a.

The final tragedy of the year at sea took place on December 30, 1915,
shortly after one o'clock in the afternoon at a point 300 miles
northwest of Alexandria, Egypt, where the Peninsular and Oriental
liner _Persia_ was torpedoed. Like so many ships that had gone before
she sank immediately. Out of 241 passengers aboard only fifty-nine
were saved, while ninety-four men in a crew of 159 reached shore. This
aroused some criticism, but there was no evidence to show that the
crew had taken advantage of those intrusted to their protection.

No one saw the submarine that sank the _Persia_. She undoubtedly was
torpedoed, as it was scarcely reasonable that a stray mine had floated
to such an unfrequented spot. One American citizen, Robert Ney
McNeely, appointed consul to Aden, Egypt, lost his life. He was en
route to his post at the time and the United States Government found
itself facing another serious situation. Here was an American
official, bound on official business, killed by a friendly nation.
There the problem became more complex. It could not be proved to whom
the submarine belonged that attacked the ship; it could not even be
shown that she had been torpedoed. Germany flatly denied any hand in
the affair and Austria, after delay for reports from her submarines
commanders, likewise disclaimed responsibility. Official Washington
turned inquiring eyes upon Turkey. There were hints in the German
press that a Turkish boat torpedoed the vessel. Both Germany and
Austria had pledged themselves to respect the lives of noncombatants,
but Turkey, having never sank a passenger ship, was bound by no such
pledge. It even was hinted that Bulgaria might be the nation to blame.
She had entered hostilities on the side of the Teutonic Powers, and
was said to have at least one or two submarines.

Amid this welter of excuses, explanations and possibilities the United
States Government floundered for several weeks. Then it gave up the
problem and ruled that Mr. McNeely should have asked for a warship if
he wanted to reach Aden and there was no other way to go. The _Persia_
had several 4.7-inch guns aboard, which compromised her in the view of
Washington.

According to the British Admiralty thirty-nine unarmed steamships and
one trawler flying the Union Jack were sunk without warning by
submarines up to the end of 1915. Thirteen neutral steamships and one
sailing vessel were listed under the same heading. Of these, the
_Gulflight_