ne claimed afterward that three submarines
had been engaged in the attack on the liner, but, after all evidence
had been sifted, the claim made by the Germans that only one had been
present was found to be true. The commander of the submarine had
evidently been well informed as to just what route the liner would
take. Trouble with her engines, which developed after she had left New
York, had brought her speed down to 18 knots, a circumstance which was
in favor of the attacking vessel, for it could not have done much
damage with a torpedo had she been going at her highest speed; it
would have given her a chance to cross the path of the torpedo as it
approached. No sign of the submarine was noticed by the lookout or by
any of the passengers on the _Lusitania_ until it was too late to
maneuver her to a position of safety. A few moments before the white
wake of the approaching torpedo was espied, the periscope had been
seen as it came to the surface of the water. From that moment onward
the liner was doomed.

The German admiralty report of the actual sinking of the ship, which
was issued on the 14th of May, 1915, was brief. It read: "A submarine
sighted the steamship _Lusitania_, which showed no flag, May 7, 2.20
Central European time, afternoon, on the southeast coast of Ireland,
in fine, clear weather.

"At 3.10 o'clock one torpedo was fired at the _Lusitania_, which hit
her starboard side below the captain's bridge. The detonation of the
torpedo was followed immediately by a further explosion of extremely
strong effect. The ship quickly listed to starboard and began to sink.

"The second explosion must be traced back to the ignition of
quantities of ammunition inside the ship."

One of the effects of the sinking of the _Lusitania_ was to cut down
the number of passengers sailing to and from America to Europe on
ships flying flags of belligerent nations. Attacks by submarines on
neutral ships did not abate, however, for on the 15th of May, 1915,
the Danish steamer _Martha_ was torpedoed in broad daylight and in
view of crowds ashore off the coast of Aberdeen Bay.

The sinking of ships in the "war zone" continued in spite of rumors
that the German admiralty was expected to discontinue operations of
the submarines against merchantmen on account of the unfriendly
feeling aroused in neutral nations, particularly the United States. On
the 19th of May, 1915, came the news that the British steamship
_Dumcree_ had been torp