The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-03-29
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OFFICIAL NEWS OF DISASTER TO
ENGLISH VESSELS BEING
t GATHERED.
ConallAr Representatives Of United
6tates In England and France Busy
In 0ctting at Bottom Of Loss Of Sus-
: Scx and Engsishman.

In Getting at Bottom Of Loss Of Slls.
: Scx and Engslshman.
Washington. March 26.-Oficial in
formation upon which President Will
son will decide whether the sinking of
the steamship Englishman and the
damaging by an explosion OF the chan
mel steamer Sussex were the result
OF acts In violation Of interna-
fional law u being gathered from
every available source by consular rep-
rcsentatives OF the United States in
england and France. Tangible evil
dence OF some kind was momentarily
expected tonight by the state depart
ment.
Dispatches already received indicate
that several Americans were injured
or killed In the Sussex disaster. Four
American citizens who were aboard
the Englishman and who were said
In dispatches yesterday not to be
among the rescued, still are unac-
counted for.
Only, one dispatch Of Importance
concerning the explosion which dam.
aged the SUSSEX was received by the
state department. during tho day. This
contained an Afiidavit made in Lon
don at the American embassy by two
American survivors. Edward 8. Hux-
ley and Francis e. Drake of New
York. Foth swore that the explosion
occur Cd without the slightest warn
Ing" and they credited the copmand-
or OF the Sussex as saying that he saw
tho wake OF q torpedo before 1t struck
his vessel. Il,
Another statement In the afidavit
of1cials seemed to consider significant
had to do with q strange sailing ves-
sel which hovercd near the Sussex
AMOR the explosion and which. in re-
sponse to signiils for assistance from
tho channel stsame- sailed away and
disappeared. Press dispatches quoting
= Belgian army ofYIcer as saying that
the submarine probably had hidden
osntnd the strange vessel, which ap-
parently disresardcd all the traditions
and laws Of the sea In failing to succor
= vessel In distress. were read with
Interest. - T07 a
Prof. J. Mark Baldwin Of baltimore
and his wife and daughter, reported
In press dispatches as being missing
or injured. were declared to be safe
In. q cablegram dated today In Bou.
logne received here tonight from Prof.
Baldwin by =. A. 6terrett, a son-in-
law: Mr.. Sterrett. however, accepted
- true press and oflcial state de-
paSement dispatches containing infor-
nation that Miss Baldwin had been
seriously injured. He has cabled to
nis fnther-in-law for additional In
formation.
Information regarding the Sussex
which had been received tonight did
NOT, high administration officials said.
convince them that the vessel was the
vact1m cf submarine attack. One
n9ember Of the cabinet. who discussed
the situation with the president said
that the reports at hand wore by no
meaps conclusive ..,s.s ~,
The Sdmiristration. while fully
realizing the possibilities Of the situn-s
ton should the indications In press
dispatches be borne out In the on
cial reports, will take no decisive ac-
tton unless positive proof is forthcom-
Ing. Tho course OF the United States
Will be decided upon official reports
from It's own officers.
Should either the Sussex or the
Englishman have been torpedoed the
United States would consider the act
TO be . most nagrant violation of the
rights OF humanity, the principles OF
International Inv and the broad as
surnnccs regarding the conduct Of
submarine warfare which have been.
given by tho German government.
There 10 no evidence. or even sug-
gestion. that either Of the ships was
armed 20 no defense could be offered
on that score.
In this connection It Is probable
that the United States will not Issue
Tor the benefit of the European bel
lieerents tho statement of its position
regarding submarines and armed
ships until after the facts regarding
the Englishman and tho Sussex are
known. 1t had been planning to issue
the statement some time In the near
future. ~
Everywhere in Washington tonight
there seemed to be a. tendency to
view the situation with an open mind.
In no quarter. however, was there
any attempt to minimize the gravity
Of the situation. should 1t develop that
q German torpedo bombarded the
Sussex or sunk the Engiishman. Some
officials seemed inclined to the belief
that mines might have been RESPONSE
bic. 1t having been frequently stated
recently that mines had been sighted
in the waters around the British isles
However, no mention of mines has
appeared In any of the dispatches re-
sarding either Of tho ships. In fact
fiat statements have been made in the
official dispatches that the vessels
were torpedoed. but the source of the
Information upon which the state
ments were based was not disclosed
The state department also is await
Ing with some anxiety Information
concerning the sinking Of the Dutch
liner Tubantia. AS far as Is known
here divers still are investigating the
wreck In an effort to determine the
cause OF ths disaster.