[Illustration: Map indicating sites of attacks on American ships or
American lives in the German submarine war zone. The damage to the
Nebraskan was sustained on May 25, last.]
_Three dispatches concerning the Nebraskan incident were received at
the State Department at Washington on May 26--one from Walter H.
Page, the American Ambassador in London, and two from Robert P.
Skinner, the United States Consul General in London. The dispatch from
the Ambassador said:_
Urgent. Report at midnight last night to British Admiralty from Lands
End states that American steamer Nebraskan torpedoed forty-five miles
south by west of Southcliffe, crew taking to boats. British trawler
standing by now reports Nebraskan still afloat and making for
Liverpool with four holds full of water. No lives reported lost.
_The first dispatch from Consul General Skinner was as follows:_
Admiralty reports American steamer Nebraskan, Liverpool for Delaware
Breakwater, torpedoed forty miles south by west of Fastnet. Crew in
boats. Standing by. Weather fine.
_The following cablegram came from the Consul General:_
Nebraskan proceeding to Liverpool under own steam about 8-1/2 knots,
crew having returned on board. Apparently no lives lost. Extent of
damage unknown.
_In an Associated Press dispatch from Crookhaven, Ireland, on May 26,
this report appeared:_
It was learned today that a submarine was seen last night off the
southern coast of Ireland. She was sighted soon after 9 P.M., near
Barley Cove, which is about ten miles from Fastnet. The mishap to the
steamer Nebraskan is reported to have occurred shortly before 9
o'clock, about forty miles from Fastnet.
A steamer was seen outside Crookhaven, which lies just north of Barley
Cove, at about 9 o'clock last night. As she approached in the
direction of Fastnet Lighthouse two loud reports of a gun were heard.
A boat in Crookhaven Harbor went in the direction of the steamer which
put about and was lost to sight.
Several residents of Crookhaven turned out and went along the shore,
keeping a sharp lookout. They sighted a submarine off Cove, near the
mouth of a little creek. One of the men on shore fired two shots with
a rifle at the man in the conning tower of the submarine. The
submarine dived immediately, but soon rose again further out. Three
more shots were fired at her and she again disappeared.
_The detailed report on the Nebraskan incident by Lieutenant Towers of
the American Embassy in London, as submitted by Ambassador Gerard to
the State Department, is thus described in a Washington dispatch to
THE NEW YORK TIMES of June 16, 1915:_
Evidence indicating that the American steamer Nebraskan was torpedoed
by a German submarine on May 25, was obtained by the State Department
today when it received a long mail report from Ambassador Page at
London containing the results of the investigation conducted by the
American Consul General at Liverpool upon the arrival of the Nebraskan
at that port.
Ambassador Page's mail report contained the detailed report made by
Lieutenant John H. Towers, Naval Attaché of the American Embassy at
London, who made a technical and expert examination of the Nebraskan
in drydock at Liverpool. Lieutenant Towers's report contained a number
of photographs of the shattered fore section of the hull of the
Nebraskan, but the most interesting feature of the report consisted of
exhibits in the form of what Secretary Lansing described as
"fragments of metal."
While officials would not make known the character of these fragments
or the details of the report until they had opportunity to carefully
examine the data, it was learned tonight that the report indicated
that the Nebraskan was torpedoed, and that the fragments sent with the
report consisted of portions of the shell of a torpedo, which were
found in the hull of the Nebraskan.
The report also contained the depositions of three of the officers of
the Nebraskan, taken by the Consul at Liverpool, including the
statement of the Captain and the Chief Engineer. The latter stated
that at 8:24 o'clock on the night of May 25, after the flag of the
Nebraskan had been hauled down, he observed a white streak in the
water perpendicular to the ship on the starboard side and a severe
shock was almost instantly felt, followed by a violent explosion
abreast of No. 1 hold.
The report of Lieutenant Towers showed that the hatch covers of No. 1
hold were blown off, also the cargo booms above it, and that the
bottom plating and pieces of the side of the ship were blown up
through two decks of the ship.