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Show LINER HESPERIAN WAS TORPEDOED United States Naval Experts Decide That Fragment Found on Steamship's Deck Was Part of Torpedo. Washington, OcL 30. Secretary Lansing announced today that the navy department had definitely established estab-lished the fact that the fragment of tho engine of war which sank the Allen liner Hesperian was a part of a torpedo. The German government has persistently denied that the Hesperian Hes-perian was torpedoed. In the opinion of United States naval experts the fragment could not have been a part of a marine mine The secretary said the result of the navy department's Investigation would Immediately be communicated either tc tho German government directly or to Ambassador Bernstorff. The secretary volunteered no information infor-mation regarding what form the communication com-munication to the German government govern-ment might take. Germany Makes Qualified Disclaimer. Germany has made to the United States a qualified disclaimer of responsibility re-sponsibility for the sinking of the Hesperian. In a note to Ambassador Geraid on September 20 the German foreign office said that on tho face of the evidence, then at hand, Germany Ger-many was satisfied that the Hesperian Hesper-ian was not sunk by a German submarine. sub-marine. The fragment of metal examined by the nayy department experts, was said to have been picked from the deck of the Hesperian after tho explosion. ex-plosion. The Hesperian sank early In September off the Irish coast while making her way to port after being disabled by the explosion The fragment was sent to the state department de-partment by the American embassy at London. Tho state department heretofore had been In doubt regarding the direct di-rect cause of the sinking of the Hesperian. Hes-perian. A number of affidavits from passengers and officers of the ship have been received by the state department. de-partment. The signors swear that the ship had been torpedoed. Two Americans were aboard. |