The Elbert County tribune., 1918-07-05

night of March 2O-21 (191D. The torpedoing of
this hospital ship is included in the list of achieve
ments claimed By U-boats reported in the Ger
man wireless press message yesterday"
The Asturias didn't sink. although 43 died In
the tragedy including two women, and 30 were
injured The torpedo rendered her helpless. as
her rudder had been carried away. Captain Laws
drove the sinking ship for shoal water. AS she
was off the rocky shore of Cornwall If he did sue
d in Bleaching her the chances of saving the ship
would be slight. All Captain Laws thought of was
to get her somewhere where she wouldn't sink
her wounded had been removed.
As luck would have 1t. the Asturlas took matters
into her own hands and In the darkness missed
reef rounded headand and brought up on one
of the few sandy beaches to be found along the
Cornwall shore line. After three years In
mand of her several times week crossing the
Channel and rIaning the risk of Mines as well
seeing the agony of human beings he transported
Captain Laws. like many other hospital ship skip
pers. collapsed. He's made several attempts to go
to sea again. but his nerve Is gone.
The nation responsible for the murder of Nurse
Cavell accepted the Asturias incident with COM
posture, If not with satisfaction. For the Germans
stated blandly:
ut would moreover, be remarkable that the
English In the case Of the Asturias should have
abstained from the customary procedure of using
hospital ships for the transport of troops and mu-
nitions."
The Asturias was returning from France That
is a sufficient answer to Germany.
Ten days later the Gloucester Castle was tor
pedoed without warning in midchannel. All the
wounded were successfully removed from the shin
and the casualties five medical officers nine
nursing sisters and 80 Royal Army Medical corps
men. On April IL the Berlin official wireless again
cynlcaly published notification that the Glouces-
ter Castle was torpedoed by U-boat. thus re-
moving any possible doubt In the matter.
Then on April II the hospital ships Donegal and
Lanfranc were sunk by U-boats The British ad-
miralty announced
''The Donegal carried slightly wounded cases
all British OF these 20 men. well as IL of the
crew, missing and presumed drowned The
Lanfranc, in addition to 234 wounded British Off
GERS and men. carried 167 wounded German pris.
oners, medical personnel of 81 and crew of
123. OF these the following are missing and pre-
sumed drowned:
1.-TWO wounded British officers
Eleven wounded British other ranks
zone r. A. NJ. G. staff
Five crew.
1.-TWO wounded German officers.
Thirteen wounded German, other ranks.
zone hundred and ffty-two wounded German
prisoners rescued by British patrol boats at
the imminent risk of being themselves torpedoed"
And then the 26th Of February they sank the
Glenart Castle. bound from France to England.
Yes she carried troops. but they lny In white cots
within the Glenart Castles white Sides Nice chap,
Fritz for he'd agreed to respect hospital rhips II
they carried Spanish officer to guarantee their
and he too was nearly drowned in the catastrophe.
One pleasing thing about the tragedy that II
gave American destroyer, at the risk OF being
herself torpedoed chance to do work
which makes the blood run faster in ones veins.
The was vile and the destroyer couldn't launch
boat. Yet us she passed men clinging to wreck.
age-men too weak to catch the life-lnes thrown
to then-American seamen jumped overheard
into icy water, swan to the poor devils and held
them up till they could be rescued. Mr. Daniels
I'm glad to say. has fttingly rewarded such gal.
lantry.
And shortly after the Glenart Castle the big
Landovey Castle, on mercy bent, torpedoed.
She also carried Spanish officer. I have a letter
from officer on the hospital ship Araguaya
which has been transferred from passenger and
food service to the work Of mercy to replace lost
hospital ships and he tells his ship is most par
ticular about living up to the Geneva convention
No nurses are carried except those who make the
round trip between Ensnnd and Canada For II
Canadian nurses worked their passage home Ger
many might say they tloops-