They
certainly do not come under the classification of ammunition. The United
States authorities would not permit us to carry ammunition, classified
as such by the military authorities, on a passenger liner. For years we
have been sending small-arms cartridges abroad on the Lusitania."
[Illustration: SIR ROBERT BORDEN, K.C.M.G.
Prime Minister of Canada]
[Illustration: H.R.H. FIELD MARSHAL THE DUKE OF CONNAUGHT
Uncle of George V. and Governor General of Canada
_(Photo from P.S. Rogers.)_]
"The Lusitania had 1,250 steel shrapnel cases, but they were empty.
There was no explosive of any sort aboard. As to the report that the
Lusitania had guns aboard, I cannot assert too strongly that it is
positively untrue. There were no guns whatever aboard. The Lusitania was
an unarmed passenger steamer. Furthermore she never has been armed, and
never carried an unmounted gun or rifle out of port in times of war or
peace."
"Then you unqualifiedly declare that the Lusitania was not armed against
submarines?" he was asked.
"The ship," Mr Winter replied, "was as defenseless against undersea and
underhanded attack as a Hoboken ferryboat in the North River would be
against one of the United States battleships.
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