Rms lusitania was hit by a single torpedo: why did she sink so quickly

More than 200,000 people had lined the sides of the landing port to see her maiden voyage, the largest ocean liner in the world in Liverpool docks as it set out on its first journey to the

New World. The RMS Lusitania, built in the shipyards of the Clyde, was a triumph of British engineering when she set sail for America in 1907 at a time when the possibilities of Atlantic

travel were becoming available to everyone. Her four funnels towering above the six decks made her unmissable. A century ago this year, however, the Lusitania really did prove unmissable.

She was sunk by a torpedo from a German U-boat off the coast of Ireland – an atrocity at sea that many believed changed the course of the First World War by ultimately leading to the US

entering the conflict against Germany. The Lusitania was not only the biggest but also the fastest ship on the waters, with a cruising speed of 25 knots. In September 1907, she took the Blue

Riband for making the fastest cross-Atlantic journey after speeding to Sandy Hook in New Jersey in just four days, 19 hours and 53 minutes. Inside, the accommodation was spacious and

comfortable – not only for first class passengers who would pay the equivalent of £15,000 in today’s money for the most luxurious journey on the high seas, but also in the “breadwinner”

third class space in the forward end of the vessel. Ian Murphy, curator of maritime history at the Merseyside Maritime Museum, says the building of the Lusitania and its sister ship

Mauretania came as owner Cunard battled with rivals to offer Atlantic travel. “It was the era of the liners,” he says. “They were the only way of travelling across the Atlantic. "The

ships were cutting edge in design, they were big and fast and there was real prestige with them. "When the RMS Lusitania left Cunard’s Pier 54 in New York on what would prove its last

trip, heading for Liverpool on May 1 1915, Britain was at war not only in the trenches of France but in the water of the North Atlantic and North Sea. "Submarine warfare was intensive

in the Atlantic, as Germany attempted to stop munitions and supplies reaching the UK. "The German embassy had even taken out newspaper adverts, warning potential travellers that ships

entering the “exclusion zone” around the British Isles faced searches or attack. "The risks were known to crew and passengers alike." Alfred Vanderbilt, heir to the industrial

family’s fortune, told one reporter as he boarded: “Lots of talk about submarines, torpedoes and sudden death. "I don’t take much stock in it myself. "What would they gain by

sinking the Lusitania?” Rules on the protection of passenger ships, under long-standing Cruiser Rules, were an established element of international law while the Royal Navy had promised an

escort for the most dangerous part of the journey near the Irish coast. However, on the afternoon of May 7 1915, the Lusitania crossed in front of a U-boat, 11 miles off the Old Head of

Kinsale. A torpedo ripped through the starboard bow near the wheelhouse and was followed seconds later with another tremendous blast in the depths of the ship. The effect was devastating as

the boat listed violently to the starboard side and foundered. Only six of the 48 lifeboats were successfully launched, with some boats being tipped into the sea and others crushing

passengers as they toppled on to the decks. Many of those who were to die slid down the decks and into the sea as the boat lurched under the water. Just 18 minutes after being hit by the

single torpedo, the Lusitania sank. Of the 1,959 passengers and crew aboard, 1,198 lost their lives, most by drowning or freezing to death in the cold Atlantic waters. Theories as to why the

ship sank so quickly have abounded – largely because of the mystery second explosion. Could it have been that the ship was secretly packed with explosives and large-scale munitions? In the

aftermath of the attack, the Germans had argued the liner was a legitimate target, a naval cruiser carrying “the contraband of war”. They said the ship had carried munitions and indeed in

the official cargo manifest listed the Lusitania as having on board rounds of rifle cartridges, empty shell cases, and non-explosive fuses. However, this small rifle ammunition would have

been legal to carry and even with a large amount of aluminium powder – destined for munitions manufacture at Woolwich Arsenal – also in the hold, experts believe it is unlikely that was the

cause. One suggestion has been that coal dust in the empty bunkers near the engines could have been responsible. However, it may be that the Lusitania was simply unlucky: a German U-boat

firing a single shot as it was heading home and striking at a weak point in the hull. “A lot of the controversy has been around the second explosion and what may have caused it,” says Mr

Murphy. “And there have been a lot of theories of what may have caused it. “I have not seen evidence that major munitions which could have caused the explosion were carried but there is no

definite reason to explain what happened. "The most likely reason may be a build-up of pressure and explosion in one of the boilers – which would have caused a big explosion but not

structurally damaged the boat. “The reality is that one torpedo hitting in the wrong place could be enough to sink a boat of that size – and that has been seen since.” In Britain anger at

the sinking was immediate. Cities saw rioters protest as the outcry at what seemed a flagrant breach of international law was widely condemned. It was also terrifying proof of the strength

and ruthlessness of the German sea assault on Britain. In the next two years, the German naval force would triple in size – to the extent that one estimate suggested that one in every four

vessels leaving UK waters faced attack. The Germans were planning to bring Britain to its knees by cutting it off from its allies – a scheme that British naval commanders feared would work

by 1917. Britain hoped the attack would force the US to enter the First World but President Woodrow Wilson refused to act immediately. “The attack on the Lusitania was part of a strategy to

blockade Britain,” says Mr Murphy. “It was an attempt to starve Britain into surrender. “It was also a tipping point in terms of submarine warfare and it is a final warning to America.

"The US joining the war is still down the line but the situation has reached the point where it cannot be ignored diplomatically.” Two years later the US finally took the hint and

declared war on Germany. * The Lusitania: Life, Loss, Legacy exhibition opens tomorrow at the Merseyside Maritime Museum.