The Dolores star. [volume] (Dolores, Montezuma County, Colo.) 1901-current, 1918-07-05

ships before entered the war and were driving
neutral ambulances.
When we entered the war. naturally they weren't
going to return to the United States to enlist when
they could enlist In their country's military forces
In France and get at Furnishing the Hun earlier
than the fellows at home. These captured Ameri-
can aviatOrs Germany speaks about apparently had
on them certificates of service they had rendered
while driving American neutral ambuances
As usual, Germany has distorted the truth. In
this instance she simply wishes to give sembance
of excuse for the attempts she Is going to make to
lessen the number of ships available to transport
our boys overseas. because every hospital ship
sunk has to be replaced with some ship in military
or civil service.
The first hospital ship the Huns sank was the
Portugal flying the Russian flag. She was anchored
OF Rick. Black sea port. when ut about eight
o'clock the morning of March II. 1916 a
periscope seen approaching. The Portugal had
no wounded bOard-smply her hospital stnff.
which Included many nuns~nnd her full crew. The
Russian government had notified the central pow
ers that the Portugal was hospital ship and had
obtained from them recognition of her status.
She was properly marked under the ruling Of both
the Hague and Geneva conventions.
OF course. nobody thought for one instant that
the submarine would attack the Portugal. and
there panic until. when about 200 feet away,
the submarine fired a torpedo which missed its
mark Then the beast circled around the anchored
ship of mercy and fired a second torpedo at close
range. The second missile struck the Portugal In
the engine room. There was terrific explosion
within her and the huh broke in two.
The loss of life on the Portugal was q nuns,
who were acting as nurses "a others OF the Red
Cross staff rs well as 81 of the Russian crew and
10 of the French, totang IS. all Of whom were
ruthessly murdered without any reason whntso-
ever
The next torpedoine of note was that of the
new White Star liner Britannia the largest British
ship afloat and one which the Germans wished 10
remove from competing with their ships a the
end of the war; The Britannia was sunk IN the
Egean sea, and that but 50 lives were lost cut of
the 100 wounded and large crew she had aboard
is remarkable. considering she went down In SO
minutes A German newspaper. the Keller Eel
tung was the first to admit publicly that torpedo
and not mine had caused the disaster, and fur
ther stated:
.arhe Britannia was transporting fresh troops for
our enemies. II she had not been doing our sub
marine would never. Of course. have torpedoed
her"
On November "a 1916, shortly after the Britain
mic was sunk. the British admiralty published a
complete list Of all persons on board There were
no troops. Germany continued her propaganda to
dull the mind of the world as to her real Intent
in sinking hospital ships by asserting that she had
conclusive proof that in several instances enemy
hospital ships had often been misused for the trans
port of troops and munitions. Under the princi-
pies Of the Geneva convention governing maritime
war bellgerents have the right to stop and search
hospital ships. Germany never utilized this right
Evidently 1t was easier TO SINK the snip outright
and trust the world to believe the imperial Ger
man word.
The big Asturias. commanded by Captain Laws
known to many Americans who Travelled to Ber
muda, had her first experience with U-boat or
February l. 1915. She the star hospital ship
of the fleet for at thnt time neither the Britannia
nor Aquitania was doing hospital work. Only the
prompt action Of the second officer In turning the
ship Ms he saw the torpedo saved her and the
scores Of wounded she had on board. Having
Actr, rid tho Epp
at 1t till they finally got her. The British ad
miralty announced the following.
.The British hospital ship Asturias, while steam
ing with all navigating lights and with all thu
proper distinguishing Red Cross signs Brilliant!
Illuminated, was torpedoed without warming on thu