screws used in French and
English torpedoes have no markings
and are of a slightly different size.
(Same reports). Furthermore, the
American officers were able by COM
parison. and close examination to posi-
lively identify and locate all the re-
naming Is pieces of metal as parts of
a German torpedo &C follows:
Fragment 3. part of inner seat of
water relief valve of engine valve.
Fragments 4 and ). punto bands
of engine room casing.
Fragments s to 10 inciuslve and
II, parts of engine cylinders.
Fragments II, 13. IA, Is, parts of
steel war head still bearing the dis
tinctive red paint common to German
torpedo war heads. (Report or Lieut..
Smith, cabled April D.
I'm view OF these authentic facts,
there can be no veasC bic doubt, but
that the Sussex was tt rpedocd and that
the torpedo vas of German manufac-
ture. AS no vessel was seen by any
person on the Sussex, the conclusion
is irresistible that the torpedo was
launched without warning from a sub
marine which was submerged at the
time of the attack and remained be-
meath the surface after the explosion.
The conclusion thus reached from the
evidence (the affidavits being those OF