Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-10-31
Five Richmond Men in Crew
of Marina, Torpedocd
Without Warning.
GRAVE POSSIBILITIES
OF REVlvING DISPUTE
Feared Pledge Given to This
Country by Berlin Has
Been Violated.
INVESTIGATION IS ORDERED
INVESTIGATION IS oRDEREn
According to Agents at Newport
News. Ship Was General
Cargo Carrier.
.nx Associated rrc.sl

WASHINGTON, October 30,-Preiini-S
nary reports OF the sinking by Ger
man submarines OF tho British steamers
Marina and Rowanmore. partly manned
by Americans. among them five from
! Richmond. were too incomplete to-
night TO enable officials at the State
Department to form an opinion as to-,
whether there had been 4, violation Of,
neutral rights or of pledges given the
United states by Germany.
Secretary Lansing declined TO COM
ment further than to admit that the
reports appeared more serious than
the usual routine dispatches aunounc ~
ing the destruction Of belligerent mcrs8
chantmen and that full information
would be awaited with interest
GRAvEsT SITUATION
SINCE SUSSEX AFFAIR
On its face the case OF tho Marina, :
reported by Consul Frost at Quccns.E
town, presents the sravcst situation
that has arisen since the sinking OF
the channel liner Sussex. which
brought the American and German gov-
ernments to the verge OF break AZ
! though he cautioned that his Informa-
ton was purely professionally" the CON
sui cabled that the Marina, horse
transport, with a mixed crew of Brit-
without warning by German submarine
euntire 100 miles west of Cape Clear.
and that seventy OF the crew Of le4
! were missing. Press dispatches have
indicated that the missing men might
| reach shore In their boats later. An4.
other message from. AIr,.s Frost, I, Said i
members OF 5th6.tcrew o. fiieS .Rowaii;-f'
| more. Including Americans. had been
shelled In their boats while abandot.s
sss;s the ship after being chased byya
submarine for Gfty minutes. There
were no casualties.
NOT Under CHAx.1Eu
TO BIsITISI GOVERNMENTS
According to the Newport News
agents of the Mariras owners. the
donaldson Line, the vessel, with some
uity American horse herdcrs aboard
was not under charter 10 the British
government ms Il transport. but Was
engaged in he! regular trade as a
iretShtcr and carried horses for the
aires as part Of her general cargo
Under such circumstances. she would
be entitled TO all the immunitics OF 8
any other heiligerent-owmed merchant
man, and an enemy destroying her and 4
her contraband cargo would he re
CURED TO make due provision for the s.
safety OF the ships company. unless
she was sunk in the act of attep,ntin,ss
TO escape.
Apparently all depends upon Tho
accuracy OF the frs, reports: whether &
inc Marina actually was attacked
without warning or whether she is to
be recorded as only another OF scores
of British carriers that have gone 70
the bottom as the result of their skip
pers DESPERATE efforts 10 outrun enemy
shells. Until fun report has com.
from Consul Frost no step viii; bc
taken by the State Department.
Frost is regarded as Il thorough In
Nes'lsator. and has played a part in
determining tho facts in many OF the
most important submarine incidcnts
including the destruction OF the I.usl a
tania Atlidavits of American SUR
virors are expected from him WITHIN !,
day or two Is
DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS
INCLINED TO RE OPTIMISTIC
Most OF the officials of the depart
mcnt are inclined TO be vci.y optimistic
They point cut that time after time /.
first accounts have made {; :.p,,c.r tb.,t
ship had been sunk illcgnlr. and \
that in every instance since the Sussax5S
complete reports have proved that no
laws or pledges had been violated b,4E
the submarine destroyer
comparatively little Importance is Az
'achcd 10 the case OF the Ro@anmorc
because II is admitted that the vcsse, =
attempted 10 escape and only hove 10
after 'leeing for hfty minutes and hay.
ing her steering gear shot away.
mere WAS Il heavy fog at the time.
'nd officials think j, would have been
easy for panic stricken sailors leaving
their battered ship 10 have in,ariu.d
that the submarine was sending she1is
TN their direction This opinion ,s
strengthened 10y the tact that no one
Was lost