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Show -oo ENGINEER SAW WAKEOFTORPEBO Liverpool, May 28; 7:11 a m. While none of the crew of the Ameri can Steamer .elraskan I'saDleri i ues day n'ght by an explosion off the coast of Irelnnd. saw a submarine. ; the 1 Mef engineer believes he 5a -. the wake of a torpedo on the starboard star-board side, according to Captain Greene of the steamer. The c aptaln stated that there was a holo about twenty feet square In the forecastle below the mater line. "We were in the boats about an hour" he said "The ship seemed to li settling b the head and we decl ded to stay cloe by until help, which we had summoned by wireless, arrived ar-rived While none of us saw r submarine, the chief engineer believes he an the wnke nf torpedo on the starboard side. The effect of the shock ot the torpedo striking the ship was to stop her suddenly There was a perceptible Interval between the shock and the explosion. "We started to return to Liverpool about 10:30 o'clock tho same night, traveling eight knots an hour The vessel uas twelve feet lower down by the head than normal, owing to the water In the hold." Damage to Vessel Severe. The damage to the vessel's upper structure g so severe it i evident the shock the ship suffered must have been terrific. Great derricks were torn up and flung across the deck smashing the rail on one Bide Strong steel girders forming part of a hatch were blown out and smc 1 went overboard. In the deck, floor fog near the hatch two large holes were made, revealing the naked steel girders, two of which were cut through cleanly. The bunks occupied by the boa' waln and two quartermasters, all of ivhom were injured, are a mass of j w reckage and the men are wondering 1 o they rf aped more serious hurt?. t All the furniture and woodwork in the room were broken into fragments Tho boatswain suffered injunc the head, arms and legs Roth quartermasters quar-termasters were badly bruised. The American consul and represpn-tatives represpn-tatives of the American emhass' boarded the ship terday afternoon, meeting tho steamer off the bar and .coming with her to the docks. State Department Anxiojs Washington. May 28. American government officials awaited today with keen interest the affidavit qfj 'aptaln Greene of the American! steamship Nebraskan. resardinc thj; explosion that damaged his ship off, the coatl of Ireland on Tuesday night. Ambassador Page at London had' cahled that the captain's sworn state ! ment concerning the incident had 1 heen given to Lieutenant I'nwors.i naval attache of the enihiiy at Liv-' crool, and that it would be forwarded forward-ed at once. ffll Officials here express the belief that Captain Greenes affidavit may not be mor definite than a previous report by him. which said that his Bhip either struck mine or was hit by a torpedo In unofficial advices re elved here the captain, who arrived s with his ship at Llserpool last nl?'.u. Is quoted ns saying that although he j saw no submarine, he was certain j that the ship was torpedoed. Offi- 1 a 1 s have been unable as yet to de- I termlne from advices received up to j date bow the Ncbraskau was dain- J r. examination was to be under- jt taken in Liverpool today by American Naal Constructor McBride. H Secretary Bryan said that an incom- H plete report had been received frrm London of the investigation into the explosion which damaged the Nebras- H kan. but that nothing would be made I public until the report of naval experts had been received. H |
