Twenty-Five Years Ago

Northern Advocate, 10 May 1940, Page 4

Twenty-Five Years Ago

The Cunard Company announced the following totals concerning those saved from the Lusitania: Passengers, 487; crew, 274; , total, 741. There were 2160 persons on board, making a total deathroll of 1409. The “Daily Chronicle” expressed the opinion that President Wilson would not ask the United States to go to war with Germany, as a result of this outrage. He might, it was stated, notify Germany that upon recurrence of attacks ripori non-combatants, America would withdraiv every restriction previously placed on the supply of arms and munitions to the Allies, and even facilitate it, or might withdraiv the hospitality offered to German shipping.

It was understood that President Wilson demanded a pledge that Germany would abandon methods of warfare which were contrary to modern civilisation, and a full cash indemnity for every American lost in the Lusitania, the Gulf Lught and- the Falaba. Despite the disaster, and the further advertised German warnings, only 12 bookings by the Cunard liner Transylvania were cancelled. Mr Bonar Law concluded that the Germans had run amok and that their deeds were those of desperation. A zeppelin raided the mouth of the Thames, dropping about 80 bombs on Southend , Westcliffe and Leigh.

A good deal of damage was done to property, and there were a few deaths. The occupation of Libau, a Russian port in the Baltic, was admitted in a Petrograd_ message.