The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-03-23
Log of Capt. Lieut.. SChwieger,
Commander of Submarine
U-20 Published.
ONLY ONE SHOT FIRED
Document Ranks as Most I'M
portant Paper in History
of World War.
(HY FRANK MAsOND

Copyright, 1920, by ]. N. s. Publ
cation Rights in Great Britain Re
served.)
Berlin, March s.-(By Special Cou-
rier to New York Like a voice
from the vaults Of the dead, the Of
fetal story OF the destruction OF the
INSTRUMENTATION on that historic
afternoon of May z, 1915, by the Ger
man submarine commander whose
hand directed the fateful SHOTS
here given to the world.
1t is terse, passionless document
1otted down in brief sentences within
the tiny cabin of a steel terror OF the
deep by Capt. Lieut.. Schwieger, who
commanded the German U-20.
This arch fiend is dead, but his
posthumous story, How / Sank the
Lusitania," exists in the archives OF
the German navy. 1t is written over
his signature, and the very lack OF
sentiment in the epochal narrative
stands in weird contrast to the shock
which the sinking of the Lusitana,
with the loss of 1,195 lives, gave to
civilization.
schwieger. tlre log shows. had been
ordered TO the Irish sea 10 harass
shipping Oft Liverpool On account
of the vast network OF barTiCades
erected by the British navy across
North channel he started to sail all
the way around Ireland. but his fuel
ran short and he decided to disregard
his orders and return to his base. lie
had started back to WlhelmshaVen
when he suddenly met the Lusitania
The submarine commanders was sur |
prised TO see giant passenger liner
steaming unconcernedly eastward past |
the south coast of Ireland. Schwieger |
sotted down criticism in his official |
dlsry. He thought 1t was bad man |
agenent on the part OF the British |
pass through st. Georges channel in
stead of North channel between Ire
land and Scotland).
1T remains inexplcable why the |
Lusitania was not sent through the
North channel" wrote Schwieger in
his log a few hours after the Lusi.
tania had been sent to the bottom.
Vigil at Periscope.
Schwieger tells of his vigil at the
periscope. A mighty liner is reflected
nels and is evidently one OF the float
ing palaces OF the Atlantic. The tt-20
submerges and plunges ahead at high
speed 10 intercept the doomed ship.
hound steaming ahead at twenty two
miles an hour. There Is sharp COM
mand. a great q" torpedo liz fired
at 700 meters range II strikes.
gaping hole IA torn In the proud liner
on the starhoard side behind tho
bridge. A terrific explosion follows. |
There Is n second explosion and the
debris and water squirt skyward. Tho
ship begins to heel over
Great Excitement Prevails.
There is tremendous excitement on /
board. II appears that the officers
ost their heads. They cannot get tho
ifeboats launched Another shot.
schwieger is tempted. But adds in :
lis log:
II couldn't have flrod n second tor !
redo into this throng OF humanity at
empting to save themselves, any =,
coolIy Works on Diary.
the submarine goes up on its way |
Schwitger coolly works on his diary.
the horror OF his act as n
part o. the days work. He figures his
marine bearings and notes his success
and makes his comments
These are official facts. They are
contained in the official diary which
5ohwieger utilized as his formal re- I
'ort OF the voyage to the great staff
4 the imperial German navy. 1
There are twelve pages OF type /
vritten manuscript with accompanying !
maps. and charts. II looks unimposInF !
'ound In simple wrapping OF blue ,
MANILA covers. But It is history. {
I'M not at liberty TO explain how ,
ecured possession OF these important :
,apers from the naval archives for :
hirty-six hours TO enable them TO be
But that Is compare
lively unimportant.
Brands Germany's Claim as False.
Schwieger's terse account, Intended |
'nly i0r Official eyes, contradicts and
,rands as false Germany's subsequent
announcement that the captain who
lank the Lusitania did not know he
vas firing on passenger vessel. But
schwieger did not know until approNi- !
nately ten minutes after the torncdo | /
vas fired that the stricken shin was
he Lusitania. No stern flag was fylnr
Ind IL was not until he saw gold let !
ers on the liners bow IusitRnia that ,
he knew the identity Of vessel
The favorite tactic OF merchant ships /
hunted ny submarines was TO speed /
'head on a zig-Zag course. The at
acking U-boat. without waiting to
earn the name of Its quarry, would ,
hen set out TO get in front OF the
Vessel TO give a mortal blow.
This apparently explains why Schwic- .
yer did not seek TO identify the lusi-
Rnla before he fired upon her
Mysterious Explosion.
From the standpoint Of settling al
I'D conjectures and theories. probably
ne OF the most valuable revelations
'cntained In the log Is it's proof that
he second mysterious explosion came
rom within the LuEitania itself. !
,chwieEer aid not attempt 80 define
actually what caused this. but sue-
rested boiler. coal or powder" Fire