The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-04-19
Fix Responsibility
for Escape Of Goeben
Commander Bellaires Deter
mined to Go to Bottom of
Mystery-Challenge to Brit
on's Fighting Blood.

London April 1S-Who was re-
sponsible for the escape Of the Ger
man battle cruiser Goehen in the first
week Of the war?
Again this mystery and challenge TO
the Enclishman's fighting blood has
hohhed mp in the house Of commons
and again it has been soft pedalled"
by The first lord OF the admiralty.
Answering an Interpolation OF Com
mauder Carley Reliaires. who wanted
10 know IL the house would be given
the secret findings of the court mar
tlal which acquitted Admiral Trou
bridge, the admiralty chief said:
THE members of the house will re-
rlember that the action OF Admiral
Trouhridee was subject to a court
martial which acquitted him Of
CHARGES lodged against him, The hon
crable gentlemen surely does not
mean TO suggest that this house should
revise the findings of court mar
tial.
Non publication of the findings at
this moment is not due TO anr desire
to protect anybody. but 10 publish de-
tai's Of this kind without publishing a
great deal more than is at present
available for publication would be TO
run greater risks to gallant men who
would he injured if the admiralty
could not publish other Information
OF vital importance in forming con-
illusions, When the right time comes
the facts will be made BROWN"
60 to Bottom of Mystery.
This statement by the first lord OF
the admiralty satisfies NOBODY and
tells nothing. and today learned from
an excellent authority that when the
commons resumes after the Easter
holidays. Commander Bellaires and
others are determined TO go to the
bottom OF the mystery.
Admiral Troubridge's defence at the
court martial was that he had obeved
orders TO avoid being brought into
action against superior forces" He
was the commander of a powerful
cruiser squadron opposing only the
Coehen and the small cruiser Breslau.
Tho Goeben's escape 10 Constantinople
"'as tho deciding factor in hringin g
Turkey into The war on the side OF the
Teutonic empires.
From whom did these orders Trou-
bridge quoted in his defence come and
why did the admiralty at London pre-
sumo 10 dictate the strategy of the
squadron in tho Mediterranean These
are the outstanding points in the
"Cocbau muddle'
Colonel winston Spencer Churchill.
now minister Of war, was then first
lord OF the admiralty, Prince Louis
Rattenberg. who later changed his
name TO Marquis OF Milford Haven.
because he desired 70 forget his Ger
man origin, was first sea lord.
Did the order cutting Off Trouhrid@e
from the pursuit OF the Goeben orig
siuate with, Churchill or with Prince
Rottenberg"
What Is the mysterious wealth of
secret information the present chief
of the admiralty, Admiral Long. re-
ferred to- which must be established to
explain everything
These are questions for parliament
to decide says the Morning Post
adding: 1T is also the duty Of parlia-
ment 10 demand publication OF all se-
cret court marfials held during the
war so that both the orders and the
conduct ~ naval officers may he
Shown and the responsibility for In
structions they received may be
rightly apportioned."