New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-04-06
U-BOAT MENACED
SUSSEX RESCUERS
French Admiral, in Official
Report, Tells How Yes
sci Was Torpedoed.
lFrom The Tribune Bureau J

aShlngtOn, April D. - lldHSlaS'"' Va
the report Of Rear Admiral A. Grasset,
assistant chief of the French General
staff, dated at Boulogne. March 80. to
the vice admiral Of the French General
Staff on the attack on the Sussex was
given out here by the French Embassy
to-day Il contains the charge that the
submarine that sank the Sussex
hovered about to attack n rescuing
ship and tried to sink British de-
stroyer near by when saving part Of
the crew. The report follows:
"In conformity with your instruc-
tions I proceeded TO Boulogre, where |
conducted an inquiry relative TO the
attack on the Sussex. On March "a
the Sussex. belonging to the State Rail
way Company and running The regular
service between England ard France,
left Folkstone at :25 p. m. fer Dieppe.
This boat carried about 31o passengers
of all nationalities, a great number OF
them being women and children, as well
as the Indian mails. This approximate
figure is given by the captain; accord
ing TO the company there were 3o3
passengers. The officer in control OF
the tickets was severely wounded and
taken TO Dover. He is not in ut
state to furnish particulars,
"She was not possessed of any srma-
ment. The crew consisted OF fifty
three men. From the start the speed
was set at sixteen knots; after having
passed one mile distance from Dunge-
ness the captain headed south three de-
grees east. The weather was very fine,
the sea almost calm. Most of the pas
sengers we're on deck.
suddenly. without the slightest
warning, the captain, who was on the
bridge, saw before the port beam some
$50 metres away, the track Of tor
pedo. 1t was now $3.50 p. M; the time
of the disaster being exactly registered
by the stopping of the clocks on board
the vessel
Officers Saw the Torpedo.
THE second officer and deck officer,
who were on the bridge, also distinctly
saw the torpedo. With great presence
of mind the captain ordered the helm
hard aport and stopped the starboard
engine, in order TO avoid the torpedo
by turning TO starboard. These two
orders were executed Immediately, as is
proved by the statements of the en-
gineers Of the watch.
"The ship was beginning 20 swing
off. when, eight seconds after the tor
pedo had been seen, terrific eXplo-
sion took place, throwing up an enor-
nous column OF water. Calculating
from the distance az which the tor
pedo had first been seen and the time
which passed before the explosion, the
speed of the torpedo must have been
36 knots, the normal speed OF tor
pedo
THE ship was cut in two opposite
the bridge; the after part, thanks TO
the solidity of the bulkhesds, continued
20 float On deck, several passengers
who happened 70 be on the port SIDE
saw the torpedo when quite close to the
ship. one of them even telling ms
neighbor to look at that great hsh
swimming toward the ship
Everybody who happened to be IN
the bows disappeared with that portion
of the ship, which was engulfed, among
Others the passengers on the foredeck
and in the first class saloon. The men
of the crew who were in the forecastle,
the lookout in the bows and the look
out in the crowsnest on the foremast
also disappeared"
"The captain, who had been knocked
down by the column of water resulting
from the explosion, ordered the crew 70
90 10 their emergency stations.
Wireless Apparatus Destroyed.
"The firemen and engineers went TO
their stations after having stopped the
mort engine and closed the draught
mates OF the furnaces. Al the same
time the wireless operator tried 10 SEND
out distress signals, but without sue
cess. the antenna having fallen with
the foremast.
"The crew proceeded TO their sta