Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1918-07-11
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ships before entered the driving
neutral ambulances.
When w entered the war. naturally they weren't
going to return to the United States to enlist when
they could enlist in their countrys military forces
in France and get at Furnishing the Hun earlier
than the fellows at home. These captured Ameri
aviators Germany speaks about apparently had
them certificates of service they had rendered
while driving American neutral ambulances
As usual Germany has distorted the truth. In
this instance she simply wishes to give sembance
of for the attempts she is going to make to
lessen the number of ships available to transport
boys overseas. because every hospital ship
sunk has to be replaced with some ship in military
civil Service.
The first hospital ship the Huns sank the
Portugal, flying the Russian flag. She was anchored
off Rick, a Black port when at about eight
o'clock the morning of March H. 1916,
periscope was seen approaching. The Portugal had
wounded on board-Simply her hospital staff,
which included many nuns and her full crew. The
Russian government had notified the central pow-
ers that the Portugal was a 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 instant that
the submarine would attack the Portugal, and
there panic until. when about 200 feet away,
the submarine fired torpedo which missed its
mark. Then the beast circled around tie anchored
ship of mercy and fired second torpedo at close
range The second missile struck the Portugal in
the engine room. There terrific explosion
within her and the hui broke in two.
The loss of life on the Portugal 81 nuns,
who were acting as nurses; "a others of the Red
Cross staff, as well as 81 of the Russian and
10 of the French, totalng IS. all of whom were
ruthlessly murdered without any reason whatSO-
ever
The next torpedoing of note was that of the
new White Star Britannia, the largest British
ship af1oat and which the Germans wished to
from competing with their ships a the
end of the war. The Britannia sunk In the
Egean sea. and that but 80 lives were lost out of
the LOO wounded and large crew she had aboard
is remarkable, considering she went down in 50
minutes A German newspaper. the Keller Eel
tung, the first admit publicly that torpedo
and not mine had caused the disaster, and fur
Their stated:
1.-The Britannia was transporting fresh troops for
enemies If she had not been doing our sub
marine would never of course. have torpedoed
her"
mic was sunk. the British admiralty published
complete list of all persons board There were
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 misused for the trans
port of troops and munitions Under the princ-
pies of the Geneva convention governing maritime
belligerents have the right to stop and search
hospital ships. Germany utilized this right
Evidently it was easier to sink the ship 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 on
February 1, 1915. She was the hospital ship
of the fleet, for at that time neither the Britannia
Aqutania doing hospital work. Only the
prompt action of the second officer in turning the
ship he the torpedo saved her and the
scores of wounded she had board Having
made one miss at the Asturias, the Germans kept
at it till they finally got her. The British adj
mirilty announced the following:
1.-The British hospital ship Asturias. while steam
ing with all navigating lights and with all the
proper distinguishing Red Cross signs brilliantly
Illuminated. was torpedoed without warning ON the