Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1918-07-11

ships before we entered the war and were driving
neutral amhulances.
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 Amer.
can ~aviators Germany speaks about apparently had
on them certificates Of service they had rendered
while driving American neutral nmbulances.
Az usual. Germany has distorted the truth. In
this instance she simply wishes to give a semblance
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 snip III ih'iI'aiy
or civil service.
The first hospital ship the Huns sank was the
Portugal. flying the Russian flag. She was anchored
OF Rick, a Black sea port, when at about eignt
O'Clock on the morning Of March IT. 1915, q
~periscope was seen approaching. The Portugal hau
no wounded on board-simply her hospital stan,
which included many nuns and her full crew. Inc
Russian government had notified the central pow
ers that the Portugal was a hospital ship and had
obtained from them a recognition OF her status.
She was properly marked under the ruling of both
the Hague and Geneva conventions.
or course. nobody thought for one Instant that
the submarine would attack the Portugal, ana
there was no panic until. when about 2O feet away
the submarine fred a torpedo which missed fs
mark. Then the beast circled arou'd the anchoreo
shin of mercy and fred a second torpedo at close
range. The second missile struck the Portugal In
the engine room. There was a terrific explosion
within her and the huh broke In two.
The loss Of life on the Portugal was Il nuns.
who we're acting as nurses; "a others Of the Red
Cross stah, MS we'll as q Of the Russian crew ana
10 Of the French, totaling IS. all of whom were
r~uthIessly murdered without any reason wnatso'
ever.
The next torpedoing Of note was that Of the
new White Star liner Britannia. the largest British
ship afoat and one which the Germans wished 70
remove from competing with uheir snips y tue
end Of the war. The Britannia was sunk 10 the
Epeau sea, and that but 81 lives were lost our OF
the 1,1OO wounded and large crew she had aboard
IA remarkable, considering she went down In ~
minutes. A German newspaper, the Keller EEL
tunr. was the first to admit publicly that a torpedo
and not a mine had caused the disaster. and fus'
Their stated:
"The Britannia was transporting fresh troops Tor
our enemies. II she had not been doing so our sue
marine would never, Of course. have torpeooe0
her" -
On November "a. 1915, shortly after the Britain
n,c wos sunk. the British admiralty published 9
complete list Of oil persons on board. There wers
mo troops. Germany continued her propaganda Il
duh the mind OF the world as to her real inten
in dnkInR hospital ships by asserting that she ma
conclusive proof that In several Instances enem'
hospital ships had often been misused Tor the tran.
port Of troops and munitions. Under the pranc'
ples Of the Geneva convention governing martin.
war belligerents have the right to stop and searcl
hospital ships. Germany never utilised this ngn'
Evidently It was easier to sink the ship outr1gh
and trust the world to believe the imperiai Ger
man word.
The big Asturias. commanded BY Captain Law
known to imany Americans who Travelled to Bel
muda. had her 6rst experience with . U.boat Q
February !. 1915. She was the star hospital shi
Of the feet, for 1t that time neither the Britannl
nor A~qultania was doing hospital work. Only a
prompt action Of he. second officer 10 turning II
shin a. he saw the torpedo saved her and II
scores Of wounded shs had on board. Havin
!. made one miss 1t The Asturias, the Germans keI
at It I'LL they finally got heF. Ths British .
miralty announced the following:
sThe British hospital ship Astur!as, While .seai
inn With all navigating nghts ana with ~ y
proper distinguishing Red Cross sisns brilliant
! Illuminated, WAS tospsdosd without waraias - 9