"
Captain D.J. Roberts, Marine Superintendent of the Cunard Line, said
yesterday that he was prepared to testify under oath in any court and
from his personal knowledge that the Lusitania did not carry any guns
when she sailed from New York at 12:28 P.M. on May 1 for Liverpool.
"It is my invariable custom to go through the passenger ships every day
they are in port," he said, "and I made my last inspection of the
Lusitania on sailing day at 7 A.M. There were no guns or plates or
mountings where guns could be fitted on the Lusitania, nor have there
been since she has been in the service. The ship has never carried
troops or been chartered by the British Government for any purpose
whatsoever.
"In order that there should be no mistake about the ensigns flown by
British merchant vessels, the Admiralty ordered after war had been
declared that only the red ensign, a square red flag with the union jack
in the corner, should be shown at the stern of a merchantman, and the
white St. George's ensign by all war vessels, whether armored or
unarmored. These are the only two flags that are hoisted on British
ships today, with the exception of the company's house flag, when they
are entering port or passing at sea, and the mail flag on the foremast,
which every steamship flies coming in to denote that she has mails on
board.
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