Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-04-20

sci. Dispositions of Henry S. Beer
and Mrs. Henry S. Beer)
Sharp Change in Course
In further confederation of the fact
that the captain saw the torpedo COM
ing toward the vessel is the sworn
statement of the engineers on duty
that the order to port the helm and
to stop the starboard engine was re-
ceived and obeyed. (Report of Ad-
miral Grasset.) No reasonable eX-
planation can be given for this un-
usual order other than that the captain
saw something which caused him to
change his course sharply to starboard.
In addition to this evidence, which
would in itself appear to be conclusive,
that the agent of destruction was a
torpedo is that of Lieutenant Smith,
United States Navy, attached to the
American embassy at Paris, who, ac-
companied by Major Logan, United
States Army, of the embassy, went to
Boulogne, inspected the hull of the
Sussex and personally found beneath
the mass of water-soaked debris of the
wreck 10 pieces of metal, which they
retained in their possession, as they
did not believe the pieces formed part
of the vessel
The inpection of the hull disclosed
that the vessel was wrecked by an ex-
ternal explosion, the boilers being in
tact and that short distance forward
OF the bridge was a large dent, show
ing that the vessel had received a
heavy blow, the direction of impact
being from abaft the beam along a
line at an acute angie with the keel
OF the vessel. (Report of Lieutenant
Smith, cabled April IL This evidence
comedies with and corroborates the
statement that the vessel was swinging
to starboard and away from the tor
pedo when struck.
The pieces of metal which the
American officers had collected were
compared by Lieutenant Smith, Lieu
tenant-Commander Sayles and Major
Logan with mines and plans of mines
lin possession of the French naval au-
thorities at Boulogne, Rochefort and
Toulon. and British naval authorities
at Portsmouth. These officers are posi-
tive in their opinion that these pieces
OF metal were not parts of q mine.
(Report of Lieutenant Smith, cabled
April and 81
German Marks on Bolts
Among these 10 pieces OF metal were
two screw bolts showing the effects of
an explosion which were stamped with
'K' and "56' on faces of the head of
ono and TX" and "5S" on faces OF the
head of the other. Examining German
torpedoes in the possession of the
French naval authorities at Toulon
and of the English naval authorities
at Portsmouth, the American officers
found that identical screws with the
letter "K" and a number were en-
ployed to fasten the ''warhead" (kopf)
to the air chamber. Lieutenant
Smiths reports, cabled April 2, and
49,
The screws used in French and Eng
lish torpedoes have no markings and
are of slightly different size. (Same
reports.) Furthermore. the American
officers were able by comparison and
close examination to positively identity
and locate all the remaining . pieces
of metal as parts of German torpedo,
as follows:
Fragment 3, part of inner seat of
water relief valve of engine valve.
Fragments 4 and ., punto bands of
engine room casing.
Fragments @ to 10, inclusive, and -,
parts of engine cylinders.
Fragments II, 1S, IA, is, parts of
steel warhead still bearing the dis