"I was chatting with a friend at the rail about 2 o'clock, when suddenly
I caught a glimpse of the conning tower of a submarine about a thousand
yards distant. I immediately called my friend's attention to it.
Immediately we both saw the track of a torpedo, followed almost
instantly by an explosion. Portions of splintered hull were sent flying
into the air, and then another torpedo struck. The ship began to list to
starboard.

"The crew at once proceeded to get the passengers into boats in an
orderly, prompt, and efficient manner. Miss Helen Smith appealed to me
to save her. I placed her in a boat and saw her safely away. I got into
one of the last boats to leave.

"Some of the boats could not be launched, as the vessel was sinking.
There was a large number of women and children in the second cabin.
Forty of the children were less than a year old."

From interviews with passengers it appears that when the torpedoes burst
they sent forth suffocating fumes, which had their effect on the
passengers, causing some of them to lose consciousness.

Two stokers, Byrne and Hussey of Liverpool, gave a few details. They
said the submarine gave no notice and fired two torpedoes, one hitting
No. 1 stoke hole and the second the engine room. The first torpedo was
discharged at 2 o'clock. In twenty-five minutes the great liner
disappeared.

The Cunard Line agent states that the total number of persons aboard the
Lusitania was 2,160.