_This is the official statement of Captain Thomas M. Taylor of the
Cunard liner Orduna, concerning the attack made on his vessel by a
German submarine off Queenstown, westbound, on the morning of July 9:_
At 6.05 A.M., July 9, the lookout man on the after bridge rang the
telegraph, at the same time pointing his hand downward and out on the
port beam. The third officer was immediately sent aft to inquire what
was seen. He returned quickly and reported both men had seen a torpedo
pass across the stern from port to starboard, only ten feet clear of
the rudder. In the meantime both the chief officer and myself
distinctly saw the trail of the torpedo, extending from the stern to
about 200 yards out on the port beam. About eight minutes afterwards
the chief officer and I saw the submarine come to the surface about
two points on the starboard quarter, a distance of about
three-quarters of a mile, with five or six men on her deck, getting
her guns ready.
I immediately ordered all possible steam, altered the course, and
brought her right astern, when they began shelling us. The first shot
struck the water abreast of the forecastle on the starboard side,
about thirty feet off. The second dropped just under the bridge;
third, abreast of No. 5 hatch, quite close alongside; fourth, under
the stern, sending up a volume of water forty feet high; fifth and
sixth and last shells all fell short. The firing then ceased, and the
submarine was soon left far astern.
Marconi distress signals were sent out at once. We were thirty-seven
miles south of Queenstown. I got a reply that assistance would be with
us in an hour, but it was four hours before the small armored yacht
Jennette appeared. I account for the torpedo missing the ship to their
misjudging the speed, allowing fourteen knots instead of sixteen,
which we were doing at the time. The torpedo passed only ten feet
clear.
It was an ideal day for torpedo attack--light wind, slight ripple,
clear weather. The periscope could only have been a few inches above
water, for a very strict lookout was being kept at the time by chief
and third officers and myself and four lookout men. However, we failed
to see her before she fired the torpedo.
Not the least warning was given, and most or nearly all the passengers
were asleep at the time. It was almost another case of brutal murder.
We had twenty-one American passengers on board.
_A Washington dispatch of July 20 to_ THE NEW YORK TIMES _announced:_
The President and the Cabinet decided today to have an investigation
made in the case of the British steamer Orduna, which was attacked by
a German submarine on July 9 while on her way from Liverpool to New
York. This action was taken following the receipt of a statement from
W.O. Thompson, counsel of the Federal Industrial Commission, who was a
passenger on the ship.
Mr. Thompson did not see any torpedo fired at the Orduna by the German
submarine, and was unable to give first-hand testimony that the Orduna
had been fired on without notice. It was determined, however, that the
report of Mr. Thompson justified the Government in making an
investigation.
Accordingly, Secretary Lansing wrote a letter to Secretary McAdoo,
requesting that his department undertake the investigation, which will
probably be intrusted to the Collector of Customs at New York.
At the State Department it was said that the attention of the German
Government had not been called to the charge that the Orduna was fired
on by a German submarine without warning. Any action of that sort, if
taken, will follow the investigation which is now ordered.