r...._

_George A. Kessler of New York, in an interview, gave the following
description of the Lusitania sinking and of preliminary incidents
aboard:_

"On Wednesday I saw the crew taking tarpaulins from the boats, and I
went up to the Purser and said:

"'It's all right drilling your crew, but why don't you drill your
passengers?'

"The Purser said he thought it was a good idea, and added, 'Why not tell
Captain Turner, Sir?'

"The next day I had a conversation with the Captain, and to him
suggested that the passengers should receive tickets, each with a number
denoting the number of the boat he should make for in case anything
untoward happened. I added that this detail would minimize difficulties
in the event of trouble.

"The Captain replied that this suggestion was made after the disaster to
the Titanic. The Cunard people had thought it over and considered it
impracticable. He added that, of course, he could not act on the advice
given, because he should first have the authority of the Board of Trade.

"I talked with the Captain generally about the torpedo scare, which
neither of us regarded as of any moment. The Captain (you understand, of
course, that we were smoking and chatting) explained his plans to me. He
said that they were then slowing down, (in fact, we were going only
about eighteen knots,) and that the ship would be slowed down until they
got somewhere further on the voyage, and then they would go at all speed
and get over the war zone.

"I asked him what the war zone was, and he said 500 miles from
Liverpool.

"According to the next day's run, ending about two hours before the
mishap occurred, we were about 380 or 390 miles from Liverpool. So we
were in the war zone, and we were going only at a speed of eighteen
knots at the critical moment.

"For the two days previous, as well as I remember, the mileage was 506
and 501, and on Thursday the mileage was 488. On Friday I was playing
bridge when the pool was put up on the day's run and I heard twenty
numbers go from 480 to 499. I thought it would be a grand speculation to
buy the lowest number, as we were going so slow. I did buy it, and paid
$100. The amount in the pool was between $300 and $350, and when the
pool was declared, I was the winner.

"The steward offered to hand over the money if I would go to his cabin,
but I said that he could pay me later.

"Shortly after the steward had left me I was on the upper deck and
looking out to se