THE TRAGEDY OF THE ASTURIAS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9622, 30 March 1917, Page 5

THE TRAGEDY OF THE ASTURIAS

LATEST INFAMY OF GERMAN FIENDS STORY OR THE SINKING OF THE HOSPITAL SHIP. LONDON, March 28. Tiro torpedoes struck the Asturias at midnight on the 20tli. The '\oather was fine, but it. was dark. Thu majority ot/lho crew and the hospital staff wc.re in thoir bunks. The first torpedo struck the rudder, mid went on to the engine-room, where it damaged the machinery arid put. out the electric light throughout the ship. Patrol vessels quickly answered the distress signals, and many of the survivors were towed in boars to a poit. They were mostly thinly clad, as they had jumped out of their bunks. ‘As far as the German submarine could tell, the Asturias was full or sick and wounded. -The men aboard knew of Germany’.s threat to torpedo hospital ships, but most or thorn considered such dastardly conduct impossible and unbelievable. , ■, The “Morning Post” says that the first torpedo passed right through the stern. Another larger hole, directly above that made by the torpedo, was caused by the breaking and twisting of the propeller. ;lhc \uitex poured in. and the Asturias drilled on to a rocky coast, where she now lies. .Meanwhile, boats which were already out wore lowered. The Army nursing sisters were first placed in thorn. There was an exceptional number of women aboard, owirug to the ship bringing back sisters whose period of service had expired. One fully-loaded boat capsized, and some of the occupants were in the water for an hour. Iho thought fcof every man aboard tho Asturias was: ‘‘Thank God wo landed the patients yesterday, otheiwise there would, have been a thousand sick and wounded aboard, many unable to movo hand or foot, and some unable, even, to cry out for help. Tho villagers generously supplied the hospital staff and crew with clothing, blankets, and boots. /There wore many slight injuries apart from those severely injured and mentioned in tho communique. . Tho Asturias was not carrying wounded, the patients having been disembarked at an English port. Bhe was returning to her base, and there were three hundred persons on board. THREAT OF REPRISALS BY FOREIGN OFFICE •V DECLARATION ISSUED BY GERMAN GOVERNMENT. LONDON, March 28. The newspapers recall tho declaration by the Foreign Office on January 31st, that if the throat to sink hospital ships is carried out, reprisals will immediate! vbe taken. . . , This is the second attempt to torpedo the Asturias, the first having been made north-west of Havre on February Ist, 1015. . The following declaration was issued by the British I'orcign Office on January 31st:—The German Government announce that ‘they have con-, elusive proof that in several instances enemy hospital ships have often been misused for' the transport of munitions and troops. They also state that they have placed these proofs, through diplomatic channels, before, tho British and French Governments, and have at the same time declared that traffic of hospital ships on the military routes for tho forces fighting in Franco and Belgium within a line drawn between Flamborough Head and lersoheUing (Holland) bn the one hand and from Ushant to Land’s End on tho other will no longer bo tolerated. ..... , “His Majesty’s Government has received no such communication through diplomatic channels, or otherwise, from the German Government, a s is alleged, and they most emphatically deny that British hospital ships have been used for the transport of munitions and trobps, or in any way contrary to th© Hague Convention for the adaptation of the principles of tho Geneva Convention to maritime war. “Under the Convention belligerents have the right to search hospital ships, and the German Government have therefore an obvious remedy in case of suspicion—ia remedy which they have never utilised. 1 “From tho Gorman Government’s statement that hospital ships will no longer bo tolerated within the limits mentioned, only one conclusion can be drawn, namely, that it is the intention of tho German Government to add yet other and mtoro unspeakable crimes against law and humanity to the long list which disgraces their record. “In these circumstances. His Majesty’s Government have requested the United States Government to inform the German Government that His Alajesty’s Government hrtvo decided that it tho threat is carried out reprisals will immediately,.l)o taken by the British authorities concerned.”