et
clear.

It was an ideal day for torpedo attack--light wind, slight ripple,
clear weather. The periscope could only have been a few inches above
water, for a very strict lookout was being kept at the time by chief
and third officers and myself and four lookout men. However, we failed
to see her before she fired the torpedo.

Not the least warning was given, and most or nearly all the passengers
were asleep at the time. It was almost another case of brutal murder.

We had twenty-one American passengers on board.

_A Washington dispatch of July 20 to_ THE NEW YORK TIMES _announced:_

The President and the Cabinet decided today to have an investigation
made in the case of the British steamer Orduna, which was attacked by
a German submarine on July 9 while on her way from Liverpool to New
York. This action was taken following the receipt of a statement from
W.O. Thompson, counsel of the Federal Industrial Commission, who was a
passenger on the ship.

Mr. Thompson did not see any torpedo fired at the Orduna by the German
submarine, and was unable to give first-hand testimony that the Orduna
had been fired on without notice. It was determined, however, that the
report of Mr. Thompson justified the Government in making an
investigation.

Accordingly, Secretary Lansing wrote a letter to Secretary McAdoo,
requesting that his department undertake the investigation, which will
probably be intrusted to the Collector of Customs at New York.

At the State Department it was said that the attention of the German
Government had not been called to the charge that the Orduna was fired
on by a German submarine without warning. Any action of that sort, if
taken, will follow the investigation which is now ordered.

NEBRASKAN'S CASE

_Ambassador Gerard on July 15 formally transmitted to Washington
Germany's admission of liability and expression of regret for the
attack by a German submarine on the American steamer Nebraskan._

_Secretary Lansing's announcement of the German memorandum follows:_

Ambassador Gerard has telegraphed to the Department of State the
following memorandum from the German Foreign Office relative to the
damaging of the American steamer Nebraskan by a German submarine:

"The German Government received from newspaper reports the
intelligence that the American steamer Nebraskan had been damaged by a
mine or torpedo on the southwest coast of Ireland. It therefore
started a thorough investigation of the c